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Dressing ProfessionallyCareer Development Conference

Birmingham Education Foundation, Birmingham Rotary Club, and Birmingham Urban League Young Professionals

+Why Dress Professionally?

How you dress is a huge part of the visual impression you convey, especially on a first impression. In some cases, you may only have one opportunity to convey the kind of employee you are and you want to do it right!

Dressing professionally also shows that you appreciate and understand cultural norms in a specific setting, industry, and workplace. It shows that you are respectful of and are willing to engage in those norms.

+Dress codes and different types of attire

Black or white tieSemi-formalBusiness formalBusiness casualCasual Uniform

Business formal and business casual are the styles that will most often apply to interviews and many corporate/professional jobs. You may inquire at the interview what kind of attire is recommended for daily wok.

+General standards for work attire

Clothes should: Fit properly – not too loose or too tight Be clean Be appropriate to the job and setting Be tucked in Be described as ‘neat,’ ‘crisp,’ and ‘classic,’ rather than

‘trendy’ or ‘expressive’

** Note: the following recommendations are for most traditional, conservative workplaces; you should observe your workplace to determine specific expectations around attire, which may be more relaxed or more formal than described below

+Business Formal - Men

Dark business suit – Black, blue, or gray If opting for separates, pants and blazer should match If you jacket has two buttons, button only the top; if it has

three, button the middle; unbutton your jacket to sit

Dress shirt – traditionally, white, blue, or gray; may incorporate subtle stripes or other pastel solid colors Avoid loud colors such as bright yellow, orange, and certain

shades of red.

Conservative tie – solid colors, stripes, or modest prints Ties should be tied so that the bottom corners hit just

above the belt

Leather dress shoes and dark dress socks – if wearing a belt, match the belt to your shoes

+Business Formal - Women

Suit jacket and appropriate-length skirt (most formal) – dark colors: Knee-length skirt should cover thighs when seated Longer skirts acceptable if not billowing or too tight If you wear a slip under the skirt, make sure it does not show If you cannot walk comfortably, it is probably too tight Sheer stockings (neutral or dark to match skirt)

Suit jacket and matching pants or dress (less formal) – dark colors

Tailored blouse or shirt under jacket – opaque fine-gauge knit shell sleeveless or a sleeved knit top, a tailored knit

sweater, sweater set, or twinset

Conservative closed-toe heels – recommended ½-2 inches

+Business Casual - Men

Long- or short-sleeved collared shirt or polo – white, light blue, other pastel solids, or subtle stripes

Khaki, corduroy, or chino pants – stick with neutral colors Dress pants can also be worn with the above shirt options

Seasonal sport coat, blazer, or v-neck sweater V-neck should only be low enough to expose shirt collar

Tie (optional; same rules apply as for business professional)

Leather loafers or boat shoes and socks

+Business Casual - Women

Skirt, khakis, or pants in a neutral color Hosiery is not essential for business casual

Blouse, collared shirt, knit shirt or sweater Bright colors are allowed for business casual

Conservative shoes May be heels or flats In some cases, sandals may also be acceptable

+Accessories - Men

Conservative watch

Black or brown belt to match shoes with normal-sized buckle No customized belt buckles

Well-groomed facial hair and hair styles

Remove visible piercings

Briefcase or business-style bag for belongings

+Accessories - Women

Make-up should be classic and not overly caked on

Subtle jewelry No chokers or anklets Earrings (studs preferred over long dangling earrings) Piercings only in earlobes

Fingernails at reasonable length and not overly-stylized nail colors or designs

Hair in natural-looking colors (may be dyed, but should not be green or purple or blue, for example) and classic hairstyles Ponytail or bun are acceptable up-dos Wear hear half-up or all the way down Curly or straight

Briefcase or tote bag for belongings

+What not to do

Do not: Wear saggy pants Wear clothes that are revealing Wear clothes that show off tattoos

Avoid: Lots of jewelry Overwhelming perfumes Non-traditional hair colors Flashy styles and prints

+Other - Black Tie

Men: Black suit jacket and matching trousers Formal white shirt Shirt studs and cuff links Black bow tie with black cummerbund to match tie, or a

vest Black patent shoes and black dress socks

Women: Formal (floor length) evening gown Dressy cocktail dress Your dressiest "little black dress"

+Other - Semi-Formal

Men: Dark, business suit Matching vest (optional) Dress shirt Tie Leather dress shoes and dark dress socks

Women: Short afternoon or cocktail dress A "little black dress” Long dressy skirt and top Dressy separates

+Other - Casual

Khakis or good jeans (clean, no holes), sundress, skirt, or shorts

T-shirt, polo shirt, turtleneck

Casual button-down shirt and/or sweater

Loafers, sneakers (with or without socks), sandals

+How can I express myself and still dress professionally?

Once on the job, you may be able to experiment with your attire to express your personality, but be careful to observe how other people do so and what levels of expression are appropriate in your specific job.

You may choose to express yourself through: Mildly colorful or printed accessories such as ties and

scarves Hairstyle Jewelry Shoes

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What dress code styles are the following outfits?

What would you change about the outfits?

How can they be modified to meet a different dress code?

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