Our clothes are our logo

No matter how talented or headstrong you are, if you do not know the rules, you will never succeed. Fashion styles change as do our age and our figures. We live in a visual society. The way you dress communicates to the others who you are and what you are aimed at. The way you dress is of paramount significance on the labour market. During any first encounter people judge you 55% by the way you are dressed, 38% by the way you sound, and only 7% by what you say. The first seven seconds are decisive.

There is no single set of business clothes rules, however we can identify the following type of business attire:

• Corporate type: classical suit, a shirt and a necktie, and closed-toe shoes for the men and a three-piece suit for the women – a jacket, a skirt, a pair of trousers, or a dress with a jacket on, a shirt or a blouse, closed-toe shoes with moderate heels (typically 5 cm).
• Business type – a mix between the corporative and the casual. Trousers and jacket in different colours, and no neckties for the men; a skirt, a blouse, a blouse with a cardigan, a pullover, shoes or boots, a polo and a jacket for the women.

Business casual or on Fridays – leave the jacket in your wardrobe.

• Less jewellery is best!

Jewellery should not be excessive. Most appropriate for the business dress code are the pearls. Limit your jewellery to just a ring and a wedding ring. You are free to combine gold and silver. The brand should not be visible. Do not wear hereditary antique jewellery or anything that dangles or jingles in your office. Men are free to wear a ring on their little finger or a wedding ring. No bracelets or heavy chains are recommended – they communicate a lack of self-confidence. The belt should match the shoes unlike the bag, which should differ in colour.

Tips:

• Always buy clothes of good quality and style, which are perfectly tailored.
• Business style tolerates a combination of up to three colours.
• Buy your clothes during daylight. Otherwise, make sure that the store has three mirrors, so that you can have a thorough look at the dress and don’t forget the inside as well as at the instructions for maintenance: cleaning, ironing, washing. During daytime, wear clothes made of cotton, wool, or linen, choose the silk for your evening dress. A business lady is not supposed to wear see-through clothes, cheap lace or synthetic materials.
• The hosiery – always keep an extra pair in your office!
• If you have spent the day wearing a dress and a jacket and if you have no time to change for dinner, just switch into different shoes, and replace your jacket with an elegant scarf.
• The brand of your clothes should not be visible.
• Body piercing is not recommended.
• If you are going to an interview, be careful with your brand choice. No Gucci or Versace! Dress a bit below your boss’s style!

The article has been prepared with the assistance of Mrs. Eva Kuvandjieva, Executive Director of “Swiss Star”, School for Etiquette, Protocol and Good Manners