Women in Financial Services
Olga Anderson - Dress to Be Seen, Not Overlooked
Katie.Dix / 30 Apr 2021
Article: Communicating You: Dress to Be Seen, Not Overlooked
Following fashion suggests a desire to blend in with the crowd. If, on the other hand, you make up your own rules, being seen and being remembered for your unique personal style is an important step in communicating who you are and what you want in life.
Despite popular belief, there are no firm rules when it comes to fashion; there are, however, solid ideas that are applicable when it comes to dressing to communicate your desires in your personal life and work life.
Everyone is entitled to follow trends, whether in part or in full. It may be for the fact that you like a particular style or that it suits you – sometimes, certain trends come around and are the very thing that your wardrobe needs. For the most part, though, people often adopt trends because they feel they must. As fashion is a major player when it comes to identity, dressing like everyone else in order to be part of a blended conglomerate of trendsetters and fashion-followers, may actually have a negative impact on your confidence and idea of self.
So how can you communicate yourself through your clothing?
- Explore
Don't be afraid to explore new styles. Until you try something, you have no idea whether it will work or not – perhaps it doesn’t match that particular outfit but swapping one element for another could make all the difference! Of course, if nothing you try will make that particular style ‘work’ for you, then that’s just something you have to accept (unfortunately); it doesn’t mean you give up exploring.
- Wear Confidence
If you carry yourself confidently in what you're wearing, people will buy into the idea that you are confident, even on your bad days. Your clothes don’t have to be restrictive to say, ‘I’m a professional’, nor does wearing comfortable and relaxed clothing have to suggest you’re lazy. It is how you wear clothing, as much as what you are wearing, that projects who you are out to the world. Holding a board meeting in flat shoes, oversized culottes, and a silk shirt that’s only partially tucked in will not make you any less proficient at your job. If you own your look, you own the room.
- Be Remembered: Adopt A Personal Signature
It may sound narcissistic, but there’s more to it. Whilst many women feel it necessary to wear heels in an office setting, it is not always the most practical (or comfortable) choice of footwear, nor does every woman like or want to wear heels. Adopting a signature piece of clothing or footwear that fits the practicality of your day as well as your own style can work in your favour. For example, if you choose a pair of flowery boots as your staple – something that can work with dresses, skirts, trousers and everything in between – you would have created a signature piece that’s entirely your own and that makes you memorable to others. Then, beyond this, your time can be spent focusing on your work and the people around you.
It’s perfectly fine to follow trends, but it’s important to remember to stay true to your authentic self at all times. Dress to be seen, not overlooked.
Olga Anderson is a bespoke and ready-to-wear womenswear designer. She specialises in clothing designed to empower her clients, and as of 2019, became a ‘Women Appreciating Women’ (WAW) Honorary Award winner. She runs her brand with the belief that “fashion and design should empower women”; working meticulously to encourage and celebrate women’s individuality, accomplishments and passion, both in and outside of their careers.
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