In a world of inspirational memes and #girlpost Instagram posts, it’s easy to forget that we all get stuck at work, or feel like we can’t find a way forward at times. Sue Unerman is the Chief Transformation Officer at MediaCom and Kathryn Jacob OBE is the Chief Executive at Pearl and Dean. Together they wrote The Glass Wall: Success Strategies For Women At Work And Businesses That Mean Business. Each week answer your work questions with pragmatic, honest advice that’s proven to work…
I’ve been told to ‘power dress’ at work, but I don’t know what this means. Most of my peers simply seem to wear what is comfortable, and blend into the background. My boss, who is a man, always wears a suit, except when he’s not in big meetings when he wears actually quite scruffy jeans and a polo shirt. The advice came from a friend of mine in a different sector who always looks smart but wears outfits that I would be uncomfortable in, for example, high heel court shoes and fitted dresses. What do you suggest?
SU: This is an interesting dilemma, and actually full of fun and opportunity. I think that you can make a big difference to how you come across at work and the level of gravitas or creativity that people associate you with, simply by giving some thought to your wardrobe. Kathryn what’s your opinion of this?
KJ: Sue as you know, you and I have a rule: never wear shoes you can’t run it because you must always be able to move comfortably. The advantage women have is that they are able to dial up and dial down how they look more flexibly than many men seem to manage. So, for example, wearing a dress with fresh white trainers is a very different vibe to wearing it with heels, it’s still smart but it looks relaxed. The key thing is that you feel comfortable, appropriate and that it’s the image of you that you want to project.
SU: This is important. Do not get carried away with comfort or convenience here. Underestimate the power of what you are wearing and you will derail your career ambitions. People around you make snap, instant judgements about you all the time. This is human nature. Let me quote you, saying that when your boss isn’t suited up he is scruffy. Sounds quite judgemental. Don’t fall into the trap of prioritising your comfort and convenience to the extent that you live in jeans and the nearest available T-shirt. Think about the image you are trying to project as Kathryn says. My rule is, dress for the job you want, not the job you have. This might mean that you run the risk of standing out. Well, being noticed for being smart is not a bad thing. As my Auntie Joyce famously says in our family, there is no such thing as being overdressed, everyone else is just underdressed!
KJ: Steady on Sue, with that advice I might turn up at work in a ball gown and tiara! However, it is true that if you are a bit overdressed people will probably just think that you’re off to a posh dinner or party later.
SU: Yes, because or your case, as CEO of Pearl and Dean, you’re frequently off to meet movie stars! Or at least that’s what I always think.
KJ: Enough of the teasing! First and last impressions are key. If you feel that you are underdressed, your body language and demeanour will reflect this. You won’t own your space. So much of what can hold people back, especially women, is a feeling of whether they fit in or have a right to speak up. Clothes can give you that little boost of sass that you need. Don’t be ashamed to own an image or perception if it makes you feel stronger, more focussed and in line with your personal brand.
SU: In our book, The Glass Wall: Success strategies for women at work and businesses that mean business, we discuss how to arrive at your personal brand image. It is crucial for career development and it revolves around augmenting your areas of strength and difference. What you wear should be a key part of this. If your key strength is organisation that might warrant a very different look compared to a key strength of creativity or innovation. Just as everyone wants the brands that they buy to be consistent between packaging, advertising and performance, the same congruence is welcome in your personal brand. You can enhance your prospects by dressing to enhance your key strengths. I do think that too many people dress to fit in, and I would encourage you to experiment with some looks that stand out and get you noticed, in the right way.
KJ: We’ve just been interviewing for quite a senior role and we had one candidate who turned up looking like she was wearing a nightie. We’re not the type of place where people wear that kind of outfit, and it felt like a very strange choice for a first interview. I would always dress relatively conservatively for an interview and always super smart for the first day of a new job.
SU: Different outfits can signal very different moods and mark a change in approach and tone from one meeting to another.
KJ: As you know Sue, if I think a meeting is going to be a little bit heated or tricky, I will put on lipstick (which I don’t normally wear) and a higher pair of heels than normal. It makes me feel as though I have changed things up and is a fiercer look than my usual work outfit.
SU: What you wear is not something to take for granted. I would say that there’s an argument for going to some shops and trying on some outfits that you wouldn’t normally wear to work, just to see how they look and how they make you feel. And of course, take some advice from Grazia.
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