Dress to Impress, It’s the Key to Success!

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The title of this post may seem blatantly obvious (and terribly cheesy), but what if I told you that some people deem a mini-skirt as acceptable attire for a professional event? Blasphemous, you say! I know. I wish I was kidding, but sadly what I say is true.

An outfit that might get you hired (whether Hillary Clinton would wear this is debatable).

I recently had the privilege of attending a great industry event with several dozen PR professionals, (including some fellow Texties). I anticipated a day filled with learning best practices and industry trends—and it was!—but what I did not anticipate was the scantily-clad college students.

I was shocked to see multiple young ladies wearing skirts or dresses that barely covered their derrieres. I understand that 8:00 a.m. is not a time that many college students see; I was a college student myself not too long ago. But isn’t it common sense to wear professional attire to these types of events? I can recall numerous minutes spent in my closet, fretting over what to wear the night before an interview. Not to mention, as part of my Business Writing class at Fairfield University, I participated in a mock interview with my professor, who graded my interviewing skills—and my attire.

The conference provided a rare opportunity to mix and mingle with the industry’s best-of-the-best, especially in a time when jobs are scarce. This was an opportunity for students to make an impression with local companies—and possibly secure an internship position.

Text 100 is always on the lookout for stellar interns. And you know what? Our internship coordinator, who joined me at the event, zeroed in on the girl wearing dress pants and a blazer, not the girl wearing five-inch stilettos and a skin tight dress.

So, here are a few “rules of thumb” (reconfirmed by the aforementioned students) to follow when dressing for any professional event:

• If your fingertips surpass your hemline by a mile, then it is not appropriate. No
  

  Ummmm, no. Just, no. Sorry Miley!

  one wants to see your undergarments when you drop your complimentary conference padfolio.

• If you would wear the outfit to the bars on a Saturday night, then it is not appropriate. Think to yourself “WWHCD,” or rather What Would Hillary Clinton Do?
• If your pants look like you slept in them, then it is not appropriate. I know the “I-just-rolled-out-of-bed” look is popular on the runways, but this is not New York Fashion Week.
• If someone confuses you with a flight attendant, then it is not appropriate….or fashionable. (And yes, that happened.)
• If your backpack would be of interest to a kindergartner, then it is not appropriate. Please leave your wildly floral bags in your dorm room and opt for a more modest briefcase or purse.

Can you think of any other professional faux pas or fashion mishaps at work? Let’s talk tacky clothing!

Editor’s Note: Polyvore boards borrowed from here (business attire) and here (no-no attire).