Teri Burgos-Gutierrez, Corporate Trainer

Teri, a wife to a dentist, and mother to 3 adolescent sons, trains professionals and writes textbooks in Speech. She can be reached at gutierrez_teri@yahoo.com

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

“Shoot for the moon. Even when you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” -Anonymous

When it comes to corporate image, either in or out of the workplace, the first thing most people think of is money to spend for it. People who can’t afford to shell out money are afraid they are going to have to purchase a whole new wardrobe from expensive department stores. The reality is: It’s just not so! As we all know, most people around the world are just trying to make ends meet, living from paycheck to paycheck, month after month. And with inflation, it’s a good bet that prices will continue to rise. Plain and simple, clothing can be very expensive.

My own case is typical. I still calculate every purchase of clothing in relation to what I already have. I just can’t go out and buy anything that I want (say a new outfit that doesn’t match anything in my closet.) Most people can’t go out and buy anything they want when the demands of raising children, saving for college, buying or renting a house, car or furniture, and paying for medical costs are pulling for every peso earned every payday.

That is why I suggest you build your executive wardrobe on the key pieces that you already own. Building a wardrobe gives you the opportunity to make wise and well-planned clothing investments, just as you were investing in real estate or educational plans. But first things first: Before we start to build anything, we must first be organized. Here are successful elements of any wardrobe planning that needs to begin with organization:

1. Organize your closet – look at what you already have and start from there.
2. Select a color scheme – choose a color that matches your personality and skin tone.
3. Invest in classics – go for the natural design that you can use anytime of the day at work or elsewhere.
4. Buy the best – invest in materials that last for a long time.
5. Coordinate patterns – matching or pairing off colors is an important thing to remember.
6. Choose year-round fabrics – choose materials that can be used for warm or cold weather.
7. Accessorize – attend to other details like belts, buttons, pins etc. These add color to your wardrobe.
8. Maintain your wardrobe – make sure that your wardrobe is well-attended to. Remember that fashion continues to repeat itself and you can very well recycle or reuse whatever you have again and again for as long you keep them neat and clean.

In choosing the right look for you, be sensitive to how your superiors and co-workers dress. Ask yourself if there are unwritten dress codes. Look at your profession, your personality, your lifestyle. The look you choose might be excitingly easygoing. Perhaps you’re on the quiet side. In that case, you might choose milder colors, styles and looks. The choices are all yours to make for yourself. Who know better than you with regard to your likes dislikes, your figure, assets, your position, your lifestyle? (Your Executive Image V.A.Seitz)

 Today, the look that communicates who you are is the significant factor of your executive image. It’s all right to be in fashion and aware of fashion trends, but don’t be tempted into acquiring fashions or trends that aren’t you.