Professional Women’s Hosiery Dilemma By Sarah Hathorn, AICI CIP, CPBS
With the sultry days of summer here, it’s time to lighten up your working wardrobe. Dresses can be a cooler option to wear to the office, especially if you work in an industry that has a business casual dress style. Professional women also have the opportunity to attend other types of social functions for business or pleasure. We become so accustomed to wearing suits or blouses and dress trousers that we forget to show our feminine side by wearing a beautiful dress. When you go to your closet and select a dress, it is easy because you don’t have to coordinate it with other items. You can be out of your closet in a flash. If you are going out on a cool summer evening, think of layering your dress with a wrap or a colorful, dressy cardigan. In this article I share with you seven tips to explore the best dresses of the summer for any occasion.
Top Dress Styles of the Season
This summer there are many great styles to compliment your professional and personal life. You want to look great during all facets of your day. Here are a few of my favorite dress styles:
Sheath dress with or without a jacket
Short-sleeve shirtdress
Empire-waistline dress
The belted shirtdress
The wrap dress
Silk shift styles
Rolled-collar sheath styles
The Little Details
Dresses have a way of communicating romance, high fashion or elegance through the details on the garment. This season you will find ruffles on the front bodice, pleated surplice necklines, patent-leather skinny belts, flutter sleeves and portrait collars. These details need to match your style for you to feel comfortable wearing a dress with confidence that has a modern feel.
Colors & Prints are In
You will find dresses in all colors and styles of prints. This season look for summery colors like melon, green, blue or yellow. Depending on your style you will find lots of different prints. Try an animal, floral or geometric print—just remember to keep the scale of the print in proportion to your frame. If you are petite and wear a large print it will seem like the print is wearing you and you will be out of proportion. For business I like to remind my clients that if they work in a more conservative industry, keep their prints to the size of a quarter. Really large prints in the workplace are rather dramatic and can be distracting.
Fabrics of the Season
This year you will find dresses in all types of lightweight fabrics like silks, shantung silks, matte jersey, crepe, cotton, cotton-spandex and polyester-spandex blends. Beware of polyester blends. In the summer, since polyester is very hot to wear. Consider a more natural fabric like cotton or silk, which will breathe and make you feel cooler. If you have a curvy shape, try one of the matte jersey fabrics that are extremely comfortable and accentuate your sexy silhouette.
Foundation Wear
Wearing dresses is feminine because they show more of your body than a structured suit. You don’t have to be a 36/34/36 figure to look great in dresses, but you do need to ensure you have the right foundation pieces under your dress. The right bra is key, as with a thin strap dress, we don’t want to see any bra straps showing. With dresses that are jersey fabrics, you may want to invest in a Spanx Hide & Seek® slip-suit or Hide & Sleek Lace Trim Full Slip to keep the body looking smooth and seamless.
Add a Colorful Accessory
When you are showing your arms, this is a great time to splurge on some arm candy and buy a great cuff bracelet that accents the colors in your dress. Try a colorful patent or printed shoe and/or handbag, which can liven up a solid dress and add some interest and pizzazz. Put on a great necklace and earrings that highlight a secondary color in your print. I always advise my clients to select colors that highlight their hair, eyes and skin tone, which will quickly make them look more attractive by accentuating their natural beauty.
Show Your Legs
By wearing dresses, you are showing your legs, which tend to be smaller in proportion to the main torso of a women’s body. This will create an optical illusion by making you appear more slender. Hem the dress to the flattering part of your leg, which is usually where you leg indents in either right under your knee or right above it. This technique also will elongate your legs and make them appear shapelier and longer.
Armed with these shopping savvy tips, go discover your best dresses of the season and you will look fresh and modern. There are dresses for every body type and personal style. Try a few on and sail your way into a cooler summer with a great new look.
If you’d like help putting together your summer dress look, send me an email and we’ll put a date on the calendar to get you ready for the season, boosting your confidence and getting you ready for some summertime fun!
As a pioneering and visionary innovator, Sarah is a certified professional image consultant and brand strategist, speaker, trainer and author. Her company, Illustra Image Consulting, provides leading-edge image and brand management strategies for top leaders and high achievers who wish to take their career to the next level. She also delivers innovative and inspiring corporate workshops to assist large organizations in strengthening their corporate brand.
