Tips for women: The right outfit for the job | svz.de svz.de svz.de svz.de svz.de svz.de svz.de

Jeans or suit? Stylish or serious? Gray in gray or colourful? The question of the right clothes in the workplace is as mundane as it is important.

by Carola Felchner19. Nov 2016 at 9:00 am

How high can the heel be, how short the skirt and how eye-catching is the make-up? The Bremen image consultant Claudia Prüser clarifies questions about business clothing for women.

For which occasion: A highly official clothing style with muted colours, simple blouses and little room for experiments - to be found in the top management of banks and large companies.

Goes well: suits and pantsuits with a blouse. The color tones are limited to dark blue, dark grey, black and brown. Under the jacket comes a white blouse, which may well be tailored and should definitely be plain or have subtle stripes. Dresses with a matching jacket are also allowed, they end just like skirts knee-length. Noble accessory: pearl earrings.

Not possible: wildly patterned blouses have no place here. Likewise those that stretch across the chest and are studded with gold or silver buttons. Open-toed shoes and anything with heels that are so high that the wearer has to devote all of their concentration to balancing instead of to their meetings should also remain in the closet. Bare legs are a taboo - you can't do without tights.

For whom: Tough women in management positions, mostly middle to older cohorts with a high level of education, who want to stand out from the crowd and attach great importance to material and quality. But even those who are unsure about office fashion will do well with the classic style - as long as it is not a very creative job.

For which occasion: This look is appropriate for middle to senior management and for not very formal appointments for business lunches and dinners as well as for receptions and business trips.

Goes well: This dress code is not casual, but rather formal. That means: trouser suit or costume. A pencil skirt or A-line skirt with a blazer and pumps (block heels are best) also work. At evening business meetings, women are also right with the little black dress or – with the “Cocktail” dress code – with a plain-colored cocktail dress, which exceptionally may end above the knee. The make-up should remain subtle, the jewelry can set accents - in the form of a statement necklace for a simple dress, for example.

Not possible at all: lavish jewelry hanging is a no-go, as is shrill make-up or transparent blouses. Barefoot in sandals to the appointment? D rather not! Also, avoid shoes with ostentatious appliqués.

For whom: Architects, PR experts, department heads, team leaders, lawyers and employees with customer contact in sectors such as insurance, banking and pharmaceuticals make it clear with this look: to be taken seriously, but not stiff.

For which occasion: A casual business outfit that still conveys a certain respectability. Suitable, for example, in the creative industry with customer contact or on casual Fridays.

It's fine: Even if things are more casual here, the clothes have to fit. At best, she traces the figure without overemphasizing the female attributes. Block heel loafers are a nice (and comfortable) alternative to stilettos, but shoes should match or darker the color of the clothing. Instead of the blouse, it can be a t-shirt under the blazer or elegant trousers (chinos) with a fitted blouse.

Not possible at all: pants that are too tight, underneath which the panties are visible. Ballerinas should also be avoided, they look girly and often make the walk appear unflattering.

For whom: Anyone who wants to appear serious and tidy even on less official occasions and who likes to stay within the usual norm. Casual wearers are stylish - and they have to be, in order to combine casual and strict business elements in such a way that a business-appropriate look is created.

For what occasion: For everyone who wants to express themselves through fashion and set themselves apart. But be careful, a very modern outfit can signal to the other person: "I'm creative and courageous." Or also: "I got dressed in the dark today."

Goes well: Anything that isn't dingy. Well-groomed jeans and leather trousers can replace suits and trouser suits here, and transparent blouses with a top are also possible.

Not possible: Deep necklines and Birkenstocks - that's not modern, those are clichés. Bad ones at that.

For whom: Individualists, often younger, in the media, advertising, art and design who want to differentiate themselves from the mainstream through their clothing. At best stylish, but always willing to experiment. Even if the end result is something similarly unusual as in the creative work that individualists usually pursue.

For which occasion: If the parties involved already know each other and are not meeting in the strict office environment or for a highly official business dinner: meeting on the golf course, in the business partner's garden, etc.

Goes well: Crease-free chinos that can also be colored as long as they are combined with a plain-colored shirt or a (denim) blouse. Dark jeans look good, but should not be skin-tight, baggy or even perforated. Loafers or sneakers go well with this and a blazer as a serious counterpoint.

Not possible at all: too bright colors, short skirts, sneakers with strong signs of wear and caps. Even trousers with a low crotch have no place in the office. Unless you are a yoga teacher.

For whom: In industries with a fitness and sports context, a sporty, well-groomed outfit can often be found at all hierarchical levels. A suit and high heels seem out of place here. Such an outfit also fits in social professions and in retail (no expensive consumer goods), on company outings and on a plane on a business trip.

And what is the dress code for the gentleman? You can read next Saturday in the weekend magazine when men's shirt buttons can remain unbuttoned and when a dark jacket is mandatory.

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