PROLOGUE : This write-up is a little "hat ke" from the Cars/SUVs stuff that I usually like to write about. It is rather long too.
Often I have seen women in some Corporate Offices dressed as either:
A dulhaniya rani(newly wedded bride, complete with 6 doz. red’n’green bangles, half kg. of sindoor, long…long mangalsutra, watch-dial sized bindis, heavily kajalled eyes with a bottle of foundation on uncleansed skin, kanjeevaram sarees et al.)
A dhoban(seems she was washing clothes with a Rin-bar when she suddenly remembered she had to go to work, dressed as she was in a crumpled cotton saree, chipped nails and chapped lips, smelling like the ubiquotus Rin-bar)
A bhenji(synthetic salwar kameez, wrap around dupatta, oiled hair braided into a plait, floaters, thick glasses, gold jhumkis from the pre-partition era, shocking magenta lipstick)
A socialite(chiffon sarees with sleevless blouses, diamonds sparkling on the fingers, wrists, necks, ears, nose…in short, a saree clad diamond bazaar walking around in 6" high stiletoes with fancy hair-do’s and caky makeup, reeking of an expensive brand of perfume)
A filmstar(a la Mallika Sherawat….short skirts, ankle length boots, skin hugging tops, blonde’n’burgundy hair with designer make up and fluttering false lashes)
Many others
At the same time I have also come across women smartly dressed in minimum fuss clothes(traditional or modern), minimum smart makeup, well cut hairstyles. They sport comfortable designs of footwear and efficient handbags. They eat good, sleep good, work hard and party harder. They enjoy life with confidence and style. And yes….clothes maketh the woman! So do the accessories and other things that go with the clothes.
In some organisations, there is a clear cut definition on office wear. However, most fall in the category where it is not defined. But my writeup is to highlight normal office wear and related grooming issues.
TEXT: Hi Gals! You have a major part to play in the making of India Inc. – the corporate face of our nation. So wake up to the seriousness of the role. You have the education and the intelligence for it. What is holding back your confidence? What is coming in the way of your efficiency? Aaaah! It is the way you present yourself. But that presentation can be changed to your advantage.
Few Quick Tips on the ‘background areas’ to looking smart:
Inculcate a positive frame of mind - Look happy. As an independent woman you are doing well for yourself and also giving something back to the society.
Look after yourself - Eat well. We all know this. Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, drink lots of water, milk, juices. Sleep well. You will work better. Treat yourself to good food. But please, please, maintain a healthy body weight proportional to your height.
Stop being dependent – Don’t rely always on papa or hubby or the brother to pick’n’drop you around town. Commute on your own. It builds confidence.
Develop some special skills – Other than professional work and the usual "womanly" hobbies of knitting, cooking, sewing, shopping etc., develop other skills – mending fuses, changing tyres, paragliding, rowing, skilled driving etc. This will help in overcoming natural fear. A fearless mind travels and unravels new paths!
Read well - A good base of information and general knowledge helps everyone…everywhere.
Maintain good hygine – Pamper yourself at the parlour in your area at least once a fortnight. Get a Facial, Bleach, Wax, Haircut, Manicure, Pedicure etc. Use good quality beauty products to look good and feel better. Bathe daily. Look fresh always.
*Few Quick Tips on the ‘foreground areas’ to looking smart:
At work, wear clothes that suit you** – Be it a salwar kameez or a trouser set or a formal skirt. It should project smartness.
Try clothes before buying – I think the garment industry is booming because we buy clothes that look good on an anorexic mannequin. They are not necessarily meant to suit everyone.
Be innovative - Every town has a set of good tailors and designers. Do some hard work. See suitable designs in catalogues, get the garments tailored. Note the difference.
Don’t accumulate a redundant wardrobe – Get a few sets of good quality trendy, contemporary stuff which looks and feels good. It speaks of class.
Maintain your clothes well – Wash, iron, dryclean, repair…whatever is required to keep the smartness in the garments alive.
Co-ordinate colours – Bright colours and leopard prints will only invite grins and giggles
Wear clothes smartly – It should never look that you have carelessly thrown clothes on yourself. Adjust pleats & creases, align borders, drape sarees and dupattas smartly. Skin show is a complete NO. Shun any garment with low necklines and high hemlines or embarassing slits. Reserve them for a date. Kindly remember, we go to a Corporate setup for serious business, where stakes are high, at times involving big sums of money. For serious business, the atmosphere should be aligned to the seriousness. Deterrents like badly chosen garments, as mentioned, spoil the environment conducive to serious business. To command respect in an organisation, one should look respectable.(Hope the idea goes through).
Footwear – Should always be comfortable, yet stylish. Avoid garish / physchedelic colours. Reserve them for the disco. Heels should be neither too high nor too flat. Both spoil the walking posture. Choose neutral colours that go with a number of garments.
Handbags – Should not look like shopping bags or party purses. Most manufacturers make bags suitable for office use, with relevant space for stuff like mobiles, business cards, pens, diaries etc.
*Few Quick Tips on the ‘finishing touches’ to looking smart:
Makeup looks good in moderation** - At work, minimum makeup looks good. A waterproof eyeliner and a carefully applied lipstick with a hint of blush-on is fine.
Accessories - Wear smart delictate jewellery. Chunky pieces and traditional sets are for family functions. For office wear, a string of pearls or a thin chain with pendent looks fine with matching ear bobs. Avoid wearing too many bangles to work, else you may be termed "chan-chan.com".
Hairstyles – That look best in an office are – straight open hair in moderate length, ponytails, layered cut, step cut etc. A coiffure would look out of place.
EPILOGUE: It is my honest attempt not to poke fun at nor disrespect any woman. This is a serious attempt to awaken fellow womankind to a no-nonsense smartness required at the corporate workplace today. No. I am not forcing my ideas on anyone. I am purely sharing my observations.
DISCLAIMER: Views and thoughts are completely my own. No offence whatsoever intended. etc. etc.
*In Work Attire for the Lady Corporate Executive – Part 2, I will share the traditional and non-traditional office wear in detail.