Professional Wardrobe Plan
Working in a professional environment requires an appropriate representation of one’s self. The choice of wardrobe reflects ones’ professionalism and character. Wearing the right clothes which are appropriate to the work set up and observing proper decorum can create a good impression and image. It also contributes to the development of one’s personality. The way a person dresses contributes to a successful and fruitful career. The best way to start is by choosing the right pieces of clothing that suitably complements the work environment. Building a Professional Image
My chosen career is in line with the corporate environment. I want to become a part of a growing company that operates a chain of luxury hotels or fine dining restaurants. I am particularly eyeing a position in the marketing and promotions department as a marketing specialist or marketing executive. I particularly chose this career because I want to have a lucrative job that fulfils my personal interest and ambition. In its broadest essence, this is the kind of job that perfectly meets my career aspirations and at the same time, it offers the perfect environment where I can excel.
My goal is to find this particular job in New York City. Based on my personal observation and research, a person who is employed in a corporate business environment under a marketing position in New York has hourly mean wage of $65. 98 and annual mean wage of $137,250. Realistically, I can assume an average starting salary of around $35/hour or $5,600/month and $67,200/year. Dress code is strictly corporate and classic on most days of the week and slightly formal to smart casual occasionally.
Since it is a business environment dealing with luxury products, a pleasant and highly presentable appearance with just the right amount of make up and accessories is necessary to exude professionalism, decency and class. The look should not be too stiff or serious like a lawyer’s suit but rather should reflect modern sophistication with just the right hint of glamour (like a well-fitted dark pencil skirt that goes just below the knee or a black slacks paired with a plain long-sleeved crisp blouse or polo; or a plain, simple cut, basic dress topped with a blazer).
Clothes that bear huge prints, loud colours, trendy designs, crew neck shirts and leather jackets are not appropriate wardrobe choices for the corporate environment. Standard clothing pieces like slacks, plain or pinstriped button-down polo and blazers in basic colours are workable. In general, collared shirts are acceptable business attires. Working conditions are similar to that of an office set up with occasional research and field work to come up with competitive marketing plans and strategies.
Most days are spent in the office doing desk jobs and research. Some days are spent in the board rooms and conference rooms for presentations, business reviews, brainstorming and marketing assessment meetings among others. There are also several hours spent outside the office doing ocular visits to hotels and restaurants, doing some observations on the business and immersion on the field to determine the market conditions and competitors’ activities. From these activities, it is apparent that dress code can vary to some extent.
However, with several basic pieces that can be mixed and matched and a few additional pieces that can already be found in my closet, a suitable wardrobe can be established perfectly. Some of these basic pieces include; ? Plain, collared and long-sleeved polo shirt ? Dark blazer (black or navy blue) ? Black slacks ? Corporate suit ? Black basic-cut dress that goes around knee level ? A-line or pencil-cut skirt that falls below the knees Analysis of Existing Wardrobe My present wardrobe consists of standard and basic pieces of clothing such as jeans, slacks, khaki chinos and several shirts (tanks tops, crew necks and collared).
There are a few button-down polo shirts in plain colours, blouses, knit sweatshirts and cardigans, smart casual outer wears and a trench coat. There is no particular colour that dominates my wardrobe. I like to experiment with different basic styles and looks thus I have various colours of clothes in my closet and different cuts of pants (flare, relaxed, classic, skinny etc. ). I do have a dark corporate suit that will blend well in a corporate environment and a basic dress that can be topped with a blazer for a smart casual look.
My taste for clothing is basically standard, a bit on the conservative side, with cuts and designs that do not easily go out of style. I prefer soft cotton fabrics in plain colours without heavy prints so I can make them more functional. I make sure that the clothes I wear fit me well and are not too tight and form fitting or too loose. My priority is the level of comfort that my clothes provide and that I am free to move without worrying about reaped seams or bulges in the most unnecessary places. Most of my formal clothes are in black and dark blue to create a slimming effect while the casual pieces vary from light colours to dark ones.
My smart casual pieces like polo, formal tops and blouses are mostly black, red, white, blue and tan. Some pieces of clothing that I can use in the corporate environment which I already have in my closet are; ? Slacks, chinos and trousers (dark blue, black and khaki) ? Long-sleeved and short-sleeved button-down polo shirts ? Corporate suit ? Knitted tops and cardigans ? Basic black dress There are interesting items in my present wardrobe that can be mixed and matched in order to suit well in the corporate environment but a little shopping is extremely helpful to establish a more consistent professional look.
My objective is to come up with a wardrobe that consists of functional pieces that complement each other and can be combined to come up with several interesting outfits. Wearing the right accessories and shoes can more or less tie the entire concept together. In my personal opinion and with consideration to my skin colour and body built, dark colours with basic or classic cuts will do well for me in the corporate environment. I am not comfortable with wearing form-fitting clothes and pieces of garments in bold and eye-catching colours. I am not a fan of loud prints and huge stripes either.
Although I can wear interesting colours once in awhile as well as fashionable pieces, my choices are usually classic and the ones that do not follow the current trend. I also like designs that are edgy but will still look good 10 to 20 years from now. Professional Wardrobe Selection My basic requirements in making my choice of clothing are class, comfort and functionality. Basically, I can state with confidence that my clothing standards can justify the career path that I want to take in the future; and I will not have much trouble trying to fit in when it comes to wardrobe issues.
I prefer basic colours like white, dark blue, royal blue, black, tan and brown. Occasionally and depending upon the event or situation, I also like wearing teal, gray, red, maroon and pink. During formal and evening events, I usually wear black. Casual days allow me to become more experimental but I make it a point to stick to the basics. I choose clothes that suit my personality – simple and very comfortable. My skin colour also allows me to wear a wide variety of colours but I make it a point to always come up with the right combination or colour scheme.
For accessories; I like long necklaces that are not too flashy, stud earrings, small metallic hair clips and a gold or silver watch. I find chunky accessories and flashy “bling-blings” inappropriate. Lesser accessories can be more classy and elegant. Too much accessories, on the other hand, can be very distracting and can ruin an otherwise neat and sophisticated look. A long layering necklace or a pearl necklace, for instance, is enough to accessorize and accentuate a plain top.
High-heeled and close shoes, like pumps, are ideal choice of footwear in the corporate environment thus I want to invest on quality footwear as well. My choices for the first 6 pieces of apparel for my wardrobe are the following; 1. Shirts/Tops – J. Crew Perfect Shirt in Pastel Shade http://www. jcrew. com/AST/Browse/WomenBrowse/Women_Shop_By_Category/shirtstops/casualshirts/PRDOVR~26235/26235. jsp 2. Dress – J. Crew Stretch Flannel Dress in Black http://www. jcrew. com/AST/Browse/WomenBrowse/Women_Shop_By_Category/dresses/suitingdresses/PRDOVR~19883/19883. jsp 3.
Blazer – Old Navy Cotton Twill One-Button Blazer in Black http://oldnavy. gap. com/browse/product. do? cid=5382&vid=1&pid=599792&scid=599792002 4. Slacks/Pants – Old Navy Cotton Twill Wide-Leg Trousers in Black http://oldnavy. gap. com/browse/product. do? cid=5382&vid=1&pid=646283&scid=646283002 5. Smart Casual Top – Old Navy Cap-Sleeve Shirt in Pink http://oldnavy. gap. com/browse/product. do? cid=5382&vid=1&pid=551026&scid=551026002 6. Skirt –
New York & Company City Stretch Short Pencil Skirt in Black http://www. nyandcompany. com/nyco/browse/productDetailWithPicker.jsp? productId=prod1920008&categoryId=cat570002 Wardrobe Budget Assuming that my starting salary in the corporate marketing field would be $35/hour or $5,600/month and $67,200/year and I should not spend beyond 10% of my income on wardrobe, I should pay enough consideration on the frequency of my shopping. Furthermore, I have to make wise choices when purchasing clothing items in order to build a highly functional wardrobe that can be mixed and matched. In this manner, I would be able to come up with many unique and interesting outfit combinations out of just a few pieces.
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