Dress for Success

What is so important about

dress?

Objective:
To understand the importance of a first
impression.
To be able to describe the appropriate
dress for a job interview and why.
To be able to describe appropriate
dress after you have been hired.
(Business dress vs. Casual dress)
Whats So Important about
DRESS?
First impressions are CRITICAL!
You are marketing a product YOURSELF!
Dress is the first thing an employer sees when
greeting you!
Will dressing properly get you the job? NO, but
it will:
Give you a competitive edge
Provide a positive first impression!
The Reality
Should you be judged by what you wear?
PERHAPS NOT
THE REALITY:
You ARE judged
With the job interview, its HOW YOU ARE
DRESSED that sets the tone of the interview.
How Should I Dress?
Conservative is ALWAYS the safest route
BUT do some investigation of the employer
What you wear should make you look as though
you FIT IN with the organization
If you overdress or under dress, the employer may
feel that you dont care enough about the job!
Ways to find out the proper dress:
Call the Human Resources offices and ask
Visit the companys office and observe the attire
current employees are wearing
Make sure you are not there on a casual day!
Hints for Dress Success
Make sure you have:
Clean and polished conservative dress shoes
Well-groomed hairstyle
Cleaned and trimmed fingernails
Minimal cologne or perfume
No visible body piercings beyond conservative ear
piercings for women
Well-brushed teeth and fresh breath
No gum, candy, or other objects in your mouth
Minimal jewelry
No body odor
Dress for Success- Women
Wear conservative colors
Matching blazer and skirt or pants dark colors with
light colored blouse nothing low-cut
OR
Dress/khaki slacks (pressed) and long-sleeve
button-down shirt
Skirt length should be a little below the knee
and NEVER shorter than above the knee
Avoid wearing tight clothing
Shoes should be low-heeled
Make-up should be minimal
Lipstick and nail polish in conservative tones
Bring a briefcase rather than a purse
Dress for Success - Men
Wear conservative colors
Conservative suit or sports coat and pressed
dress/khaki slacks
White long-sleeved button-down shirt
Conservative silk tie (optional)
Polished dress shoes
Belt that matches shoes
If you have a beard or mustache:
Make sure it is neatly trimmed
If you have any visible body parts pierced or
tattooed:
Remove all piercings and cover all tattoos if
possible
Dressing ON THE JOB
Once youve landed the job
Consult your supervisor as to what is acceptable
dress for his/her department
Ask about any casual days and what type of
dress is allowed on those days
When in doubt, DRESS CONSERVATIVELY!
Examples of Appropriate Attire for Women
Business
Casual
Attire
Business
Professional
Attire
Examples of Appropriate Attire for Men
Business
Casual
Attire
Business
Professional
Attire
What is too casual?
What is Inappropriate Attire for Work?
Examples of Unprofessional and
Inappropriate Attire
Midriff baring clothing
Miniskirts
Excessively high heeled shoes
Caps (headwear) indoors
Very tight clothing

Clothing that reveals cleavage, your
back, your chest, your stomach or
your underwear is not appropriate
for the workplace, even in a business
casual setting.
Slacks, Pants, and Suit Pants
Slacks that are similar to Dockers and other
makers of cotton or synthetic material pants,
wool pants, flannel pants, and nice looking
dress synthetic pants are acceptable.

Inappropriate slacks or pants include jeans,
flannel (or other material) pajama pants,
sweatpants, exercise pants, short shorts,
shorts, Bermuda shorts, bib overalls, leggings,
and any spandex or other form-fitting pants
such as bike clothing.
Which is appropriate?
A)
B) C)
Skirts, Dresses, and Skirted Suits
Casual dresses and skirts, and skirts that
are split at or below the knee are
acceptable. Dress and skirt length should
be no shorter than four inches above the
knee, or a length at which you can sit
comfortably in public.

Short, tight skirts that ride halfway up the
thigh are inappropriate for work. Mini-
skirts, skorts, beach dresses, and
spaghetti-strap and strapless dresses are
inappropriate for the office.
Which is inappropriate?
A)
B) C)
Shirts, Tops, Blouses, and Jackets
Casual shirts, golf shirts, dress shirts, sweaters
tops, company logo shirts , and turtlenecks are
acceptable. Most suit jackets, sport jackets, or
company logo Jackets are also acceptable attire
for the office.
Inappropriate attire includes tank tops;
sweatshirts; midriff tops; shirts with potentially
offensive words, terms, logos, pictures,
cartoons, or slogans; halter-tops; tops with bare
shoulders; and t-shirts unless worn under
another blouse, shirt, jacket, or jumper.
Which is appropriate?
A)
B) C)
D)
E)
F)
Shoes and Footwear
Loafers, boots, flats, dress heels, and leather
deck shoes are acceptable. Wearing no
stockings is acceptable if the look is appropriate
to the outfit.
Conservative athletic shoes and sneakers may
be appropriate for some job functions (i.e.,
umpiring recreational activities) or for health
reasons, but are generally inappropriate.
Flashy athletic shoes, thongs/flip-flops, and
slippers are not acceptable in the office.
Closed toe and closed heel shoes are required
in the vocational and recreation areas of
facilities.
Which is inappropriate?
A)
C)
B)
Which is appropriate?
A)
C)
B)
D)
SNEAKERS: What is appropriate (for those
authorized by duty/assignment to wear athletic shoes)
Appropriate, conservative athletic shoe
Inappropriate, flashy athletic shoe
Jewelry, Makeup, Perfume, and
Cologne: Should be in good taste,
with no visible body piercing other than
pierced ears.

Fingernail Length: fingernail length
should not interfere with the
effectiveness and efficiency of your job
performance. Nails should be well
maintained with polish or natural color.

Hats and Head Covering: Hats
and caps are not appropriate in the
office. Head Covers that are required
for religious purposes or to honor
cultural tradition are allowed.
There is a time and a place
for all attire. Clothing that
works well for the beach,
yard work, dance clubs, trips
to the mall, exercise sessions,
and sports contests may not
be appropriate for a
professional appearance at
work.
Violations of Dress Code
If an employees supervisor determines that an
employees clothing fails to meet these
standards, the supervisor shall ask the
employee not to wear the inappropriate item to
work again. The supervisor may send the
employee home to change clothes and shall
issue a verbal warning for the first offense. All
other policies about personal time use will apply.
Progressive disciplinary action will be taken for
further dress code violations including
termination.