Sexy for Later

It is not appropriate to wear tight, sexy or trendy clothing to work. Natural looking make-up is best, avoid very bright colours.

As far as jewellery is concerned, avoid anything that jangles. For example, avoid stacks of bangles and go for one bracelet that is simple and elegant.

"Avoid sloppy clothes and wear pants that fit well, but free of visible panty liners. You can buy versatile fabrics and dark or neutral colours and you'll get more use out of individual items. The goal is to mix and match. No one will notice if you wear the same pair of black pants repeatedly, but wear an unusual print, pattern or colour a few times and people will remember. Until you have a larger wardrobe, stick to less conspicuous items that you can mix and match," says Naina Zaveri, fashion designer.

Remember that is not the number of items in your wardrobe that counts - it is what you have that really matters. First, try on everything in your closet and be ruthlessly honest, says Image Consultant and Author Mary Lou Andre. "Be conscious of hemlines, overall fit and necklines. Your closet should be 80 per cent work attire," she says.

If possible, spend a little more money for good quality clothes that will last. Avoid high fashion stores and seek out stores geared to working women. These are the clothes you are going to be wearing the majority of the time.

They will affect your self-esteem, so it is important that you like them. Nalini Mathur, Journalist says, "Nobody wears full business clothes these days. Unless if you work in a very formal setting. You cannot be completely casual either.

I think a woman's wardrobe must criss-cross to be useful in today's business environment. You have to think about all the different situations and settings where you work at any given time. You have to find what works for you as an individual. Just, find your classics and the rest will fall in place."

Fashion Fundas

Fashion designer Naina Zaveri offers a few ideas to establishing an authentic style.

1. Take an inventory of your closet and check what items go with each other. Make sets of tops and bottoms along with accessories, dupattas, stoles, scarves and shoes. You can have a pair of black trousers with multiple matching tops.

2. At the end of each week, launder enough outfits to get through the week. You can then arrange these outfits in your closet, keeping them grouped together for easy grabbing. This way, you can look forward to each morning instead of panicking and stressing at the eleventh hour.

3. Be willing to spend more for classic, versatile wardrobe pieces that can be worn for years to come. If you think your wardrobe lacks some essentials, make a list of all the items you need.

4. Choose a colour plan and stick to it. Find your best neutral colour (black, white, khaki, navy or brown) and use it as the core of your wardrobe. Choose lighter, brighter colours that blend, harmonise or contrast to coordinate with the neutrals.

For example, brown, grey, black and navy are safe classics, but mix well with reds, pale yellows and coral pinks to give your outfit a lift. 5. Make sure you're wearing the right size bra - it will make you stand straighter and walk taller.

Author: Flavia Gonsalves Ger

(The author is a freelance writer)