Dressing the part.

• Author: Schwartz, Bobbi
• Position: Business & Finance - Essay

ONE SPRING EVENING earlier this year, 80 female attorneys from some of Dallas, Texas' premier law firms gathered to listen to me preach the gospel of dressing for success. The problem was, few in the audience were believers. When I asked who thought that what she wore to court or a client meeting could influence her career success, only one hand went up. Despite their sophistication, most of these women did not understand how much looking sophisticated mattered.

Gentlemen, if you think this applies only to women, think again. A tale I recently heard from a male executive with one of the world's top financial consulting firms tells the same story: an important client meeting did not go as planned when the gentleman addressing a roomful of potential investors showed up in less-than-appropriate attire.

This same career faux pas occurs on a daily basis. I have had banks, real estate companies, and law firms ask me to help get their employees to dress appropriately for work. In fact, this has become a growing concern among companies in every business category. It applies to all of us who would like to be taken seriously at wore Moreover, do not assume you are exempt if every day is "casual Friday" in your workplace. Every work environment calls for certain sartorial standards.

"Dressing for success"--we all have heard this phrase so many times it almost is a cliche but, for those of us who adhere to its principles, this maxim can be a life- and game-changer, especially for those in the business and corporate world.

As a fashion stylist, I have dressed some of the world's wealthiest men and women and worked for leading fashion houses. I have been an independent fashion consultant for more than a decade and amassed a global clientele. Throughout my career, I have learned that the best approach to building a high-end business wardrobe is to focus on timeless style with a twist.

Why should you be motivated to invest the money in a high-quality wardrobe? Quite simply, dressing for success makes a statement to the world that you have arrived, that you are a person of consequence who needs to be taken seriously. The flip side to this is that colleagues and clients often immediately dismiss those individuals who dress poorly. You only get one chance to make a first impression.

If you arrive for an appointment looking "less than" and think it does not make a difference, keep in mind that it takes seven positives to overcome one negative. Have you ever...