Saturday, July 13, 2013

A Clothes Encounter In The Business World

Do you ever wonder where all the dress rules have gone? Depending on when and where you are on any given business day, the words "distant past" might come to mind.  It's difficult to decide if people don't know what to wear to work or if they have lost sight of the relevance of appearance to professional success.

The Queen of England is reported to have told Prince Charles, "Dress gives one the outward sign from which people can judge the inward state of mind. One they can see, the other they cannot." Clearly, she was saying what many people are reluctant to accept; that people judge us by the way we dress. In all situations, business and social, our outward appearance sends a message.

Try going to a busy restaurant at lunchtime. Look around you at what people are wearing and see if you don't make judgments about who they are, their line of business, their personalities and their competencies. Think about how you feel when you are dressed in your usual business attire as opposed to casual dress. Your choice of business apparel speaks to your professional behavior and credibility. It is important to understand how to dress for business if you wish to promote yourself and your organization in a positive manner, 

How you dress depends on four factors: the industry in which you work, the job you have within that industry, the geographic area in which you live; and most importantly, what your client expects to see.

Professional Dress for Men

In men's clothing, fashion does not change significantly from season to season but business attire is about being professional and not about being fashionable.  It's about presenting yourself in a way that makes your clients feel comfortable and confident with you. Dressing for success is still the rule. The professional businessman should keep in mind these few points when deciding what to wear to work.

Choose a conservative suit in navy, black or gray either pinstripe or solid. The quality of the material speaks as loudly as the color and can make the difference between sleaze and suave.

A solid white or blue dress shirt with long sleeves offers the most polished look.  The more pattern and color you add, the more the focus is on your clothing, rather than your professionalism.

Ties should be made of silk or a silk-like fabric.  Avoid the cartoon characters and go for simple and subtle if you want to enhance your credibility. 

Socks should be calf-length or above.  Make sure they match not only what you are wearing, but also each other.  A quick glance in good light before heading out the door can save embarrassment later in the day. Check for holes as well if you'll be going through airport security and removing your shoes.

Shoes should without question be conservative, clean and well polished. Lace-up shoes are the choice over slip-ons or flip flops.  Don't think for a minute that people don't notice shoes.  Many people will look at your feet before your face.

Belts need to match or closely coordinate with your shoes.  Once again, quality counts.

Keep jewelry to a minimum.  In a time when men sport gold necklaces, bracelets and earrings, the business professional should limit himself to a conservative watch, a wedding band and maybe his college ring.

Personal hygiene is part of the success equation.  Freshly scrubbed wins out over heavily fragranced any day of the week.  Save the after-shave for after hours, but never the shave itself.

The finishing touch for the business man is his choice of accessories: briefcase, portfolio and pen. When it comes to sealing the deal, a top of the line suit, a silk tie and a good pair of leather shoes can lose their affect when you pull out the ball point pen you picked up in the hotel meeting room the day before.

Professional Dress for Women

When women entered the workplace in the 1970's and 1980's in greater numbers than ever before and began to move into positions which had traditionally been held by men, many of them believed that they needed to imitate male business attire. The result was women showing up at the office in skirted suits or coordinated skirts and jackets with tailored blouses finished off with an accessory item that looked very much like a man's tie.  Happily those days are gone. While the business woman may now wear trousers to work, she does it out of a desire to appear professional and at the same time enjoy the flexibility and comfort that pants offer over skirts.  Her goal is no longer to mirror her male colleagues.

The same overall rules apply to women's work attire as apply to men's. Business clothing is not a reflection of the latest fashion trend. A woman should be noticed for who she is and her professional skills rather than for what she wears.  Her business wear should be appropriate for her industry and her position or title within the industry.

Start with a skirted suit or pants suit for the most conservative look.  A skirted suit is the most professional.  With a few exceptions, dresses do not offer the same credibility unless they are accompanied by matching jackets. 

Skirts should be knee-length or slightly above or below.  Avoid extremes.  A skirt more than two inches above the knee raises eyebrows and questions. 

Pants should break at the top of the foot or shoe.  While Capri pants and their fashion cousins that come in assorted lengths from mid-calf to ankle are the latest trend, they are out of place in the conservative business environment.

Blouses and sweaters provide color and variety to woman's clothing, but they should be appealing rather than revealing.  Inappropriate necklines and waistlines can give the wrong impression.

Women need to wear hose in the business world.  Neutral or flesh-tone stockings are the best choices.  Never wear dark hose with light-colored clothing or shoes. Keep an extra pair of stockings in your desk drawer unless the hosiery store is next door or just down the street from the office.

Faces, not feet, should be the focal point in business so chose conservative shoes.  A low heel is more professional than flats or high heels. In spite of current fashion and the sandal rage, open-toed or backless shoes are not office attire.  Not only are sandals a safety hazard, they suggest a certain official agenda.

When it comes to accessories and jewelry, less is once again more.  Keep it simple: one ring per hand, one earring per ear.  Accessories should reflect your personality, not diminish your credibility.

Business attire is different from weekend and evening wear. Investing in a good business wardrobe is an investment in your professional future. For those who think it's not what you wear but who you are that creates success, give that some more thought. Business skills and experience count, but so does personal appearance and that all-important first impression.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

A Bali Bra Just For You

The Bali bra line is a collection of high-quality pretty undergarments offering women from all over who come in every shape and size complete support and protection.

A brassiere or bra like the Bali bra is a garment for females to give coverage and support for the women's breasts. A typical bra is made up of straps at both sides of the shoulder, two cups to accommodate the breasts, a center panel, a band to hold the two cups and goes under the breasts, and a hook clasp or a bra fastener to close the brassier. The brassieres are typically made up of materials such as cotton or lace or even spandex, depending on the style and function that the manufacturer intended. The under wires of the bra are added to provide maximum support and to give shape to the bra cups.

The brassieres like the Bali bra line come in different types, depending on the material used, the function intended, and the style. The Bali line comes in different styles – a bra that closes in the front, another that closes in the back, one that has no straps perfect for tube dresses, a convertible line, push-up line for that wonderful added lift and support, sexy demi-cup or half-cup Bali bra for the ultimate tool in seduction, and the full-cup Bali bra for maximum coverage. The Bali bra also comes with three-quarters cup, soft cup, half-cup, shelf-bra, long line, and Bali bra that comes with under wires. For the active, energetic women, a t-shirt Bali bra is available.

The size of Bali bra depends on the size of a woman's breasts. There are different kinds of brassieres for different sizes and shapes of a woman's breasts. The band size is the circumference around the body which does not include the breast. The “cup size” indicates the breast's volume, and it is indicated by letters.

The Bali bra makes sure that a woman's bra fits her right to make sure that the woman gets a flattering shape every time she wears the brassiere all the while giving her maximum support and makes her feel comfortable. Women with big breasts usually experience uncomfortable and annoying back pain because of inadequate support given by the wrong brassiere. In the United Kingdom, surveys show that about 70% of the female population do not wear the right bra and instead strap on ill-fitting, uncomfortable ones. This was probably because of insufficient knowledge regarding bra and correct fitting. There is also the problem of finding larger bras although the manufacturers nowadays have come up with brassieres that are intended for women with larger breasts than the average female.

The Bali bra line offers brassieres of all kinds and sizes. Brassieres come in cup sizes A to DD. Finding the right cup size can be confusing. Brassiere manufacturers in Europe create brassiers that usually come in increasing sizes, like AAA-AA-A-B-C-D-DD-E-F-FF-G-GG-H-J. The only fool-proof and sure way to get the correct bra is by trying the brassiere on. Band size is determined by getting the circumference of the body directly under the breasts. A certain number is added to give allowance because the ribcage is wider at the height where the breasts are. In the US, about 4 to 6 inches is usually added to the measured circumference to arrive at the correct and size. Bra size may also change depending on weight gain and weight loss. The menstrual cycle also causes changes in the bra size of a woman.

According to statistics, the average woman in the US nowadays has at least six bras. Out of the six brassieres, usually one is colored and one is a bra that has no straps. Brassieres are created for different functions, so you can find Bali bra lines that are classified as minimizers, maximizers, or push ups depending on the support the woman needs. There are also bras that show the woman's cleavage in really thin, lacey material which is a bra that is intended for showing off.

No matter what your size or shape is, there is a Bali bra for you.