city.jpgI spent the New Years holiday with my sister and her family in Virginia, and I had the pleasure of getting a lecture from my older sister Vaso about how I had to stop wearing short skirts.

“We’re in our 40s,” she told me. “When are you going to stop wearing those skirts?”

“I look okay, no?” I asked her meekly.

“That’s not the point,” she retorted.

The point, at least according to Vaso, is age appropriate clothing.

I need to clarify a bit here. I was not wearing a micro-mini skirt. It was probably a bit lower than mid-thigh. And also, I wore the outfit to a dinner buffet at a resort, not to an office.

My sister is an assistant district attorney and she’s all about not allowing your clothing to diminish who you are, or derail the job you have to do.

“Why take a chance being outrageous with your fashion sense,” is her mentality.

There definitely seems to be a be-as-conservative-as-you-can mentality when it comes to clothing and work. But in today’s job market, hip and cool can often give you a leg up. And I think there’s something to feeling good about the way you look and its impact on your productivity and creativity.

A story in the Wall Street Journal today profiles a women who ditched her boring job and her boring expensive, conservative outfits for a cooler, more casual wardrobe.

Many of us have felt the desire to shed our skin, an urge that can be ignited by a new job, a change in marital status, weight loss, the arrival at midlife or just a new year. Post-divorce Madonna has returned to her vampy roots in Dolce & Gabbana, but her British Dame phase is still warm to the touch. Former Time Warner CEO Gerald Levin has traded in his Wall Street pinstripes for the more yogi-like look of the New Agey spa owner that he is now.

No way around it, this kind of transformation is not for every one, especially not for my sister Vaso. And you definitely have to think about the job you’re doing or applying for.

Most fashion experts advise job seekers to be a fashion blank slate.

Janet Wood, CEO of FashionFitFormula, has tips she thinks will hep your “hire-ability” –

1) Set yourself apart by dressing more business than the average. Although, a company may hold a “business-casual” dress code policy, a well-tailored suit will always stand out
2) Err on the side of conservatism. You can always play-up a simple suit with a fashionable accessory such as a silk scarf or decorative pin
3) An iron is your friend. Remember to rid of wrinkles and/or take items to a dry-cleaner prior to your interview
4) Your appearance does not mean simply your wardrobe choice. Ensure your nails aren’t chipped, your makeup is subtle and your pantyhose are run-free. All of these little details will make a big difference in standing out amongst other applicants
5) Finally, learn your correct proportions, so that all of the pieces in your closet (from the front to the back) give you that extra confidence needed before and/or after you begin your new position

All this makes sense, but it may not make sense for you or the job you want.

I’m just suggesting you spend a bit of time writing your own fashion playbook for your career. You can listen to your sister, but you still have to be you…no?

OK, let’s put this micro mini debate to rest. This is what I wore on New Year’s Eve and my sister considers this a micro mini. I do not. What’s your take?

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