How power dressing can score you a promotion

Do you have one item of clothing that makes you feel like you own the room? It could be a certain shade of lipstick, a crisp, white shirt or even a lucky necklace. 

There might be something to it. 

According to this 2015 study from Colombia and California State Universities, wearing more formal clothing influences how you feel and in turn, how you interpret situations. 

Could power dressing help you get the promotion you want?

FEMAIL spoke to fashion stylist and image consultant, Alarna Hope, about the effect of power dressing on your confidence at work 

POWER DRESSING: ‘WALK DOWN THE STREET FEELING A MILLION DOLLARS’ 

FEMAIL spoke to fashion stylist and image consultant, Alarna Hope, about the effect of power dressing. Ms Hope helps clients who want to revamp their image and has worked as a celebrity stylist on the TV show ‘The X Factor’.

Ms Hope said that dressing for success is an essential step to feeling confident at work. ‘I would say, dress for the job that you want and just be confident in the way you dress,’ she said. 

‘If you are getting dressed in the morning, and you are feeling good, going into work and people are complimenting you, I often find my clients will report back to me they feel like their work performance is better,’ she said. 

‘I have a rule with my clients – if you don’t feel fabulous in what you end up buying, you leave it on the shelf, because it’s not for you.

‘It’s kind of like being really firm with what you let into your wardrobe. And the people who do that end up being the ones that walk down the street feeling a million dollars,’ she said. 

Each work place has different dress code expectations and it is important to tailor your look to your environment, according to celebrity stylist Alarna Hope (pictured) 

Each work place has different dress code expectations and it is important to tailor your look to your environment, according to celebrity stylist Alarna Hope (pictured) 

TAILOR YOUR STYLE: DRESS FOR THE JOB YOU WANT  

Ms Hope stressed that it’s important to tailor your style to your specific workplace. Each work place has different dress code expectations and it is important to customise your style to suit your work environment. 

‘The first thing I need to look at for them is what they’re actually doing at work, so what they’re routine’s like,’ Ms Hope said, ‘We tend to basically work out what percentage of their wardrobe needs to be client-facing, what percentage of their wardrobe needs to be inside the office.’

After establishing the work environment, Ms Hope turns her eye to her client’s personal style. ‘We are looking at things like what their actual style is. We pick out a colour scheme for them, so there’s less guesswork in the morning,’ she said.  

'If you are getting dressed in the morning, and you are feeling good, going into work and people are complimenting you, I often find my clients will report back to me they feel like their work performance is better,' said Ms Hope 

‘If you are getting dressed in the morning, and you are feeling good, going into work and people are complimenting you, I often find my clients will report back to me they feel like their work performance is better,’ said Ms Hope 

TOP 5 CLOTHING ITEMS: BUILDING A CAPSULE WARDROBE  

Power dressing capsule wardrobe: 5 MUST HAVE items  

1. A classic suit: It can be split into separates and matched with other items 

2. Comfortable shoes 

3. Button up shirts in block colours: Avoid prints as they are difficult to mix and match 

4. Cardigan: This versatile item can be worn under a suit and rolled up into your bag

5. Watch: A classic metal watch is a practical accessory 

So how do you build a power wardrobe? Power dressing is simple, when you start with five essential clothing items. Ms Hope shared her tips for building a stylish capsule wardrobe to get you started.

‘I would say if you’re going to buy just five items, make sure they’re all not patterned, not too out there,’ she said.

 ‘Think of them as the building blocks. You don’t want to have a bunch of different patterns, exciting things, because you’re then going to be limited as to what you can wear with them,’ she said. 

‘If these are the basics and you’re wearing them for work, they’re going to need to be good quality and you’re going to want them to stand the test of time,’ she said. 

1. A CLASSIC SUIT: SPLIT IT INTO SEPARATES  

A suit is an essential building block of a power wardrobe, such as this Prince of Wales suit blazer available at Portmans for $149.95 

A suit is an essential building block of a power wardrobe, such as this Prince of Wales suit blazer available at Portmans for $149.95 

Ms Hope said a classic matte suit in a seasonal colour is a great option as the pants and jacket can be split up and mixed with other items.

‘I’d recommend getting yourself a suit, because you can split it up,’ she said, ‘They can mix it with more neutral things.’ 

As for design, Ms Hope advised purchasing a classic matte suit which will wear throughout the seasons. 

‘Try and get one that’s not in a fabric that’s got too much of a sheen to it. Plain woven is always good because it means it’s going to carry more throughout the year,’ Ms Hope said. 

‘I find black to be just a little bit pedestrian. I think that a lot of people, particularly in Sydney, come winter, everyone is wearing black. It’s nice to have a bit of a break away, so navies are good, plum is nice, they’ve even had a bit of dark green, charcoal,’ she said. 

 2. INVEST IN A COMFORTABLE PAIR OF SHOES

A comfortable pair of shoes is essential and if you find a good pair, purchasing two sets and rotating will keep your footwear fresh.  

‘If you are at work and you are on your feet all day, you can get a really nice pair of flat shoes that are, you know, maybe pointed or that have a nice kind of finish on them, or even have the tiniest little bit of a step on the back,’ she said.   

A comfortable pair of shoes is essential and if you find a good pair, purchasing two sets and rotating will keep your footwear in good condition 

A comfortable pair of shoes is essential and if you find a good pair, purchasing two sets and rotating will keep your footwear in good condition 

‘As long as they don’t look like they’re the shoes that you wear to the supermarket that do see all sorts of weather, that’s fine.

Think of them like good jeans, like you’ve got your good flats for work. And alternate your flats, because they do get smelly, they’ll wear out faster,’ she said. 

3. CARDIGAN

Cardigans are an essential for layering in the office and this Contour cardigan is available from Portmans for $69.95 

Cardigans are an essential for layering in the office and this Contour cardigan is available from Portmans for $69.95 

A layering essential, the cardigan is a staple in Ms Hope’s ideal work wardrobe.

‘I always think a nice cardigan is really good for wearing, you can wear it underneath a suit.

It’s good for the office, cardigans, you can generally scrunch them up in your bag and keep them there in case the aircon’s on full bore in the office. It’s always good to have that,’ she said. 

4. BUTTON-UP SHIRTS 

Ms Hope recommends buying some basic button-up shirts in plain, block colours that won’t clash with other pieces. 

‘And then the other thing I’d say is just some really good button-up shirts. I don’t think you have to go with the crisp cotton anymore, you can do silk, you can do a bit of a blend,’ she said. 

This simple cotton shirt from Witchery, at $129.95, is an essential item in a capsule work wadrobe as the block colour makes it easy to mix and match with other pieces 

This simple cotton shirt from Witchery, at $129.95, is an essential item in a capsule work wadrobe as the block colour makes it easy to mix and match with other pieces 

5. WATCH YOURSELF 

Unusually, Ms Hope says the final essential item is a watch.  

‘Especially if you’re working somewhere that’s a little bit more conservative, putting your phone out on the table during a meeting is a bit of a no no,’ she said. 

‘Having a watch is, I would say, a bit more traditional, but it is an accessory. So if they go with a metal that makes them feel good, if it’s something like their skin really glows then they wear a bit of gold, it’s a bit of a focal point,’ she said. 

For the final touch, accessorising can take your outfit to the next level. 

‘Jewellery that’s near your face, that’s one of the biggest things,’ she said.

 ‘I’d say a medium sized earring which is about, I’d say about 3 centimetres, is a really, really good size as a bit of a guideline.’

‘Necklaces that sit high up on your chest are great,’ she finished. 



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