I Don't Wear a Suit!: A Guide to Style for All of Us

It's still important to dress and look good for work. However, over the years, there has been a demise of professional dress - dressing for work has gotten downright sloppy. What's a company to do, let alone its employees? Meanwhile, there are all sorts of jobs and careers, and they necessitate appropriate dress for work, whether it's a law firm, a factory. or a university. It used to be that the only appropriate office attire that communicated success was the suit. Today, there is a continuum of options that are just as appropriate and successful-looking, depending on where you work and what you do. I don't wear a suit and I'm not about to buy one; yet I do make an effort to dress in a professional manner. As a former fashion coordinator and retailer, and now a marketing educator, I can assure you that marketing yourself is just as important as having another business do this for you. Your image matters. It's no longer "Dress for Success" with just suits; nevertheless, what you wear has to communicate the best about you. This book is for men and women and with the information you will learn how to dress for your job and career. You'll be able to dress up or down, depending on what your needs are at the workplace. Today, there truly is a continuum of clothing possibilities that spell success no matter what we do for a living. I Don't Wear A Suit is the must have handbook for men and women for dressing great in TODAY'S workplace! Specifically you will be able to: * Identify the foundations of good style and design * Identify the appropriate clothing for your workplace * Use color to develop your own individual look that WORKS for you * Maximize your assets and iminimize your liability for your body type * Accessorize for impact * Travel light but right * Develop a dress policy that protects your business' brand image Table of Contents Acknowledgements Preface Introduction: It's a New World Out There! Chapter 1: Looking Good IS Important Chapter 2: The New Continuum of Dressing for Success Chapter 3: Workplace Dress 101: Getting Started Chapter 4: The 9 to 5 Dilemma Chapter 5: If Work Goes Beyond Five O'Clock Chapter 6: Travel Light and Right Chapter 7: The Foundation of Style Chapter 8: Make Color Work for You Chapter 9: Maximize Your Assets, Minimize Your Liabilities Chapter 10: Create Impact with Accessories Chapter 11: Take Care of Your Investment Chapter 12: Skin Deep Chapter 13: Good Quality, The Right Fit Chapter 14: A Word to Employers Chapter 15: It's More Than the Clothes You Wear Glossary Selected Bibliography Index