By Pia Perthen, Contributing Writer
Dressing appropriately is a key factor to success in the working world and knowing how to do it effectively can enable more open doors to future careers.
The College of Business at Saint Leo University hosted a “Business Week” event, opened to all students regardless of major from March 28-30. One of the main events held during the week was “Dress for Success,” hosted by the IMASC (the accounting club) with a presentation by Dr. Passard Dean, director of graduate studies/chair & professor of accounting, economics, and finance.
“My primary objective is to provide students the knowledge to help them in various situations relating to dress regarding their careers,” said Dean during his presentation.
The last “Dress for Success” event was held in 2018; due to Covid-19, hosting events regularly has become a challenge. Since the last event, business attire ideologies have changed. Dean pointed out one major change in this year’s event: it is possible not to wear only darker colors anymore but to spice them up with different ones (moderately).
“I am not certain if ‘Dress for Success’ will be reoccurring; however, in the past, it was an annual event before Covid,” said Dean.
It was noticeable that more than half of the audience was already dressed in business clothes, and Dean has politely asked several people to stand up and show their professional outfits.
One of those appropriately dressed students was Pleshae McPhee, a senior majoring in communication studies.
“It was interesting to learn that there are different possibilities to dress professionally. It was an essential hint to look at the company’s handbook to read their dress code before you dress for an interview or job promotion,” said McPhee.
Dr. Michele Flint, associate professor of accounting, and Dr. Zachary Smith, assistant professor of economics and finance, were also present with business clothes and added some excellent remarks to the presentation.
“To find cheaper alternatives for brand clothes, students could use consignment shops when shopping for work clothes,” said Flint.
During the presentation, Dean captured the audience’s attention with funny anecdotes and showed, how to dress and how not to dress for the career world to help the students achieve a good first impression, with the help of Dr. Tonya Mazur, assistant professor of management.
One topic discussed were the dos and don’ts for dressing in a business manner.
Closed-toe shoes are always preferred, especially for women going to an interview. It is recommended to wear flats or moderate heel pumps with natural colors for shoes.
Women should be careful about the style of their top and how it fits. The top may be paired with a skirt, which should be about knee length, or pants, neither of which should be too tight
or loose. If a blazer jacket is being worn, it must be an appropriate length—and try to wear clothes with a neutral color palette.
In addition to that, miniskirts, tank tops, sweatshirts, and workout attire would be an absolute “No go” for a business-like outfit.
For males, it is essential that their suits, ties, belts, and any other accessories coordinate. Men’s shoe selection should be between wingtips or oxford shoes, and laced up makes it look more traditional. The colors of the shoes could be either black or brown.
“It is crucial to point out that the belt should match the shoes and not the pants,” said Michael Bailey, office accessibility services director.
Fragrant scents were another topic discussed at the event. Women should be careful only to use mild fragrances and neutral nail colors since they do not want to send the wrong message or make the interviewer uncomfortable.
In general, Dean recommended knowing the exact measurements for the hip, waist, chest, and inseam to find the best fitting style since it depends on the individual body type for how the clothes complement the body. If there need to be necessary alternations made, it is recommended to get help from a tailor or seamstress.
“I learned that taller women should preferably wear flat shoes during an interview to not seem too intimidating; however, after the job is secured, the ladies can rock the heels,” said Alisa Azzarelli, a junior majoring in economics.
Another essential factor to success is grooming.
It was suggested that men wear a low haircut and women keep their hairstyles out of their face—especially in an interview setting. Also, the hair colors should be kept neutral and no ostentatious highlights.
“I know a man who had such nice-looking long curls, but he could not secure a job. Therefore, he took my advice and cut his hair, and he got a job offer right away,” said Dean.
First impressions last, and attire plays a significant part in that impression. Dressing for success my get you one step closer to landing your dream job or internship.
