44 — Sunday, April 21, 1991 - North Shore News

Straight ahead with style

FASHION STATEMENTS

TO GET ahead in ihe
business world, you have to
play poker. You can get
what you want simply by
looking as though you al-
ready have it.

In other words, at work, it is
not what you have, it is what they
think you have. To win the pro-
motion, the raise, the respect and
recompens2 that you deserve, 2
confident, professional,
straightforward style can make all
the difference.

Brains, hard work and talent
are all good and will serve you
well, but chutzpah and polish can
win out over the stiffest competi-
tion. And, remember, you can
always bluff.

fc is simply a matter of good
marketing. To be noticed and
remembered by your superiors,
they have to be able to separate
you from the crowd. If you are
never seen then nothing can ever
happen. Visibility, especially
around promotion time, can work
for anyone, and sometimes it can
be as simple as changing your
clothes.

A professional and polished
look does not have to mean stifl-
ing your personality. Sure, you
want to be taken seriously, but
strict formulas and hard cdges are
no longer necessary.

‘*There is room for personality
in the 90s. No one should follow
dressing rules for their sake
alone,’’ says wardrobe consultant
Judith McFaull.

A West Vancouver resident,
McFaull is a buyer and advertis-
ing/promotions consultant for
Lesley’s designer clothing stores as
well as owning her consulting firm
called Fashion Imaginations.

According to McFaull,
“Women now feei more confident
being women at work, and no
longer pretend to be men. Women
still wear suit jackets, but they are
worn as softer separates instead of
suits, providing more options. The
jacket can incorporate a lot of
color, current styling and shape.”’
She adds that more color is worn
on all steps of the corporate lad-
der.

Janet, Cave, owner of Labels
fac., a wardrobe consulting and
custom design firm, says ‘‘l
strongly emphasize that women
not be afraid of coior.’’ Cave says
that a suit can be designed in a
very classic style but made in a
bright fabric so that a color can
be worn for impact without being
overwhelming. Since 60s inspired
orange is fashionable this scason,
Cave suggests wearing a bright
salmon or a deep orange to work,
as long as it suits your coloring.

Use a lack of color to your best
advantage, too. A black suit is the
confidence builder that women
cite the most often, because it
allows versatility, it is up to date,
is flattering to all figures and
always looks sophisticated.

McFaull stresses that a woman

should always look as polished as
she can.

“Look the part of the position
that you want to be in by observ-
ing the way that your superior
dresses.’ She says that there is
always politics involved in getting
ahead at any company. Appear-
ance is what gets you noticed even
if ability gets you the job.

‘Dressing appropriately for the
personality of the firm is as im-
portant as revealing your own
personality,’’ she adds.

But, be careful not to overdo it.
“You should not come across as
having a highcr image than your
boss, especially in the early stages
with a firm. There is nothing
wrong with shining a fittle bit
down the road.

“If your boss is wearing a suit,
feel free to wear one too, even if
your co-workers don’t. if all other
employees dress casually for work
and you feel more comforiable
dressing similarly, dress  smart-
casual and co-ordinate your out-
fits as you would if they were
suits.”

Don't rely on others to show
you how to dress. If the rest of
the office does not arrive to work
luoking polished and professional,
remember the old saying ‘“‘there
are only two ways by which to rise
in this world, either by one’s own
industry, or by the stupidity of
others.”” Never rule out the possi-
bility that everyone else is wrong.

Cave says that a woman should
not age herself by dressing too
conservatively.

“*® woman at 40 who has kept
her figure slim has the freedom to
wear almost anything. She can
wear skirts that hover around the
kneecap, or to the top of the knee
if she has nice tegs. In certain
work situations she can wear
walking shorts if they look like a
skirt when her legs are together.
Women in their mid 20s can also
raise their hemline. If they are
self-conscious about their legs, a
wrap skirt is very fashionable now
and it can be worn longer, with
any length of jacket.’

Both Cave and McFaull agree
that a woman must capitalize on
quality businesswear. Fine quality
clothing and accessories translaie
into an understatement of success.
It is recognized by the texture and
weight of a fabric, the impeccable
construction of a garment and the
attention to details.

According to Cave, fit is also
an important element of quality.
She feels that made-to-measure
suits spel! success.

“Fit is absolutely essential to
look professional because it
reflects the women’s self-
awareness to impart atiention to
details and it enhances her figure.
If it is ill-fitting, it will only
detract from her image,’’ she says.

“It is very difficult to find a
suit off the rack that fits well,’
Cave adds. ‘‘There are such a
variety of women’s figures, for
instance, hips aren’t always
smaller than the shoulders, unlike
men, and therefore it is difficult
to find the right proportions. We
have an exceptional custom tailor
who will design any style of coi-
lar, pocket, jacket shape and
fabric that the client wants. And,
we specialize in details that you
won't find off the rack such as
piping, trim, quilting of collar
that give the jacke’ flair. The but-
tons are the jacket’s crowning
glory, and are very important. We
import curs from Paris.”’

Comfort is very important and
a consideration in a garment’s fit.
The aim is to be able to put on
vour clothes and forget about
them.

Quality can be consistent in
your wardrobe only if you keep in
mind that:

* You get what you pay for, cr,

DRESSING FOR business doesn’t have to be boring. Add color and shape to your new business

wardrobe.

if buying on sale, what you would
originally pay for. Better quality is
usually a higher price, though it
still pays to shop around and
compare.

© Buy the best quality that you
can afford. Whether it is a suit, a
slip or a set of replacement but-
tons, choose it feeling that it will
be with you for a while.

© Choose quality over quantity.
Since well-made pieces usually
cost more, buy less.

McFaull always tells her clients
to buy the best quality possible,
but she also stresses buying a
good vilue too.

‘The difference between a de-
signer label and a facsimile,
besides the price, is sometimes
very lithe. A woman can put a
very nice wardrobe together, one
that is going to last a long time
because she chose quality fabrics
and longevity in stvling, and she
can get it at Fairweather.”

She also says that she rarely has

clients who can afford to spend a
lot on their work wardrobes.

‘Even those women who you
would imagine can spend are
becoming very budget conscious.
It has become admirable to save
money.

“Women now take a compli-
ment about their clothing by
proudly disclosing that they got it
for a geod deal. And, there is no
more having to wear something
different every day because co-
workers have seen it before. Other
women now admire an individual
who has worn a_ piece several
times before, but always coordi-
nated in a different way. Being
innovative is a feather in her
cap,”’ adds McFauil.

J.esser quality garments tend to
look tired after one or two
washings and show their wear
under the arms, at the hem and
between the legs. You often grow
tired of them more quickly than
an item that you knew you were

**spoiling’’ yourself on when you
bought it.

Upgrade your wardrobe con-
tinuously. As your position, time
with the firm and responsibilities
are increased, your wardrobe
should reflect the changes.

Only wear clothes that signal
self-assurance, You will be ‘‘read’’
by others as having it, and you
will find yourself living up to that
perception. It can be determined
by the color, style and fit that will
satisfy what you must wear [0
look appropriate and what you
want to wear to look and feel ter-
rific.

An appropriate image is a ma-
jor factor in many job situations.

McFaull can be reached for an
appointment at Fashion Imagina-
tions, 881 Sinclair St., West Van-
couver; 985-3251.

Cave can be reached for an ap-
pcintment at Labels Inc., 770
Pacific Blvd. South (Fxpo Site),
Vancouver; 685-9888.

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