The debate of whether women should remove any sign of their femininity to prove themselves powerful in a male environment is over. Austerity and a mannish allure looks more retrograde for women now. Gaining credibility can't be achieved if you don't appear being part of your time. We no longer need to prove if we can compete with men. It is not a fight against them. Showing our femininity and our skills is the key message. The old belief that we need either to confront them or copy them is outdated. Our credibility is now firmly engaged in our femininity.
"the etiquette code obliges...less to be cloned with men"
Times have changed and feeling good about ourselves is admitting our differences with men and enjoying, expressing who we are in a balanced way. The etiquette code obliges now less and less to be cloned with men and endorsing their power suit. Looking glamorous and having fun with fashion does not take off any of your credibility. Let's have a look at the pioneers of this revolution for women's public fashion. Michelle Obama, Jackie O before her, Carla Sarkozy are such a contrast with their predecessors such as Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Mrs Blair.. And I must admit before them Princess Diana was a stepping stone of the alliance between Power and Glamour.
" looking fashionable is a strong asset"
Entrepreneurial women, those who have reached the boardroom or in more conservative fields such as lawyers are giving up on their conventional suit for a more feminine look. Getting recognition from men does not come from looking like them. Competing in a male environment is far more efficient if you show your differences and playing with them. This attitude shows power and assurance. Contemporary women have understood that looking fashionable is a strong asset. It gives them an edge, a freedom to be able to choose to be different. Fashion and power are intricately linked. The trend is also interestingly showing itself with men. An increasingly number of them are paying closer attention to how they look. The culture of our image has matured and affirms our differences. Our inspiration is now coming from women who show us power through their image. Because the bottom line of this attitude is to care about your appearance without giving up of who you are, by looking genuine and feeling good on the inside and on the outside.
"The key is in how you subtly balance your femininity"
So shall we give more weight to our wages in comparison to men's pay for the same role when it comes to choose how we dress before going at work, or shall we take the risk to bet on our femininity. It is very tempting to keep it safe especially when we know how much the first impression we give is our look. And in the top jobs in the city this can be very risky. It takes more guts to show who we are than sticking in a confined pre-tailored look. The key is in how you subtly balance your femininity. You don't want to look too sexy and provocative which definitely will send the wrong signal in a conventional environment. Women need to learn how to adjust the length of their skirts and heels accordingly while still looking fashionable and being taken seriously as a professional.
"wearing an outfit slightly smarter... provide an edge"
Every job has its own dress etiquette and some are more inclined towards fashion than others. Take a PR working in a well established advertising company. None of the staff wears a suit to the office. Being all creative they invent themselves, look unique. How anyone could fit in this team if they came in one of those bulletproof suits? It simply won't look to be a part of them. Wearing an outfit slightly smarter than theirs will provide an edge they don't have and without dissociating yourself from them.
"master the art to glamourise ourself"
The issue is more in our gender and claiming that this is over because many women have made it to the boardrooms and succeeded is a step too far. That I won't do! We have still many inequalities when compared to men in business. Looking feminine is now possible but it is down to us to master the art to glamorise ourself while still being dressed adequately according to the environment we are working in. I encourage every woman to feel good about them self and stop feeling they had to dress for the male environment. Our differences are our strength. And I would say the same to men. Being groomed and looking current prove to be far more efficient than being too conservative and timid about ourselves.
If only our Prime Minister had spoken to an image consultant he would alternate his suits more often and choose colours and shapes more adequately. Wearing ten times the same ensemble during public appearances is not reflecting the position of the number one, leader of a country. Our image is as powerful as our speech.
Consultations for corporate images are available. Please contact Nathalie Baur at Renaissance Image
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment