WHAT YOU SEE IS NOT WHAT YOU GET
While women have a wider choice in clothes, men are usually
advised to play it safe. Clifford Grodd, president of Paul Stuart,
says that in business men should try to project a subtext of intelli-
gence. They shouldn't appear overly involved with clothes unless
they work in the fashion world.
In architecture, industrial design, publishing, or advertising,
a sport jacket and slacks are generally acceptable. I have seen a
number of young male executives in these creative fields wearing
neat denim jeans with shirt, tie, and jacket.
The classic blue blazer with dark gray slacks, a white or even
light blue shirt, and a dark, striped tie is an acceptable outfit in
many business situations. "The dark trousers send a business
subtext," Grodd says. "As long as you don't look as if you're
going to a party at the yacht club!"
And Joyce Grillo, president of Impression Management image
consultants, who has a background in psychology, has some strong
ideas about women's clothes in the corporate world. She believes
that the entire idea of dressing for success has been taken to
extremes, especially for women.
"For men it's still the dark colors in suits, the white shirt,
and the muted tie. Unfortunately, men are limited; brown, green,
yellow, plaids—they are all out. Tan is not a decisive color, and
light gray—well, some men can wear it depending on their coloring.
"For women, what they wear does, to an extent, depend on
where they work, but today it's really wide open. In a sober industry,
such as banking, brokerage, or law, women still need to dress in
conservative colors. However, they can wear dresses instead of
the suits that are generally advised, as long as it's the right kind
of dress, a coat dress perhaps or something that looks like a
jacket—nothing too frilly or cutesy. A dress can give the subtext
of competence, which is the subtext a woman wants."