WHAT YOU SEE IS NOT WHAT YOU GETin an expensive urban department store such as Saks Fifth Avenue
or Bergdorf Goodman would dress with high style and some degree
of flash. In a store like Tiffany, which sells very expensive but
traditional items, she would dress more conservatively—a tailored
dress. In a store like L.L. Bean in Maine, where the outdoors is
featured, jeans and a flannel shirt project credibility. A saleswoman
selling real estate in Beverly Hills, where the prices run to the
millions, might wear mink and diamonds, while a woman selling
in a Rodeo Drive boutique could wear trendy high fashion.
Mara Urshel, senior vice president and senior merchandising
manager of women's wear at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York
City, believes that the most important rule of dressing for business
is conformity. Know what everybody else is wearing "because
that's what you're going to live with if you want to succeed." She
agrees with Ms. Grillo that, in general, women have more options.
The traditional matched suit is on its way out.
Louise Maniscalco, a personal shopper at Barneys in New York
City, says, "Businesswomen can wear a jacket that goes with the
skirt in terms of color, but that isn't necessarily the same design,
color, or fabric or even made by the same designer."
She also suggests that women can wear offbeat outfits, depending
on where they work. Women in conservative fields must still wear
skirts and dresses. "Trousers and pants suits work in fashion,
publishing, advertising, medicine, or real estate." She suggested
that hemlines are up for grabs. They can be at the knee, mid-
calf, or even longer, and with the new styles, they can even go
above the knee.
An unmatched outfit—say, a mustard jacket, white blouse, and
black skirt—is a versatile first purchase for a young business-
woman. Unmatched suits are accepted, and a variety of jackets
are useful to combine with different blouses and skirts for different