What’s the difference between “fashion” attire and “business” attire?
The term “fashion” usually applies to a personal mode of expression. The term “fashionable” describes whether someone fits in with the current popular mode of expression. Fashion is more of a cultural form of communication. Used in a positive sense, it is a synonym for “glamour” and “style”. Used in a negative sense, it is a synonym for “fads” and “trends”. If you compare the current fashion on the East Coast to the West Coast, you can easily see the difference in culture.
Business attire tends to be more dressy than casual. The clothes we wear in business make a statement. You are the message. But what message are you sending? Does it say things like Professionalism and Performance, or is it Mediocrity and Lack of Focus? If you wear bright colors, it means you are cheerful. If you wear dark colors, like Navy and Charcoal, it means you are serious. If you wear Earthtones, it means you are relaxed and wanting to make everyone around you more comfortable, so you can have a free and easy exchange of information.
How can professionals incorporate their own personal style into a polished business look?
In my opinion, there are two things to keep in mind regarding this question. One, what industry or profession are you in? Two, what message or image do you want to project to your customers and prospects? There are categories like “Business Casual”, “Evening Social”, and “Dressy Casual” that lend themselves to being less formal. Yet, they maintain a sophisticated and elegant look. I get compliments all the time on how well I look in my suit or sport coat or sweater. People notice a clean/sharp look.
What are the benefits of having clothes tailor-made versus buying them off the rack?
My philosophy is to buy smaller quantities of higher quality goods. They will look better on you and last longer. So, as far as performance and fit, it is a better value over the long haul. Benefits include better construction, more fabric choices, more control over styling, and the best fit possible.
What are the biggest mistakes professionals make when choosing business attire?
1.They have too many similar looks, because it’s their favorite color.
2.They put up too many barriers………”oh, that wouldn’t look good on me”. Be willing to stretch yourself.
3.They don’t seek out a knowledgeable wardrobe consultant. We can’t be an expert at something we only do 2-3 times a year. (shopping for clothes)
How can people use fashion to enhance their business image?
Wear a variety of accent colors. Helio, or Lavender, has been a hot color in men’s shirts and ties for the past 3 years. Accessorize with cuff links and pocket squares for men; Scarves, Jewelry and Shoes for women. You have to create an image that you are comfortable with after you have stretched yourself.
How can fashion be used to minimize physical imperfections?
Not sure what imperfections you are referring to here. If they are over-weight, the best thing is solids or narrow stripes in patterns. You want more of a drape in the coat, so there is more flow to the silhouette, and a longer coat length for women in most cases. Just keep it simple.
What materials/colors work best in a professional environment? Which should be stayed away from?
Materials: Wool, wool/silk, and microfiber in coats and pants
Cotton and silk in shirts/blouses
I’m not a huge fan of linen. The best threads in wool and cotton are
smaller in diameter, with a tighter weave. Wools are better at Super
100’s and above. Shirts are best at 80’s 2-ply thread count and above.
Also, do not use starch when laundering cotton shirts of higher quality.
Proper care of your clothing is very essential in their longevity.
For Men: Do double-breasted suits ever go out of style? What body type looks best in this type of cut?
Double-Breasted suits for men have been out of style now for almost 10 years. Men’s coat styles are 90% Single-Breasted. It does tend to be somewhat boring.
Generally, men who are 5’ 10” and above look best in D/B coats. They should also not be more than 25#’s over their normal weight, for their height.
What suit and shirt colors are the best bets for men’s business attire? Should a man ever wear a tie and shirt combo that’s the same color?
Blue, in various shades/tones are the most popular shirt color. Probably 33% of my 200 shirt fabrics are either a blue solid or blue stripe.
Navy, Charcoal/Black, and some kind of Earthtone are the building blocks for a man’s suit wardrobe.
The mono-chromatic look is popular and acceptable in most business settings.
For Women: What timeless separates should be in every professional woman’s closet?
One darker and one lighter color Blazer or Sport Coat with contrasting pant and skirt (or 2nd pant). This gives her 6 to 8 different looks to wear.
How important are accessories? Hair style?
Accessories are very important. You want them to accent, but not take away from your overall look. Hair should be simple and manageable, without any need for constant touching, re-arranging or fussing. It distracts from the message you are wanting the group or other person to hear from you.
What are important issues in the care of your clothing?
Choose a professional dry cleaner by asking others in your community or neighborhood who they have had good experiences with. Interview the dry cleaner and let them know you will be sending them quality stuff and want it handled with special care.
Shirts should be done without any starch. If you buy nice fabrics, they will perform better without it. Do not dryclean a suit or pant/skirt more than once every 5-6 months, unless you soil it or come in contact with cigar or cigarette smoke. Invest in a hand-held steamer to steam the wrinkles out of pant, skirts and coats. Some shirts will do well with steam as well, assuming you don’t perspire a lot. I offer these products to my clients as a service. Education is part of the total package I provide them.
MAINTENANCE TIPS FOR YOUR CLOTHING
OH NO!! DISASTER!! I’VE JUST FINISHED LUNCH, AND I’VE GOT AN ENORMOUS SALAD DRESSING STAIN ON MY TIE. HOW DO I REMOVE IT BEFORE MY FIVE O’CLOCK MEETING? HERE ARE SOME TIPS:
BLOOD:
Rinse in cold water. Blood cannot be removed once a garment has been
Washed in warm water.
GRASS:
Place the garment on a clean white cloth. Dab the stain with another white
Cloth soaked in alcohol or white vinegar.
MUD:
Allow to dry, then brush. If traces remain, rinse in water mixed with a little
Vinegar (one spoonful per liter of water).
PERFUME:
Perfume is very difficult to remove without leaving a ring. Rub with
hydrogen peroxide. Note: this may cause colors to fade. Carry out a test
on a less visible part of the garment first.
LIPSTICK:
Apply ether, or dilute hydrogen peroxide.
INK:
Soak the fabric in milk for several hours, and rinse in cold water.
FELT PEN, BALLPOINT PEN:
Place the garment on a clean white cloth. Dab the stain with another white
Cloth soaked in alcohol or white vinegar.
TEA:
Dab with white vinegar.
COFFEE:
Apply pure glycerin, then rinse with warm water.
SAUCES:
Hot water or trichloroethylene can be used to dissolve grease.
CHEWING GUM:
Rub with an ice cube to harden the gum, which can then be removed by
breaking it, without damage to the garment.
CANDLE WAX:
Scrape off any solid wax. Place the stained area between two pieces of
blotting paper and press down with a warm iron on the piece of blotting
paper in contact with the wax. The wax will stick to the blotting paper.
FRUIT:
Rinse whites in soapy water mixed with a small amount of bleach.
For wool and silk, apply lemon juice to the stain, and rinse well.
BEER:
For wool and silk, apply a mixture of warm water and alcohol, then rub
With a clean cloth.
CHOCOLATE:
Cotton: dry-rub with soap, and wash in cold water
Synthetics: apply lemon juice
Wool: apply benzene
Silk: apply warm water
ADDITIONAL CARE ADVICE FOR GARMENTS:
Dry cleaning should be used sparingly. Even the finest fabrics will take on that telltale sheen eventually.
Starch is not recommended for your finer cotton shirt fabrics
Quality garments should not be worn on two consecutive days, and
should be placed carefully on a hanger for a day in a well-ventilated
room when not being worn.
* To remove creases, follow this simple method: hang your garment
carefully on a hanger, and place it in the bathroom with the hot
shower running. The water vapor will remove any creases instantly.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON CUSTOM FIT CLOTHING
CONTACT: BILL HOFFER
EXECUTIVE CLOTHIER
WARDROBE DESIGN www.wardrobedesign.net
(206) 571-6687
What does your business attire say about you?
Bill Hoffer, a local image and fashion consultant, encourages business professionals to ask themselves this question every day.
“The clothes we wear make a statement. You are the message. Ask yourself: Is that message exuding professionalism and performance, or mediocrity and lack of focus?”
Hoffer owns and operates Wardrobe Design, a Seattle-based fashion-consulting company that works with both men and women. While he has dressed clients for numerous occasions and with different style needs, his most common customer is a busy executive who doesn’t understand that it’s possible to look professional while still being comfortable and maintaining personal style.
When consulting with clients, Hoffer sees a lot of very smart people making the same mistakes when it comes to their image. These include wearing too many similar looks and buying clothes that don’t fit them well. He stresses that while finding the right outfit seems like it should be easy, it’s not, and people shouldn’t get frustrated when they hit fashion snags.
“It is not that easy to pull together a solid look. Don’t get discouraged. You can’t expect to be an expert at something—like shopping for clothes—that you only do two or three times a year. The most important thing is to keep trying to learn who you are,”
To help you on your journey to understanding how fashion can work for you, Hoffer suggests:
“The colors you wear make a direct statement about who you are. Accent colors can convey a cheerful personality and attitude. If you always wear dark colors, like black or charcoal, people might think you’re overly serious. A more comfortable and relaxed attitude will come from someone wearing Earth tones. Of course it’s important to wear colors that work well with your personal skin tone,”
Hoffer says size is only the first part of the fit equation. Because everyone’s body is different, he stresses the importance of getting clothes professionally fitted and altered. Doing this will ensure that you will look and feel your best in what you wear, whether it’s to the office, a corporate meeting, or a night on the town.
In addition, working with a professional fashion consultant before you buy clothes will help ensure the outfits you fill your closet with best represent the image you want to convey.
“My job is to open up the world of fashion to my clients by providing them fabric, color, and style options they may not have thought of or seen before. The goal is to get them thinking about their personal style and how this can correspond to the image they project in the corporate world.”