Gold and Lilac by jenshort featuring stud earrings

Friday night and you have to rush from the office to your best buds rehearsal dinner. This outfit can do double duty. Add a cardigan or blazer in the office with a simple black flat. Then swap your shoes and ditch the cardi for dinner and drinks.

Feminine Perfection by Workchic featuring sleeveless dresses

A pretty feminine dress like this one from Moschino is perfect for a fall wedding and can double in the office. It’s simple and sophisticated. Even these accessories work for both, though we’d probably take a clutch to the wedding.

Rehearsal Dinner Options by Weab featuring j crew dresses

Here are two more dresses that could work in the office, a bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, and even an afternoon wedding. Remember to pull back out that cardigan for the strapless style when wearing it to the office.

Enjoy the October wedding season and have fun shopping!

When wearing a bold pattern like abstract or digital prints keep your silhouette simple. Since these patterns stand out on their own it is best to balance them out with solid accessories and shoes. The statement is being made in the print and you don’t want the rest of your outfit to fight with that print!

Collarless jackets are all the rage this season. Whether it is trimmed in chain, beading or embellished detail, the jacket looks best when paired with a simple white shirt or camisole worn underneath. Make an impact with accessories like this statement necklace shown below.

Monochromatic colors make mixing patterns simple. In this business casual style outfit we kept the palette to neutral shades and lavender. Together these soft tones allow a bold plaid pattern to look chic against a floral blouse. Since the pencil skirt and boyfriend cardigan are classic silhouettes, we were also able to play with ruffle accents on the blouse and t-strap pumps without overwhelming the outfit.

Adding accessories is a quick and easy way to update your work wardrobe. As you can see from each of the above outfits, accessories add another level of sophistication and style. This season look for Lucite jewelry, denim handbags, and statements necklaces in every color!

These top trends will move your work wardrobe into Spring. It’s easy to let your style become more casual in warmer months; use trends like collarless jackets and safari inspired blazers to pull together your outfits. Your personal style sends a message to coworkers, supervisors, and customers. Send a strong message that says, “I am a professional, feminine, and chic business woman!” Enjoy the new season of trends and Happy Shopping!

Climbing the corporate ladder on a hot streak is the career buzzphrase “personal branding”—but do you truly know what represents personal branding? Generally we understand the significance of corporate branding. As an employee we follow the corporate rules to represent our company in the best light possible; but when we leave our office at 5 p.m., are we still held responsible for branding? The answer is absolutely!! Tiger lost his corporate sponsorships not because his golf game was suffering but because his personal brand did not match the image he portrays when out besting the competition for the coveted green jacket.

Let’s consider another example that hits a little closer to home. You just graduated in May and are starting your new job at an accounting firm. Friday afternoon you have a meeting with your biggest client. This is the first time you introduced yourself to him and you are a little nervous. The meeting goes well and you end your Friday on a confident high knowing you impressed him. You’re anxious to start your Friday night so you and some girlfriends decide to go out and relive those college days of drunkenness, a little stupidity without a care in the world. You’re dreading the Monday morning wake up call and when you sluggishly walk into work, you read an email from your big client you met on Friday. He saw you and your girlfriends out and was surprised at how unprofessional your behavior was. Now I know you are thinking, “am I never allowed to go out and have fun again,” and that is not what I am saying. You need to remember that your personal brand is extremely important in the business world and how you act outside of work is just as important as how you act at work.

Do’s and Don’ts of personal branding:
Do: Always look put together whether you are attending a networking event, client luncheon, shopping at the mall or grocery shopping. You never know whether your next client is standing ahead of you in line at Starbucks or grabbing a salad at Panera.

Don’t get wrapped up in office gossip. You then become a person that cannot be trusted by other employees for fear that what they tell you will become the hot gossip around the office water cooler.

Do make sure that if you have a facebook, twitter, linkedin account or a blog that no matter which one I find, they all represent you in the same way. I should never be confused about the person you are when I find you on social media tools.

Don’t use facebook as a way to let the world know that you can still party like you are 19. We all like to go out and have a good time however pictures of you dancing on a bar should be left up to the imagination. Facebook is a powerful tool that can get you in a lot of trouble. Be sure you are checking your profile for pictures and comments that could damage the way people think about you.

Do your homework before meeting with a client, a connection you met at a networking event or an interview. I always remember the people that have taken the time to look at my magazine. It shows that you value my time and my expertise.

Don’t be a Tiger Woods with skeletons hiding in your closet. One way or another, secrets get out.

Do follow up. Your follow-up becomes a lasting impression so follow up on business cards, meetings and connections. You always want to be top of mind, the one that’s remembered because you extended the effort to show interest in the product, the business, or the person.

Don’t bring your personal drama to work. No one likes listening to a really put-together employee talk about his/her dysfunctional dating patterns.

Do and I mean remember this, always treat people like you want to be treated. Even if you are having a bad day, you lost a huge client, your boyfriend and you just broke up, or you are irritated because the line at Starbucks is extremely long, put a smile on your face and take a deep breath. You just never know whom the barista knows, who the person behind you is, or the person just walking in the door. You always want to be thought of as a person with a positive and genuine attitude. That’s the brand you want to project and protect—it’s fun to be known as a spitfire as long as it’s an acronym for sincere, professional, intelligent, trustworthy, faithful, in-style, reliable and empathetic!

So the next time you are battling the devil or the little angel sitting on your shoulder, remember these simple tips and your personal branding will be off and running.

Published recently in Workchic.

A: The easy part is over. You have already dazzled upper management with your work ethic and professionalism to be rewarded with a manger/vp/executive title. Now how do you get the rest of the office to respect you as an authority even though you are one of the youngest in the office?

Confidence has a big role in a situation like this. You must reflect a confident aura. Co-workers can sense intimidation and a lack of confidence and they will eat you alive. Upper management believes you are the best for the job; otherwise they would not have promoted you. Show the rest of the office that same certainty that yes I can do this job and do it well.

There really is no secret to being a good manager and having the respect of your co-workers. Co-workers respect a manager who is loyal, trustworthy, easy-to-talk-to, confident and one that manages by allowing coworkers to do their job without micromanaging. Most importantly you can guarantee your own success when you take the time to learn their jobs and to understand the frustrations and challenges that your workers face on a daily basis, on certain projects, with management policies or working alongside difficult peers. Co-workers want the security of knowing that their manager is on their team and will go to bat for them in a time of need. This is how you gain the trust and loyalty of your co-workers. If you can achieve this reputation, they won’t look at you as someone who is young and naïve but as a great manager who wants the people around her to succeed!

This question was part of a panel discussion on Workchic.com. To view entire article and the other responses please visit Workchic.

As women we have less direction and more rules on what is and isn’t appropriate. The gals at bizMe have covered a long list of Office Fashion No’s and why Sexy is not a corporate look. We agree with all of this advice and want to take it a step further with some of the things you can do.

Some articles of clothing naturally feel more feminine then others, like dresses and skirts for example. To add a professional quality to these ladylike pieces look for structured fabrics, tailored seams, and appropriate hems and necklines.

This first dress takes a traditional plaid pattern and gives it a twist with graphic painted strokes. A slight scoop neck, puff sleeves, and a belted waistline play up your curves without making the look overtly sexy. Our second career look is a sleeveless dress made out of suiting fabric which will layer nicely under a professional blazer or can stand on its own in business casual offices. This style features a skinny belt which enhances the polished feel of the dress. And then, the timeless wrap dress– versatile and easy enough for casual days at the office. We recommend wearing a demi-cami underneath to keep your look office appropriate.

On the other end of the spectrum, blazers are considered very professional. Tailoring is the most important feature and this look can be made more feminine with softer fabrics and pleat or ruffle details. A nipped in waist will show off your curves in a very professional way. This first jacket has subtle pleats on the patch pockets and princess seams giving the perfect touch to this otherwise traditional styling. Instead of black, tan, or charcoal, try pink tweed with three quarter sleeves and one button closure.

As recently noted in The New York Times, Dressing for Success is New Again (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/fashion/17CODES.html?pagewanted=1&8dpc&_r=3). The rise of AMC TV series “Mad Men” has made dressing up fashionable. While The New York Times article focused on menswear, this show has also inspired many womenswear trends. With an easy femininity, ruffled blouses look chic layered under jackets and pencil skirts feel pulled together and professional. Adding peep toe pumps completes the look for any career minded dame.

A New Year is upon us and while you are fine tuning your resolutions, take some time to consider your professional image. Are you dressing to impress every day at the office? We want you to usher in 2010 looking professional, feminine, and chic and we are here to show you how. Follow our tips and get your look right every time!

A: With our current global economy, the face of competition has certainly changed. The playing field isn’t quite as level—you are no longer competing with people your own age; now you battle professionals with years of experience and advanced degrees. So how do you really differentiate yourself from the rest of the pack in terms of your resume? First step: I highly suggest narrowing your focus. Focus on three to five companies that you really want to work for rather than a mass mailing. Secondly, put in the time to get to know the people that have the decision-making power for your top five selections. The best way to do this is by connecting with the HR people on Linkedin. It is a great tool to use to become directly linked with the hiring manager. Thirdly, work on developing a relationship and show them how badly you want to work there and what an asset you will be. Now you have a name associated with those companies—a direct connection to send your resume. Remember, you’ve built an online reputation and the HR Rep is already intrigued because he or she is familiar with your initiative and communication skills.

I see a lot of resumes and the one thing I cannot stress enough is to read the job description and application requirements thoroughly. If samples, cover letter and resume is asked for, please make sure that you send everything that has been requested. Often times applicants will send links to check out their writing samples or links to a website—sometimes those links don’t work and quite honestly, I don’t have the time to search out work on websites for over 300 applicants. What really grabs my attention is whether you have done your homework. If you mention my online magazine in your cover letter and let me know that you have looked through the site and the qualities that you bring to the table that will help to grow my business then your application will be more thoroughly looked at. That initiative may pay big dividends in the job search arena—it demonstrates that you truly want to be a part of our team.

The job search is never easy but if you keep at it, the position you want is only one click away!! Happy job searching.

This question was part of a panel discussion on Workchic.com. To view entire article and the other responses please visit Workchic.