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Handle Yourself Nonverbally 141

will complete your success^' look. For more details on dress for men, see
JoAnna Nicholson’s Dressing Smart for Men (Impact Publications, 2003).

Dynamite Images for Women

Few men would consider wearing anything other than a suit to a job
interview, especially an interview for a managerial or professional posi-
tion. Women are often less certain what is appropriate. The attire that
will convey the greatest professionalism, authority, and competence is a
suit - with a matching skirt and jacket. However, a slightly less powerful
look, but one that gets high marks today is to wear a base - skirt and
blouse - of one color paired with a jacket of another color. If the skirt and
blouse are a solid color, the jacket may be a plaid, ideally repeating the
blouse and skirt color, as one of the colors of the plaid. This combination
conveys the look of a suit, but is more
individualistic, slightly less powerful, Your suit sty/e
and very much in style. Dark colors
will convey greater power than lighter should be dassic;
colors. Gray, navy, or camel are conser- we//-tai/ored, we//-
vative, but not your only choices. styled, and avoid
Similar to men’s suits, your suit
should be made of a natural fiber, or a trendy looks.
blend of a natural fiber with a syn-
thetic that has the look of the natural fiber. The very best winter-weight
suit fabrics are wool or wool blends. For warmer climates or the summer
months, women will find few summer weight wool suits made for them.
A fabric that has the look of textured silk or silk blend is a good choice.
Your suit style should be classic: well-tailored, well-styled, and avoid
trendy looks unless you are certain it is appropriate for the business where
you are applying. It is better to err on the side of conservatism - usually
better tolerated than a mistake in the other direction. A conservative,
classic styled suit will last for years. Indeed, you can afford to buy good
quality clothing if you Imow you can wear it for several seasons.
Buy silk blouses if you can afford them. Keep in mind not only the
purchase price of the blouse, but the cleaning bill as well. If you don’t buy
silk, look for blouse fabrics that have the look and feel of silk. Long-
sleeved blouses have the greatest power look, and necklines should
complement the lines of the suit jacket and not be too revealing.