Achieving a profession image in business casual dress is easy when you use this trick: dress vertically.
In both mythology and psychology, vertical lines are associated with power. And power commands respect. Whether you have good or negative ideas about power, think of it this way: Power is simply the ability to do something.
In men and women, vertical lines in clothing make you appear taller and slimmer, which is generally more desirable than appearing shorter and wider.
Here are 5 ways to dress vertically.
1. For men, ties are actually a vertical element, because they point straight up to your face. Pinstripes and chalk stripes in suit fabrics, and long jackets with full-length pants are vertical garments as well.
2. For men and women: dress in monotones, which means wearing different shades of the same color. Wear the darker tones on the bottom with lighter colors closer to your face. You’ll look taller, slimmer, and coordinated. When you select high quality fabrics with rich color tones, you project a rich and a successful image.
3. For women: slim-lined straight skirts are an instant vertical. When you are wearing slim skirts, coordinate your stockings and shoe color to match or blend, or be one shade darker than your hem length to create a strong vertical.
4. Long fitted or semi-fitted jackets: Choose jackets that nip at the waist, and be sure they end at your slimmest point of your body, not your largest point, such as at the hips. Jackets create a horizontal line where they end, so you want to be sure they end at your slimmest point.
5. Short jackets: Short jackets look great when balanced with longer skirts or pants. The vertical effect is most potent when you match the color family. When you are wearing a short jacket in a contrasting, complementary color, keep all other outfit pieces (blouse or sweater underneath), in the same color tone, so you don’t detract from the vertical line. This will give you a slimming, empowering vertical look.
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From Lynda Goldman, author of How to Make a Million Dollar First Impression
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