I've heard the saying "Dress for the job you want, not for the job you have" many, many times over.
And yet, I don't really do it.
I work in a business casual office. My self-chosen uniform is black pants, dress shoes of some sort (sometimes heels, mostly flats), a knit top, and a cardigan. Not bad, and I'm definitely dressed nicer than a number of people in the office, but I've noticed that when I go to meetings with higher ups, most everyone is in a suit jacket and often, the men are in ties and the women are in dresses.
I'd like to step up my wardrobe a bit, but that's easier said than done. I freely admit that I hate clothing shopping. I gained a bunch of weight a few years back when I got really sick and I've never managed to successfully take it back off. I've put off buying too much new clothing because "I will do it when I lose weight." Well, I need to just suck it up and realize that just isn't going to happen.
I would like to up my wardrobe without breaking the bank, of course. I've read all of those articles that say "You only need these ten pieces to outfit your work wardrobe." Yeah, that just doesn't work for me. Let's be honest, people will notice. It's not that big of an office.
So moving forward, I have a few plans.
1. More shopping. No, not more buying. More shopping. I need to hit more stores, check out the sales, figure out what I like and what I should buy. I have a tendency to get in a mood and just go buy everything at once, regardless of sale prices. No, I need to learn to browse and take advantage of sales and coupons. If you can catch them Old Navy or old navy ca has some of the greatest sales around.
2. Cleaning out my closet. I need to get rid of all of the stuff in my closet that I'm wearing that I shouldn't be. Shirts that are perhaps a bit too worn, etc. I also need to get rid of the items that I know I won't be wearing. I already have a giant pile of clothing started for charity donation. And though I've never done it before, I'm being careful to document what goes into each box so I can take the tax deduction at the end of the year. Must make sure I get my receipts.
3. Figuring out what I own. I have a lot of scarves and jewelry and shoes that I don't wear that I should wear. Accessorizing can really change a whole outfit. The other day, I had on black pants, a simple black sweater, and a killer pair of red heels that I bought on clearance. I got more compliments on my outfit than I expected (note: I expected zero). Those shoes made the outfit. So I need to be better about seeing what I can pull together as an ensemble, rather than just throwing on clothes that match and making it work.
I'm not necessarily looking for a new job right now. I like what I do, and my boss isn't going anywhere, so it's not as if I can take her job any time soon. But I do need to step it up. My job is getting more and more high profile in my agency, and I should make sure I'm putting my best face forward.