LOOKING THE BIZ

Jane McDonnell , publisher of The Gloss, says it's time, once again, for women to look like they work for a living

Jane McDonnell, publisher of The Gloss, says it's time, once again, for women to look like they work for a living

How we dress is a powerful tool. Whether we like it or not, the way we dress causes assumptions to be made about our skills, ability, even our affiliations. Female politicians know this to their cost. Remember that headline about Angela Merkel and her "Twin Weapons of Mass Distraction" when she showed a little cleavage? But remember, too, the good impression made by Carla Bruni Sarkozy in that drab, demure, but perfectly gorgeous Dior suit. The reality is that impressions count, maybe more so now as the job market becomes more competitive.

Yes, exactly, I hear you cry, but how can we talk about fashion in this economy, after the most draconian budget since the 1980s?

For those who work in the fashion world, let's remember, fashion is not frivolous. It's a business. A business that generates employment for sales assistants, managers, recruitment consultants, bankers, solicitors, accountants, entrepreneurs, ad agencies, marketers, designers, PR people . . . Fashion employs hundreds of thousands of people in this country and it is time to support Irish fashion retailing.

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Think of the collective power of women in the workplace. Not just the spending power but the power to influence, the power to decide that this is the time to say no to disposable fashion. In tough times, waste is not acceptable. It is not ethical, either.

The boom may have encouraged the idea of casual corporate culture, impulse buying and dressing like we were all at an all-day cocktail party. But I welcome a climate where it's okay to say no to fickle, outlandish trends in favour of investing wisely in pieces that will last for years rather than weeks. It makes economic sense, no matter what your budget, to adopt two new and positive strategies: the first is one of selective extravagance - choose to trade up in what matters to you and spend less on what doesn't. Secondly, adopt a cost-per-wear model where your wardrobe is concerned.

It is most definitely a Good Thing to look like you work for a living. Remember, the concept of Dress Down Friday was the invention of a Wall Street banker . . . perhaps he worked at Lehman Brothers.

So as we head into winter, ask yourself what your working wardrobe should do for you. It should reflect the company for whom you work, it should project a competent, professional image and it should express your own individuality.

It should not be a cause for stress as you try to squeeze the last drop of time in an already pressurised schedule.

Let's not borrow from the men: that dark suit need not be your fallback position when there is literally nothing in the wardrobe you want to wear. Make it current with clever buys that add to - rather than replace - what you already have. Whether you are at a desk all day, at external meetings, or travel or entertain for work, there are good-looking, versatile options for every budget.

Jane McDonnell (above), publisher of The Gloss, delivered this talk to 500 women at the magazine's Look the Business fashion show at the Mansion House in Dublin last week. Left: Charcoal grey flannel skirts, worn with silk satin blouses, all by Dolce & Gabbana from Brown Thomas