SHANCES
Women's Guide
BUSINESS READINESS & SOCIAL ETIQUETTE
WHITE TIE
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When invited to a white tie affair, if a woman wants to be dressed appropriately, she must wear a ball gown.
Ball gown: full-skirted gown reaching the floor (think bell shape) and tight bodice.
Undergarment: crinoline, hoop or bustle underneath the dress may be used to maintain the dress' shape.
Gloves: should be worn at opera length (end after the elbow) and removed when eating.
Outer Garment: stole, cape (shorter garment), cloak (longer garment), or opera coat (a floor-length loose-fitting coat).
Handbag - clutch style or small evening bag.
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BLACK TIE
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Gown: Floor length
Traditional: Conceals shoes
Jewelry: Presently, necklaces are not worn with most gowns, as the gown acts as the focal point.
Accessories: Clutch - strapless purse carried in the hand.
Note: When siting in a gown do not cross your legs at the knees, instead cross your ankles.
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LITTLE BLACK DRESS
The dress, a black one-piece garment, is an important mainstay of any woman's wardrobe. It is perfect for wearing to most functions.
COCKTAIL
Dresses are great for casual, evening or business affairs. Once purchased, they are a quick and easy dressing option. Just remember to buy a dress that fits you! Measure yourself. Designers use various measurement charts to assign sizes to garments, so you may find that your number size varies depending on the designer. To make matters even more complicated, sizes vary from country to country. That is why knowing your bust, waist and hip measurements is essential.
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Cocktail Attire: Little black dress, beaded dress, or dressy separates.
Jewelry: Any appropriate.
Accessories: Small clutch.
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Tea length: dresses are best worn at semi-formals, proms, weddings, church or a night on the town.
In order to be considered a tea length dress, the hem of the dress must fall above the ankle and below the knee.
BUSINESS
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Two tips for women when dressing in business attire:
Every company and organization a culture which includes dress style.Follow the company dress code.
When dressing for business, remember the motto: "chest not breast" when choosing a dress or shirt. Exposing one's breast may be viewed as
unprofessional or inappropriately sexual for a work place environment.
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Business Casual Women
The four main staples in a business casual wardrobe are:
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Navy blazer
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Khakis pants
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Button-down shirt
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Skirts
Always check the office dress code, which is usually buried deep in the stack of on-boarding material given to you by the Human Resources Department.
Stockings and Pantyhose
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To wear stockings or not to wear stockings, that is the question.
Although some may feel that pantyhose are antiquated, it is still best to wear to an interview as it projects a professional polished look.
Tights – Similar to panty hose, except thicker with a little transparency.
Pantyhose – Pantyhose are the thinnest of the four. They are meant to be worn as an undergarment.
Thigh Highs are stockings with elastic bands that are sewn in at the top of the stocking; .thus allowing the garment to stay on the leg without the use of a garter belt.
Stockings are made of a nylon material that goes up to the thigh. A garter belt is used to keep the stockings from falling down.
