7 Simple Ways to Look Professional and Savvy at Work ...

1. Go Easy on the Makeup

Makeup is a great way to enhance your best features, but work isn’t the place to try new trends or wear gobs of the stuff. You can wear makeup to work, but keep it tasteful, which is one of the easiest ways to look professional at work without sacrificing your personal style. Use neutral eye shadow, natural blush colors and a bit of mascara. Lipstick in a color that complements your skin tone rounds out your look.

2. Keep Hair Understated

The Amy Winehouse trend is a no-no. Elaborate and strange hairstyles and crayon colors will make you look like a partier, not a professional girl who’s serious about her career. If you must, try temporary colors on the weekend so you can have some fun with your hair without worrying about your job security. Instead, try a sleek bun, ponytail or braid at the office. Add a small bow or ribbon to express your personality without going over the top. A plain let down style is also appropriate.

3. Appropriate Shoes

Those sky-high platforms are off limits. You want shoes that are comfortable, but professional at the same time. Heels are perfectly fine, but stick with neutral colors that match your work attire and save the pink leopard print stilettos for your Friday night dinner party. Pumps, flats, kitten heels and even some pairs of sandals are other good choices.

4. Iron Your Clothes

Even the most fashionable and professional suit won’t look that great if it’s all wrinkly and rumpled. Make sure you press your clothes well before heading to the office. This goes for anything you wear, including suits, dresses, blouses, skirts and slacks. Crisply ironed clothes are much more professional than something that’s been crammed into your overstuffed closet for three months.

5. Small Jewelry

You’ve seen jewelry that’s so huge it just looks out of place. That’s the stuff you want to avoid when you go to work. I’m not suggesting you forgo long necklaces and dangly earrings, because many are elegant and professional. All I’m suggesting is that maybe the earrings with the 6-inch stones are a little too much for the workplace. Choose understated jewelry that blends seamlessly with your clothing and you’ll look both professional and cute.

6. Clothing Lines

You don’t have to read up on all the literature about clothing construction, but it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with professional clothing lines. This means you shouldn’t wear miniskirts, plunging necklines or really tight garments to the office. There’s tons of cute clothing out there that keeps you professionally covered, trendy and attractive without showing off all the goods.

7. Your Scent

No one wants to be the girl that smells bad or strong, but no one wants to tell her either. Make sure your clothes are clean before going to work. That means not grabbing them out of the heap on your bathroom floor and hoping for the best. At the same time, avoid wearing gallons of perfume. A bit is professional, but too much will just leave your coworkers taking the long way around your office. There’s nothing professional about being smelly, so make sure you smell nice, but not overpowering.

What’s your most professional workplace look? Do these tips give you any new ideas?