Am I the only one who gets confused about what I should wear?  The personal realm is a little tricky but it's in the professional environment that I often scratch my head.  There seem to be such varying standards about what is appropriate, and then there is the simple fact that clothes don't fit me like they once did.

What are we to do?  Fortunately, we have Sara Canaday to clear up the mysteries of dressing for success as seasoned women.  Although this article is geared toward a work environment, a number of the tips are useful for our personal wardrobe as well!

If you’re like me, these days you find the question of your appearance and what to wear confusing to answer.

I like to think I’m a fairly young looking 50.  I want to look pulled together and up to date, but I don’t want to look as though I’m a 20 something wannabe.  I definitely intend to be taken seriously as a competent, valuable professional, but I’d also like to have a touch of trendy ‘hipness’ about me.  Combine all of that with the generally bewildering dress and grooming code in many professional settings and it can create a perfect storm of uncertainty on how to dress.

Fortunately there are women like Sara Canaday we can turn to to help sort out the confusion.  Sara is a principal consultant for Empowerment Enterprises and she helps women learn to project a polished image that gives them a professional edge.  She bases much of her advice on scientific studies rather than anecdotal stories or opinions.  Recently, WomenBloom asked Sara for some wardrobe and grooming tips for seasoned women wanting to convey an up to date, competent, and savvy professional image.

Setting the stage. Sara pointed out that whether you are reinventing yourself or simply intent on remaining relevant and competitive in your current job, looking as ‘with it’ as the generations you are competing with is very important.  Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to be texting your cube mate instead of talking face to face, but it does mean paying attention to what your attitude, dress and demeanor are saying about you.

Do you look tired and out of energy?  Have you ‘let yourself go’ by wearing ill-fitting or boxy clothes and an outdated hair style?  Do you wear tasteful, low key makeup?   

All of these things can impact your ability to influence those hiring or managing you, and those you may be managing.  People tend to trust and respect those whom they feel ‘get’ some part of their world.  Keeping up to date in their world means having some elements of your wardrobe and demeanor reflect their world.  You don’t want to look as though you are trying too hard, but paying attention to the image you’re projecting can pay off in a big way.

Make-up.  The purpose of wearing make up isn’t so much to look pretty as it is to present a ‘finished’ look and a healthy, vibrant face.  People want to do business with those who look energetic and healthy.  If you look worn out or tired, people may assume that if you don’t have energy to address that, you may not have the energy to get other things done.   You want to look as though you have as much energy as your younger counterparts.  If that alone doesn’t convince you, a study out of the University of Texas found that women who wore tastefully applied makeup could earn as much as 28% more than those who wore none or too much.

Grooming.  Sara says the first thing people often notice is your hair.  It isn’t so much the color they notice, but whether it is flattering to you, cut in a current style, and professional looking.
 
The second thing they tend to pay attention to is your shoes. Many of us have feet that have seen better days.  We may be opting for comfort over style if we have bunions or hammer toes.  “Comfort and style are no longer mutually exclusive,” Sara believes.  There are many options out there now that allow us to meet both criteria.  

Proper fit.  Most of us are familiar with the weight gain and thickening waist line that can begin to appear in perimenopause.  Often, we try to disguise those changes by wearing loose or boxy clothes.  The popularity of Chico’s and Cold Water Creek attest to what Sara calls one of the most misunderstood notions about dressing in midlife.  A garment that is well-tailored and fits you beautifully is far more visually appealing and attractive than a formless shape.  Leaving daylight between your arms and your waist is a good rule of thumb regardless of whether you are a size 6 or a size 16.

One of the best investments for a woman of a certain age is an excellent tailor.  Managing the extra pounds and, let’s just say it, sags and bulges that can occur means we may have to buy a piece of clothing large enough to accommodate these changes, and then have them cut down so they fit us well in other areas.  To cover the waist and upper hips for example, it may be necessary to take in across the bust and under the arms. Think comfort and fit cannot coexist?  You can be comfortable without wearing formless clothes by having them tailored to fit you beautifully.