How to dress suitably for a business meeting

If you are an employee in a corporate organization, there is a fair chance of you attending business meetings.

Whether you’re familiar with corporate ethics or new in the game, it is highly expected in corporate situations to dress smartly as well as prepare powerpoints for discussion.

Smart dressing for business means ditching that favourite pair of jeans and T-shirt for a more appropriate outfit.

Business meetings require more than an individual’s smart talk and brilliant presentation.

Your motive to have in mind when dressing up for a business meeting is to keep every clothing item as simple, sharp, and comfortable as possible.

And in addition to nailing the right dressing, it is also important to project confidence, intelligence and quick thinking.

What to wear (females)

As mentioned earlier, it is important to keep your dressing as simple, comfortable but sharp as possible. Go with simple chiffon tops, smartly patterned blouses and if you’re feeling extra sharp, add a blazer.

Suit trousers and skirts, chinos, wide-legged pants in dark, rich shades and wool trousers will give you the air of sophistication, power and sharpness you need to make a strong and lasting impression on an investor, client, interviewer etc.

If you’d rather put on a dress, bodycon dresses in rich and dark shades, midi-skirts, and A-line skirts are also very good options to consider.

For footwear, pumps, loafers, brogues and court shoes are your best bet. Avoid heels over four inches high and make sure your shoes are comfortable.

Females should stick to simple accessories and avoid heavy and distracting ones.

What to wear (males)

Collared shirts form the basis of every man’s corporate attire. Despite how a shirt is paired, it has to be buttoned up and tucked into the trousers using a belt (another important item in a working man’s wardrobe).

Plain dark-coloured trousers and chinos are the ideal bottoms for a business meeting. In choosing trouser colours, it is important to avoid white or bright coloured trousers.

Formal shoes, brogues are most commonly the advisable shoes to wear on a business meeting.

Keeping the accessories as simple as possible is ideal and will prevent distraction.

‘Dress how you want to be addressed’ is indeed not a myth you’ll find out.