Parenting Australia

Dressed For Success

Every time I see the phrase “dressed for success”, I think of the Roxette song of the same name and the lyrics, “I'm gonna get dressed for success, shaping me up for the big time, baby,” pop into my head. As a full-time employee I always dressed for success when I was going to work. I liked looking smart and took extra care if I had a meeting or event to attend outside my workplace.

Since becoming a mum, dressing for success has taken on a new meaning. I consider it a successful day if I’m still wearing the same jeans and T-shirt/jumper I pulled on that morning. The day is fraught with opportunities to wear food, milk – or worse - so my power business clothes were relegated to the back of the wardrobe.

Johanna Baker-Dowdell

But now I am working full-time again, albeit in my home office, I am thinking a bit more about what I am wearing for work, especially if I am attending an event. Most of my contact with clients is via the phone, email or Skype, but I do meet up with some and also go to monthly networking events and some seminars or conferences. This means I have to plan what I am wearing further than ‘what have I got that is clean to go with these jeans?’

Last Saturday was a case in point. I flew to the Gold Coast for the day to attend the Connect2Mums seminar (you can read Catherine's post about that here) and speak about the value of social media in building a business. This was not a jeans occasion and I thought carefully about what I would wear. It had to be comfortable enough for car, plane, train and bus travel, but also had to look smart enough that the seminar attendees would take me seriously. I settled on my other uniform – black pants with a nice top. This time the top was pink and purple because I wanted to cement my pink Strawberry Communications brand in their minds.

I also recently attended the Flying Solo LIVE! Event in Sydney as I am a Flying Solo contributor and wanted to soak up all the soloist business advice from the inspiring speakers at the event. I spoke with a friend who was also attending a few days before the event and she told me she had spent a long time deciding on her outfit as she was planning to, “be the brand”. This conversation made me realise the importance of business dress, even though I work from home. When I meet people as a professional I am being my business brand.

Since then I have paid more attention to what I have been wearing, even if I am spending the day in my office and won’t be seeing anyone other than my husband and sons. It’s all about presenting the right attitude, so I’m dressing for success whenever I’m working:

• Instead of my usual ponytail I am now doing my hair more professionally for the office
• Instead of bare feet, sneakers or slippers I’m now wearing shoes
• Instead of jeans with T-shirts or jumpers, I’m now wearing smart tops with jeans, or business-type pants and skirts.

I am working on the idea that if a client called and asked to meet me immediately, I could run out the office door and jump in the car without having to change.

Dressing for success at work has made me feel more professional in my office space, and I’m sure this professional attitude is flowing through to my dealings with clients.

How do you dress for success?

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Johanna Baker-Dowdell is mum to two boys – Noah and Ethan – and combines looking after them with her work as a blogger, journalist, writer and public relations consultant. She owns and manages Strawberry Communications which started small in the third bedroom, but has grown into its own office space (in the converted garage).

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