This week features….another blogger crush of mine. As a petite girl myself, I quickly became a devoted reader of Jean’s blog Extra Petite. On Extra Petite, Jean features everything from work clothing to casual outfits, dressing room reviews, and tailoring tutorials. She’s a must read for any petite girl or really any blog reader.
Name
Jean
Blog
extrapetite.com
extrapetite.com
Age
Late 20’s
Late 20’s
Job Title
Financial Advisory Services Manager
Financial Advisory Services Manager
Job Description
Client-facing role providing financial services in a variety of industries.
Client-facing role providing financial services in a variety of industries.
Organization Description
Large financial services, accounting, and consulting firm.
Large financial services, accounting, and consulting firm.
What dress code was given to you when you began the job?
Business casual at our office, but varies at the client sites as we generally dress to accommodate each client culture.
Business casual at our office, but varies at the client sites as we generally dress to accommodate each client culture.
What do you generally wear to work?
Pencil skirts, blouses + closed toe pumps. Add a blazer for more formal settings.
Pencil skirts, blouses + closed toe pumps. Add a blazer for more formal settings.
Where do you like to shop for work attire?
For everyday pieces I love Ann Taylor, J.Crew, Banana Republic, LOFT, and H&M. There are also fun pieces to be found at stores like Anthropologie that could be made more formal with styling. Nordstrom has a great selection of work-friendly shoes with free shipping & returns, which makes that process a lot easier.
For everyday pieces I love Ann Taylor, J.Crew, Banana Republic, LOFT, and H&M. There are also fun pieces to be found at stores like Anthropologie that could be made more formal with styling. Nordstrom has a great selection of work-friendly shoes with free shipping & returns, which makes that process a lot easier.
How have you developed your professional style?
I started out very conservative when “proving myself” as a new employee, and as I advanced through the firm and observed female leaders at my office, I became more comfortable with mixing in color, patterns, and different silhouettes on my office days. I still tend to gravitate towards classic and conservative on days with client meetings at the client offices. I am now the most senior female in my group so I make a conscious effort to “show by example” for younger, fellow female colleagues and not bring too much personality into workplace fashion. In a male dominated industry, sometimes it can be a challenge to be taken seriously and it’s not worth it to have something like attire detract or distract at all from your work. On Fridays my entire group does let loose and I love incorporating my more fun and feminine pieces (that are still covered up appropriately) in work outfits.
I started out very conservative when “proving myself” as a new employee, and as I advanced through the firm and observed female leaders at my office, I became more comfortable with mixing in color, patterns, and different silhouettes on my office days. I still tend to gravitate towards classic and conservative on days with client meetings at the client offices. I am now the most senior female in my group so I make a conscious effort to “show by example” for younger, fellow female colleagues and not bring too much personality into workplace fashion. In a male dominated industry, sometimes it can be a challenge to be taken seriously and it’s not worth it to have something like attire detract or distract at all from your work. On Fridays my entire group does let loose and I love incorporating my more fun and feminine pieces (that are still covered up appropriately) in work outfits.
In your specific office, what is one thing you would tell a woman to definitely NOT wear?
One thing that’s stated in our dress code yet I see being violated daily (even with interviewees!) at the office is no open toe shoes or sleeveless tops. Even if your office does not have a dress code, I would say it’s pretty safe to assume that baring toes and shoulders should be avoided (I love a good sleeveless blouse, just be sure to have a cardigan or blazer for covering up), the same way it’d be a no-brainer for men not to wear sleeveless shirts or sandals at work.
What is the best “dress code” advice you have ever received?
I was at my first internship as a young teen and was told by an HR team member that my skirt was borderline short. I was absolutely mortified at the moment, but am so grateful to have learned the importance of professional attire early on in my life. Also, so often at offices employees (both men and women, junior or senior) will gossip about inappropriate professional attire and it’s very rare that someone will actually gently but authoritatively notify the offending individual so that they can fix the problem.
I was at my first internship as a young teen and was told by an HR team member that my skirt was borderline short. I was absolutely mortified at the moment, but am so grateful to have learned the importance of professional attire early on in my life. Also, so often at offices employees (both men and women, junior or senior) will gossip about inappropriate professional attire and it’s very rare that someone will actually gently but authoritatively notify the offending individual so that they can fix the problem.
What advice would you give to women starting in her career about dressing for her job?
Whenever in doubt, err on the side of conservatism. It’s ok to put aside your fashion personality to ensure that your work can shine, especially when you’re just starting out and earning your fellow colleagues trust and respect.
View other Work Appropriate interviews here and check back on Tuesday to see who I interview next!
