8 Common Mistakes When Dressing Formal
There are times where you need to look formal, such as presentations in university, or in your workplace, or when you’re going for an interview. Of course, the most common way to dress up formally is the classic blouse with a pencil skirt or with slacks, or you could just wear a formal dress, and top it off with a blazer, and you’re good to go. However, there are things that you should look out for when dressing formally, some mistakes that you need to avoid.
1. Piling on too many colours.
There is no rule on what colour you should wear and whatnot, but one “untold rule” is that you should keep the colour to as minimal as possible. You don’t have to stick to solely black and white, you could go with simple colours, but try to avoid pairing so many colours that you look like you just got out from a box of crayons. The best colours to go with, besides black and white, would be grey, beige, any colour of neutral tone. This is not just about your outfit, but your accessories matter as well. Keeping your look simple with minimal colours would make you look much better.
2. Using overly huge statement necklaces.
Statement necklaces are mostly worn with formal wear, as they add some details to a plain blouse or shirt. However, there is a limit to them as well. Instead of using something that is huge and is of a vibrant colour, try to go with something that doesn’t stand out on its own, but rather complements your overall outfit. Try to keep the statement necklace to an appropriate size and also sticking to common jewelry colours. This can help keep your neck comfortable instead of sore. The best kind would be the classy dainty jewelry.
3. Wearing patterns that stand out too much.
As formal wear can get quite boring with simple pieces and colours, there are people who tries to spice it up by adding a cheetah printed scarf, or a plaid shirt. Yes, they might make you stand out, but they are not particularly the best way to bring attention to you. Try to just keep with the plain blouse and skirts or any other pieces.
4. Wearing tops that are too low and skirts/dresses that are too short.
Formal wear can make women look sexy, but some women take it to a whole new level by wearing a top with a deep V-neckline or wearing a pencil skirt that is not only tight, so it is also short that it doesn’t even past half of their thigh. All these would ruin the whole formal look, and might even make you look more inappropriate. Since it is formal wear, try to be more modest as well. If you want to look sexy, wear stilettos or clothes that fit you just right. Embrace your body without showing too much skin.
5. Using colours that are too bright.
Formal outfits that are too bright can be unique and looked as if they spice up your look, but try to avoid wearing them to your presentation, office or interview. A hot pink blazer would look too much as compared to a plain black one. Aside from that, try to avoid wearing other pieces where the colours stand out too much. You don’t need to stick with black and white, but that doesn’t mean you can use all the colours in the colour pencils. If you want something less boring, go for faded or neutral colours. Pastel would work as well, but you need to make sure the occasion is right.
6. Finishing off with fancy belts.
Belts are great accessories when spicing up an outfit, even business attire. There are many women who paired a simple elegant belt with a formal dress and they look amazing in it. But something to remember is never to use fancy belts to finish off a business attire. Leave them to other events where you can dress fancy. Don’t go for ribbons or belts that have too many details. A simple black belt with a silver piece in the middle can work wonders on your dress.
7. Wearing a blazer that is too tight or too loose.
Having a blouse or shirt, or a skirt that doesn’t fit you well is bad enough, but nothing can be defeated by a wrongly fitted blazer. Blazers are important to frame your body. A huge blazer will make you look sloppy and lazy, whereas a tight blazer would make you feel uncomfortable all day long. Since blazers are more expensive and are higher in quality, just get one that fits you perfectly and any formal outfits that you should wear in the future would not be a problem.
8. Replacing trousers with black jeans.
Black jeans are super versatile. They can look casual, they can look edgy, they can also be comfortable, but one thing they definitely cannot do is to be worn in the office. Even if the black jeans are dark enough and even look like they can be worn to the office, they should be. Just stick with slacks or trousers in the office, or you can even try loose trousers as they can make your outfit more formal in an instant. Leave your black jeans for the weekend.
These are just some of the mistakes that you should be aware of when dressing formally, for whatever occasion that might be. But, these are just guidelines. You can still wear whatever you want, as long as you are comfortable and happy with your outfit. However, if you are trying to dress for something that is really important, just try to follow the rules, as they can matter a lot.
To end this article, here is a quote about dressing up:
“Dress how you want to be addressed.”
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