More than entertaining, The Devil Wore Prada could be considered life changing because of its powerful style lesson: To get ahead, dress appropriatelyand wellfor your job and lifestyle.

People often overlook the potential power of their own personal image. The right attire, geared for your job and lifestyle, can actually help you rise to the top. Studies indicate good-looking people get paid more and climb higher than plainer folks and style and groomingand the confidence and improved communications skills that looking great gives youare essential components of beauty. In fact, the right image can validate and empower you, just as it did heroine, Andy Sachs, at Runway, the fictional magazine in the film.

However, dressing like a fashionista isnt for everyone, only those in the worlds of fashion magazines, advertising and design agencies or other creative enterprises, although a divorce attorney might want to choose designer clothing to indicate success. You have to first figure out the impression you want to make and then determine if its suitable for your industry, company, location and/or lifestyle. Here are a few guidelines:

Pay attention to your company dress code, which will probably spell out not only what business professional and business casual means, but also what you can and cannot wear, where.
Follow your bosss lead if the dress code is limited or non-existent.
Dress more formally when meeting a client for the first time. For some, this might mean a business suit (and tie, for men), for others, an unmatched outfit (a jacket over shirt or sweater set with skirt or pants for women; a sport jacket, dress shirt and trousers, with or without a tie, for men).
Be guided by your clients attire in subsequent meetings. If they are dressed casually, you might want to forego a suit for a more relaxed outfit. However, make sure whatever you have on is a notch or two higher in quality than your client.
Consider what youll be doing during the day. If youre an industrial engineer whos crawling around wires, jeans and a polo shirt might be most suitable, even if youre doing so for a bank. A litigator has to be very judicious about clothing choices for courtanything too trendy might be badly received by a jury.
Stay away from provocative clothing. Whether working in the front or back office, baring a little too much can undermine a womans power.
Avoid sloppy, soiled or frayed clothing and scuffed, down-at-the-heels shoes. Whatever you put on should be cared for, clean, neat and pressedno matter what your title.

Of course, clothes dont make the man, but they do help to tell the world who he is. And now, when snap judgments are the rule, you dont have a second chance to send the right instant message.

2006, Dresszing. All Rights Reserved.

Fashion and business etiquette coach, Susan Sommers is the founder of Dresszing, a wardrobing and visual communications company. To receive Style Flash, her free newsletter, sign up at http://www.dresszing.com.

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