Wardrobe Essentials for the Busy Business Woman

More women are taking the centre stage these days and are able to juggle family and corporate responsibilities successfully. “Busy” is an understatement for such women. The demands of corporate leadership do not necessarily require women to attire themselves in a masculine manner.  Having a handy list of wardrobe essentials for the woman business executive makes it easier to put together an outfit that is designed for success.

Building a foundation for your wardrobe would eliminate the hassle of making outfit decisions. The foundation pieces in your wardrobe should be the essential pieces that can be taken as a base for any outfit and enhanced by adding other pieces.

The classic “Little Black Dress” tops the list. The LBD is a useful piece of attire that easily transforms from office to cocktail, and business luncheon to business dinner. A blazer or scarf along with accessories of your choice does the transformation quite easily.

“You can wear black at any time, you can wear it at any age, you may wear it on almost any occasion. A ‘little black frock’ is essential to a woman’s wardrobe. I could write a book about black.” – Christian Dior

Apart from the LBD, it is wise for a busy  woman to follow the 4-3-2 rule by Nygard. According to Nygard there are 9 basic pieces that are essential for a very practical wardrobe. These 9 pieces of attire can be selected  based on your personal colour and style choice: 4 Tops, 3 Bottoms and 2 Blazers or Jackets make up the 9 pieces. Nygard claims these 9 pieces will give you 23 outfits. In the 3 Bottoms, I would suggest you include at least one skirt and a pair of black pants. These will definitely go along way.

Carefully chosen classics will make a foundation that can be used to build upon according to your body type and style statement. Accessories, whether it be jewellery or scarves can easily transform an outfit to suit the occasion or suit your style and they are little pieces that make a BIG impact. Use them to your advantage. 


Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting

Quick Tips for the Business Traveler

Business travel is not always complementary flights and first class lounges. Most business travelers have to deal with long layovers, jet lag, and delayed flights. Here are few tips we’ve come up especially for business travelers.

1. Stay hydrated
With complementary alcohol on board and in business and first class lounges its tempting to indulge in a few drinks. The best away to stay hydrated is to stick to water. Avoid indulging in alcoholic or carbonated beverages. Don’t rely on caffeine to stay awake either as tea and coffee are both diuretics which will in turn dehydrate you.

2. Pack no iron or wrinkle-resistant clothing

Companies such as The Bay and Banana Republic offer wrinkle resistant clothing. No iron clothing is recommended as you may not always have access to an iron, depending on where your travel takes you. A wrinkle eraser spray is also a good investment.

3. Pack effectively

Pack appropriately for the amount of time you will be away. If it’s just a weekend or 3 days you probably won’t need to take a checked bag and can use a carry-on. If your trip exceeds five days you should opt for checked luggage. Cabin baggage should be packed effectively and consist of : a set of professional attire for the next day (should you luggage be lost), your night clothes, and a set of casual attire. Most people skimp on packing their carry-on and forget to account for lost luggage.

4. Avoid eating a heavy meal on board

Eating a heavy meal on board can leave you feeling bloated, uncomfortable, and nauseous. Although jet lag may be causing you to be excessively hungry, try to limit the amount of airplane food you consume. Eat prior to boarding and bring a snack with you. Food bought at the terminal prior to boarding can usually be brought on board. You can also opt for dry packaged food such as granola bars or crackers. Avoid  heavy meats, pastas, and any foods with creamy sauces or dressings

5. Make room for meds

 Getting sick is the last thing you want on a business trip. We recommend packing Gravol to combat nausea or motion sickness, Imodium for an upset stomach or diarrhea, Tylenol for minor headaches and body aches as a result of flying, and ZzzQuil to help you sleep on the flight and adjust to your new time zone.

6. Bring your adapter

Voltage rates vary across the world so we recommend bringing some adapters to ensure that your laptop and cell phone can be charged at your new location. You may need to do some research before to find out what kind of adapter you need and ensure you have one that will fit correctly in to the wall socket at your destination. Charging your laptop and phone on board is recommended so you will be fully ready for your business meetings when you land.

7. Add a little O2

We discovered a product called Liquid Oxygen by O2 Spa Bar (a gender free formula is available in duty free shops). Adding a few drops to your water while on board will help with fatigue and jet lag. Remember to add it only to water and not any carbonated or alcoholic beverages. You can also place a few drops on your tongue for a more concentrated dosage.

8. Stay in touch

If possible purchase a sim card that will be compatible with your new location. You can do this prior to departure or on arrival. We recommend using a local sim card as roaming rates can be quite expensive. Purchasing a roaming package from your wireless services provider prior to departure is a good idea in case you are unable to locate a local sim or need to get in touch with your office during your journey.


Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting