The Everyday Icon Style Podcast

Episode 164: The Power of Executive Assistant Fashion

• Tiffany Howard

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Could your wardrobe be the secret to unlocking your professional potential? 

Join me, as I uncover the essentials to mastering a versatile and professional capsule wardrobe, specifically tailored for the dynamic role of an executive assistant. Learn how to strategically integrate core pieces like high-quality blazers, trousers, and skirts in timeless colors such as navy, gray, brown, and black, which will form the backbone of your style and make up about 70% of your wardrobe. 

We’ll explore how to mix and match these staples to create a polished, authoritative look that can significantly boost your confidence, competence, and leadership presence.

Ill also discuss the importance of investing in timeless pieces that project professionalism without breaking the bank. Discover how being strategic with sales and exploring new stores can help you build a high-quality, versatile wardrobe that enhances your professional image. 

Recognize the evolving role of executive assistants as key figures in business operations and understand how thoughtfully curating your wardrobe can shape perceptions and unlock new opportunities. Tune in to revolutionize your style, empower your confidence, and embrace your inner icon with a wardrobe that commands respect and admiration in any professional setting.

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

10 Steps To A Stylish, Organized Wardrobe: https://bit.ly/3LeeB7Z

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Speaker 1:

Ignite your style with the Everyday Icon Style Podcast. I'm Tiffany, your style navigator and confidant here to lead women in corporate America on the quest to discover their timeless style. Let's revolutionize your wardrobe, empower your confidence and embrace your inner icon. Are you ready to redefine your corporate chic? Then let's get started. Hi everyone, and welcome back to the Everyday Icon Style Podcast. As always, I'm your host, tiffany, and today we're going to talk about wardrobe staples. Now, we've already talked about first impressions, we've talked about grooming, and now I want to talk about the wardrobe staples for the modern executive assistant.

Speaker 1:

I don't like to call them wardrobe staples. I like to think of them as your capsule wardrobe, your capsule wardrobe within your closet, within your style. Hear me out. So I believe that their, your style, is like a triangle. So about 70% should be your core wardrobe, your core, which is basically your personal style. Then you have about 15%, which is a capsule wardrobe, which would be your capsule wardrobe for being an executive assistant. You know the regular wardrobe essentials, so to speak. Then another 15% is your trendy pieces. I like to use trendy pieces pretty much as far as like if they are your accessories. It's a great way to add trendy pieces because they're not a lot, it's not a lot and it's just enough. So today we're going to be talking about the essentials or, as I like to call them, your corporate capsule wardrobe in your whole entire style. So I want to just dive in to the essential staples that every one of us should have and needs to have in your closet in your closet from in their versatile separates, and these are key pieces that will help you cultivate an elevated put together look that commands respect in the office. So we're going to learn how to build a versatile, mix and match wardrobe that will take your professional style to new heights. Now, when you have these wardrobe essentials, they will also be able to be mixed and matched with your core wardrobe, which is, I like to say, your foundation for your overall wardrobe, this capsule portion of the wardrobe. It will help you, say, when things change and fluctuate, because our style may not always be the same. These will be your easy grab go-to pieces that, if you need to add like a finishing touch, even put together an outfit, you will have it. But all in all, this, your core and this capsule portion, the capsule portion that I'm going to talk about today it should actually be mix and match among themselves about today. It should actually be mix and match among themselves and you should be able to mix and match them with your core, foundational wardrobe.

Speaker 1:

So with the importance of dressing the part as a support staff of high level executives, as an admin or executive assistant, you're often the first line of contact for important clients and stakeholders. You're often the first line of contact for important clients and stakeholders, so your appearance sets the tone for the entire organization. So it is in. It is crucial and important that we project an image of confidence, competence and authority, because we are also in a position of leadership. Don't let anybody tell you different. We are in a leadership role. We're not, you know, head-to-head leadership, but we are in a leadership role. So keep that in mind when we're thinking about this.

Speaker 1:

So studies have shown that the way we dress can have a significant impact on how we're perceived and treated by others. In fact, research has found that visual cues, like clothing, can account for up to 55% of how we're evaluated in professional settings. So this means something as simple as the cut of the blazer, the color of a blouse. It can influence assessments of your credibility, likability, leadership and potential. I know we've come to a place and space where we think that how we dress does not matter. I am here to say it is probably more important now than what it was 15, 20 years ago. One because of competition years ago. One because of competition. Especially if you're in the job market and I just came out of a three plus month mini vacay because I was let go from work Finding a job, it is crucial and is important, and this even applies to interviews.

Speaker 1:

If you're out there interviewing, this is just as important with this. So this goes beyond making a strong first impression. Dressing the part as being an executive assistant, it can help you embody those qualities internally, because some of us I'm going to say me we may get a little self-conscious imposter syndrome comes along why am I here, even though we are good for it? But when we start to look the part, we're more than likely to carry ourselves with greater poise and confidence, which in turn reinforces our perceptions of our capabilities, because sometimes we have self-doubt of ourself. But this will help reinforce that we're meant to be in that space and in that room when we're having those types of doubts.

Speaker 1:

So when building a wardrobe, a capsule wardrobe for corporate, there are must-have staples that will help you cultivate an executive assistant style. So let's start from the foundation up. So, at the core of any business strategy, professional, elevated look or high quality suiting separates. So we want to invest in a few blazers, trousers, skirts whether you have to pick your silhouette when it comes to skirts, it could be pencil, it could be a line.

Speaker 1:

You want to pick those. You want to use timeless colors. Um, everybody says black or navy, browns, creams. Um, beige, camel, grays. You want to use those as your base, kind of like your base colors. Well, you're, you're sort of like not your base colors, but like your secondary colors, but your base colors. I like to stay with your navies, your grays, your browns, your blacks. That way you have a base, one or two at the most to do that, and then from there you have your different colors from there, and you can also add pops of color as your accent colors. If you like red, if you like pink, if you like green, if you like purple. You can also buy pieces that give you that accent color as well when you're buying, especially when you're buying your blouses and your blazers. That is where you can really shine with your colors with adding that extra color that you will want to add your base colors, for you know your foundation colors. You can add that in there as well.

Speaker 1:

To have a pair, especially a pair. I'm loving cream for pants for some strange reason now I don't know why, maybe it's because I'm getting older, but I'm loving like cream pants, so I'll probably have like a cream pair in my wardrobe when I start to go out shopping for all that stuff. But we also want to look at with this, besides colors. We also want to look at the fabrics as well a nice weight that can drape, that will hold its shape throughout the day, keep you cool, and for me I live right now it's summertime, so it's hot. But even finding really light knits are really good, because when you go into the office and you go into different offices, or if you leave out, you go to one building to another, buildings can be cold. They could be almost arctic sometimes. So you definitely want to make sure that you're keeping all of this in mind.

Speaker 1:

We can't forget about dresses. I love a good dress. You want to have them again. You want to find the silhouette that fits your body type. You can always pair them with blazers for a more formal look. So if you're going for an interview or you have an important meeting, you can even wear them solo to give you a more laid-back vibe. You know the ever favorite, you know jean jacket to go with it. Pair them with a nice designer sneaker not jordans, but, you know, like a veja or um, I like the adidas sambas, things of that nature to help you. It still gives you casual, but it it's your little bit more elevated and not looking too sporty.

Speaker 1:

So then you want to round it out the wardrobe with a few key accessories that can instantly elevate your look. Totes are my go-to, so I'm due for like a couple totes, tote bags, shoes, loafers I'm loving loafers, especially chunky loafers. I'm liking boots like the um, what do they call it? Like the Doc Martin style boots. I like those. To give you, just gives me like a little bit of an edge to go along with it. Um, pieces like your leather jackets, like your motorcycle jackets I like those. It allows me to be a little edgy to my elevated look, but still keeping it very cute and professional, and still know that I'm about business Finish. You always want to make sure that you have those nice finishing touches that you can always incorporate in there.

Speaker 1:

Now, with this, these should be mix and match. We are not going for closets anymore and wardrobes anymore, that you buy something today but it doesn't match for something that you have that you've had in your closet for umpteen years. No, your entire closet, your entire wardrobe needs to be able to be mix and match. So, even if you close your eyes and you pull something out, no matter what you pull out, it's going to match and it's going to go together. If you want me to go deeper into the core wardrobe piece, let me know and I will definitely go ahead and do that for you. I don't know if it would be here on the podcast or on my YouTube channel, or even just in my Instagram or LinkedIn post. Let me know, and I'll try to explain this a little bit more that way, because you can't it's more to see it visually than you do, say, hear it verbally. So let me know and I will definitely do that.

Speaker 1:

So, once you're doing that, you also want to keep in mind, when you're building this out, the functionality of it. What is your lifestyle like? What is your job? And lifestyle means your home life, your office life. Where do you work? You want to be mindful of your office. Setting of the dress code. Are you in tech is going to be different from finance. Your lawyers are going to be different than real estate and construction. My rule of thumb is you want to build it out to where, no matter where you go in your career because you might be in tech today and you might be in banking or finance tomorrow that you're able to carry it through. So you don't have to go and do a whole new wardrobe. We're at a point in stage where we don't have time to do that, but we can make small tweaks here and there as needed. Now, regardless, the core principles will remain the same, will remain the same Invest in high quality, versatile pieces that project your image.

Speaker 1:

High quality pieces do not cost a lot of money. I mean they do, but they don't. Let me explain. Sometimes I know everybody likes shopping at Fashion, nova, shein, timu, etc. When we get to certain spaces. Those are good for some things, but a majority of your wardrobe should be quality. So we're looking at your Banana Republics, your Banana Republic Outlets, your JCrews, your JCrew Outlets, etc.

Speaker 1:

Um, your, I'm trying to think there's one, there's something called like Revolve Um. There's a store, an online boutique that I found from one of my favorite YouTubers, where she gets her basics from. Zara is a good place Um Express if you can find things there. If you do, I remember New York and Company used to be the place back in the day, but now they're online and I believe they actually have essential wardrobe essential pieces. Now take a look at there on their website. These are the places where you want to begin to buy those things that we don't have to go spend a ton of money and go get like a Balmain blazer or anything like that, even though that's nice to have you want to keep in mind, like the silk blouses and things like that. I believe there's a website called Lily Silk, I believe.

Speaker 1:

If you know of any other stores, let me know in the comments for the post for today's podcast episode, because I'm always looking for new places to shop and sometimes we also have to admit to ourself, when we're looking to build our wardrobes out for this environment, that some of the stores that we used to shop at we've outgrown them and that is okay and we have to make peace with that, as I've made peace with that as well, that some stores I've outgrown and I the look that I'm looking for is not in, say, the gap, but it's in an old, it's in I was about to say old navy. It's not in the gap, but it's in banana republic. Well, banana republic and the gap are owned by the same people, but the banana republic is a more elevated, updated look. Oh, amber craby is another place, especially if you're looking for trousers. So you definitely want to keep that in mind is that we're looking.

Speaker 1:

When we're looking, they have to be high quality. Does it mean spending $1,000 on a t-shirt or a pair of pants? It just means looking for good sales and maybe stepping outside of our comfort zones and your comfort zone to shop in different stores that you've never shopped in before to find exactly what you're looking for when it comes to your style. So, in all in all, building a wardrobe of essential pieces is crucial for cultivating and creating our executive assistant style and by by investing in timeless, versatile separates and strategic accessories, you can create a wide range of professional outfits that command respect in the office. Remember, we are in a position of leadership and once we realize that and understand that, our outlook and our mindset will change when how we're looking and how we are viewing how we look and how we see ourselves in our roles as well, and build us more confident. Because the executive assistants, the admins that were there 20, 30 years ago is completely different now. You know, we're out here talking to vendors and making things happen and working with all areas of our business, of our company, while our leader, our executive, is out doing the work that they, he or she, needs to do. So always keep that in mind, that we are also a leader in our roles and we need to also now be seen and step into that role of leadership, and the great way to do it is building our visual brand and visual business card, as I like to call it.

Speaker 1:

But before I go, I want you to remember one thing your appearance is a powerful tool for shaping perceptions and unlocking new opportunities. It is the one thing that you control above all else. You get to control how people see you and perceive you. So take the time to thoughtfully curate a wardrobe that puts your best foot forward. With the right mix of classic, high-quality pieces, you'll be able to project an image of polished and perfect compliments. Your rock star EA skills Always remember. Your skills and your style go hand in hand and when they get you together, they are unstoppable and you will be unstoppable. They are unstoppable and you will be unstoppable. So I hope you enjoyed today's episode and, as always, have an amazing rest of your day, stay healthy, stay safe and I will talk to you guys in the next episode.