Dress for Regress

Corporate photo illustrating business women's dress issues in Financial Post that asks

Photo Faux Pas –

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

I had to do a double take with a photo in the Financial Post business section today. At first I thought it was a promo for a TV series, not a photo of real portfolio managers.

What were they thinking?

Who’s got the power in this photo? Who appears to be window dressing?

In Canada and the U.S., I’m still surprised at how many corporate photos don’t include a woman in them. If there are women, it often appears that they have been added as an afterthought or positioned in a way that diminishes their power.

As a corporate image consultant and business woman who hates to see women not looking their powerful best, I’ve put together some tips and advice.

Five dress for success tips for women
to gain credibility and power in business photos

(Organizations should pay attention to this in their photos on webpages or in the media)

Tip #1 – The skinny on credibility

The more skin you show the less credibility you have. Skirts that are too tight or too short may be sending a message you don’t want. Cleavage and bare arms detract from your authority.

Tip #2 – Armor up!

Suits and jackets act as corporate armor. That’s why they are known as the mantle of authority. Never pose for a corporate photo without your jacket. If the men are wearing jackets and you are only wearing a blouse, you may be perceived as their junior.

Tip #3 – Pose for power

Where and how are the men sitting or standing? What sort of space are they taking up? Don’t perch on a desk or sit at the periphery as though you were there to take notes. Standing with your arms crossed is a powerful pose for a photo.

Tip #4 – Dress for success

Dress in the top 25% of your peers. Look around at the people within your organization at the same level as you. How are the top 25% of them dressing? Then take it up a notch and look above your peer group. Dress for the job that you aspire to.

Tip #5 – Don’t use TV as your business dress guide

Hollywood and TV producers know that In entertainment, sex sells. Thus their images of women in the workplace often have a “cheese cake” or sexual flavor. Is it any wonder that young professionals aren’t quite sure what image gives them credibility and what undermines it.

What are your thoughts?

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Posted by Joanne Blake – Canadian Corporate Image Consultant, Coach and powerful woman

About the author 

Joanne Blake

JOANNE BLAKE
Canadian speaker, corporate image consultant & business etiquette expert. If you're interested in booking a presentation, keynote or coaching, contact me. Based in Calgary / Edmonton, Alberta in western Canada.

  1. Thanks for weighing in Brenda. Hopefully your sister won’t need to use photo for a long time to come!

  2. Embarrassing for a company to include such a photo in this day and age. But I also see women on the business news network who look like they are dressed to go out for dinner, in a black shift with drippy earrings. What gives?

    I remember having my photo taken for a company publication. The photographer asked me to tilt my head up and away but I flatly refused.

    My best photo was taken at a professional conference. A booth was set up where they did subtle makeup job (on men too) and took a straight on photo that was emailed to you. I even sent a copy to my sister in case I need one for an obit!

  3. I recently had a head shot done and when I checked the proofs, my blouse was revealing a bit too much cleavage! I remembered Joanne saying that “more skin = less credibility” so I had my photographer retouch the photo and voila no more cleavage!

    Thanks Joanne and Terry for your awesome tips! Had I not taken your course, I would not have given that a thought and I would have been taken less seriously in my very male dominated profession.

  4. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Gail. I’m assuming that the photographer asked her to pose in that fashion. She has certainly relinquished her power.

  5. I was also horrified when I saw this photo. She looks like the secretary who thinks she has to use her sex appeal to get ahead. She certainly doesn’t look like an educated professional. That’s likely how her colleagues view her as well. I doubt that they take her seriously.

  6. It’s not just women who have photo credibility issues, Joanne. Checkout some businessmen on LinkedIn. Their photos look like they belong on their Facebook page not on their LinkedIn CV.

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