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Ask Angie: Struggling with my fashion ID

ramya

Veteran

Dear Angie and all you wise ladies,

I am going to begin working in a place were I would be the only lady.Here in Norway the guys dress extremely casual. Imagine a software company with no dress code and filled with only guys. So it means jeans, sneakers and hoodies... In my previous organisation, I was actually the only girl in the department but there were ladies in other departments. So I still had a vibe of the place.

Some time ago you had helped me find my descriptor as classic and low fuss.
Now I love my jeans, but in no way can I survive on hoodies and jeans. I am totally stumped and do not know how to proceed and would kindly need help.
How do I dress?I do not want to be under dressed nor do I want to go all corporate.

Please help me find a uniform of sorts until I get my grove back...

Totally Lost,
Ramya

Dressing

14 replies

Latest reply was from rae

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Ah, Ramya! No worries! This is easy

I have clients in your position and this is how we go about putting together their work look: You need a great selection of casual knitwear, tops, fashionable cardigans, sweater coats, stretchy jackets and utility toppers to go with a fab assortment of jeans, casual closed shoes, booties and sassy sneaks.

Leave the frocks for when Hubs can admire you most!

missvee

Veteran

Well, I know that you love beautiful bright colours and they love you right back. So why don't you start with a formula of jeans + colour+ some other interest. You have your new light blue jean jacket on the way. What about pairing it with white jeans, a colourful blouse or top and some interesting shoes? Some "sassy sneakers" as Angie puts it, or a metallic oxford. You could add even more interest with your handbag. I guess what I'm saying in this rambling response is that you can make some great outfits while still staying within a casual dress code for work.

missvee

Veteran

Ha ha, I posted at the same time as Angie.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

HAHAHAHA!

ramya

Veteran

It's funny how changing job or country for that matter doesn't give me panic attack but what to wear does give me...

Thank you Angie. Can I hug you please!!! I think it's time I invest in some toppers now...

Missvee I donot do white jeans . I some how manage to spill on it within an hour of weari8ng it... But will surely try it with the new pale blue skinnies hubby got me...

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

*accepting all hugs*

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Congrats on the new job! I agree with Angie and missvee about jeans plus sassy sneakers plus fun colorful toppers. What about colored jeans?

Maybe have a look at Angie's Mom on the Go formulas for dressy casual looks? The good thing is the guys at work probably aren't going to notice/care as much about what you're wearing, so you have free rein to pick what you like!

ramya

Veteran

MOTG !!! *smacks my head* Right!!! Thanks GP...
And colored denim is my wardrobe staple right now!!! Maroon, emerald green, cobalt blue and pale blue (Can you guess I love colors)

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Brilliant! Colors are perfect! You have such a fun style!

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Congratulations on a new job! This is so exciting!
Well, I am working in such a company and even though there are some other ladies as well in our company I was the only woman in my software department for quite a long time. Guess what - I never went with dressing my style down just because guys prefer t-shirts and jeans at work. And I never had any problems with this. Sometimes I feel like more casual dressing and sometimes I like to dress up a bit but it is dictated by my own mood, not what everybody else is wearing. Usually my style is smart casual in a very casual-bordering-on-sloppy mainstream of my office.
I guess it all depends how confident you are in your job. I have proved myself many times over as good a developer as any of my casual co-workers and was even promoted to a team lead. My confidence level in my job is pretty high and I don't feel I need to dress to blend in - so I don't.
As you just getting started I think it is wise to be on the cautious side until you build your reputation but after that I would say - be yourself and be proud to be the only woman in all male company. Just feel how special you are!
When you prove your worth as a professional you will not be judged by what you wear but rather by what you do and how you do it!
Oh, and I wear dresses and skirts every week

Good luck - it is actually a lot of fun to work with guys, I really like it!:-)

ramya

Veteran

Sveta thank you for chiming in. I am a developer too...
What you say definitely makes sense to me. Right from waiting to prove myself to not to downplay myself a lot...

Will surely keep these in mind...

Charmian

Veteran

Another software developer chiming in here -- congrats!

Personally, I casualize my outfits when I first join a team. But after a few months, when I've had a chance to prove my technical chops and a better "read" on how each co-worker reacts to my clothing choices, I start to ease some of my nicer pieces back into rotation or wear my casual pieces in a more put-together way. In fact, I'm in that "ramping up" process right now.

At my company, it's all jeans & hoodies (winter), or jeans & company-branded tees (summer) here. I've been called out for being "the dressy one" in smart casual! I like it, as long as it's not my only moniker!

Gaylene

Veteran

One of the best pieces of advice that I ever read on how to fit into an environment was to do an interpretation of the "uniform" while you are in the "get-to-know-you" stage. Once you are out of that stage, of course, you have a lot more latitude because people are much less likely to judge you based on what you're wearing on any particular day.

For example, you might wear jeans, but in a color, wash, or shape that is a bit different than those around you. Your version of a hoody might be a soft jacket, your t-shirt might be linen instead of cotton, your sneaker might be an oxford, and so on. At first, you might only incorporate one or two of your interpretations--for example, regular jeans and cotton T with a soft jacket and oxfords-- but, as you get more comfortable, you can be more adventurous in interpreting the code.

My only other advice would be to be careful of the girly factor at the start when working with an predominately male group. In my experience, it can make it harder for the rest of the group to see you as a colleague and an equal. Let them get their own coffee!

rae

(website)

Veteran

Congrats! You already have great advice. And I think you can get away with more dressy elements because you are the only girl. You can easily shrug it off as a "girl thing" whereas if there are mobs of other women in hoodies, you stick out more. I would say as long as you keep the fabrications casual (sweatshirt blazers, jersey button-fronts) or the styles casual (silk track pants? knit linen tees? silk tee shirt blouses? fancy sweat pants?) you will fit in okay. If the guys even notice!