How important is looking your best?
April 15th, 2009 by dianaSitting down at my desk this morning I read an interesting blog about personal grooming and how this links to women in business. So far, so sensible, and even though all the advice given was straightforward, something about it still left a funny taste in my mouth. I just can’t get rid of this nagging feeling that a huge amount of focus is trained on the way a woman looks and that male entrepreneurs rarely get the same advice. Surely everybody is aware that if you go to a meeting/work function you must look clean and professional, it’s a given no? It’s true that we don’t have the protective armour a suit and tie can give and maybe we do need that extra bit of confidence that comes with looking our very best. But still, can’t we get more advice on how to like, own hedge funds instead of how to walk in high heels? Jeezs….*
*Diana gets off her soapbox and goes back to her desk.
Thoughts? Join me at the forum…
April 15th, 2009 at 10:51 am
oooh and can I just add that it is deffo a gender issue. How many glossy magazines tell women that looking your best (being the prettiest) is akin to getting ahead (in business/in life) like what you wear on your feet really matter at all? Why break the glasses ceiling only to reinforce it with concreate with views like this…silly.
April 15th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
oooh, Diana, a bit unfair I think, no mention is made of high heels in the blog(though I must admit, they are my weakness). The point of Pauline’s the article is more about taking care of yourself and how by looking after yourself it can make you feel more confident confident.
I actually have the view that one of the great things about being a business owner is that we can create our own business style and don’t need to conform to a corporate image.
Do men’s entrepreneurs sites write about this? No, but then they’re not that interested in these types of conversations. Why not have a bit of conversation about fashion and style in a business site. Why just because something has always been one way, should we stick to that way. Why does business always have to be serious?
BTW, I will see if I can find someone to write an engaging article about Hedge Funds
April 15th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Hiya Julie,
I apologise that I made it seem that you’re blog post was just about high heels and nothing else, it wasn’t, but unlike your post, most advice directed at women does tend to have this sheen of ‘beauty rules supreme’.
And I agree that business doesn’t have to all serious, but I still really believe that when a women is starting up in business, the focus should be on her talents and her practical abilities and less on what frocks she wears.
For instance, take the US elections (stay with me) the comments directed at Sarah Palin, who is not my favourite person, still had a hugely sexist theme and was frankly shocking. And even people who aren’t knuckle dragging Neanderthals still tended to focus on the wardrobe of Michelle Obama over anything else.
I mean really, why should I care about the dresses she wears (incidentally she wears a lot of cool stuff from new designer Jason Wu, who makes really lovely pieces, such as a lovely shift dress which has such beautiful accents and really clean lines and…anyway..) when she is such an amazing academic and successful woman in business/politics?
My point is that women focused media should really be about being the best rather than looking the best and I really don’t think we don’t really get that is all