Dressing for success is crucial for all business people, but it becomes even more crucial for women seeking to start and run their own businesses. Dressing the right way can be the difference in being perceived as professional or not.
You should always dress appropriate for your work environment, and keep your clients, investors and customers in mind. A woman's professional appearance should always support her professional accomplishments and goals. If you are a florist, that will dictate that you dress more casually, but if you work in the legal profession, you'll need to dress more professionally. If your business attire is distracting because it is too sexy, drab or colorful, your business contacts may focus on how you look, not on your business skills.
If you must dress in a more professional manner, keep in mind the first impression others have of you shouldn't be about your scent preferences. Many women favor perfume, cologne or bath sprays, but in the workplace those can trigger asthma, overpower a room and are often more offensive than pleasing to others. You shouldn't smoke in your car or other closed-in places, because your clothing will pick up the odor.
Women often use their hands to talk, so their hands become a focal point. It is important to make sure your hands and fingernails look professional. Nails should be clean, trimmed or sculpted. Avoid wearing unusual or shocking nail colors. Nail art and nail jewels are not acceptable for business meetings, or even for everyday office wear.
Your hairstyle should be neat and conservative, and preferably off the face. With few exceptions, hair color should not be shocking or unusual. Hair sprays and gels that have a strong scent or odor should be avoided.
As for your makeup, keep it simple and appropriate for daytime. Wearing no makeup at all is almost as bad as wearing too much makeup.
Jewelry should not be noisy or too large, nor should it be costume jewelry. Keep earrings small, simple and above the earlobe. It's better to wear no jewelry at all than to wear too much. But a conservative wristwatch is recommended.
Demonstrating that you care about your appearance communicates to the person you're doing business with that they are important to you. Paying attention to the details of your appearance sends the message to others that you will also pay close attention to the needs of your customers and clients.