Want to make an impression? Dress smart!

"WHAT do I wear to work today?"

"I have nothing to wear!" You know that feeling. Every woman goes through it: when you open a closet filled with clothes, nothing seems quite right.

All women fret a lot when it comes to dressing for work everyday. But if you just sort through your stuff, you're guaranteed to find at least three long-lost outfits that are due an airing. So, getting dressed for the office shouldn't be issue at all.

If you think creatively, plan right; invest in some classics and accessories, you are sure to project a professional and competent image.

And yes, your personality reflects in the way you dress! Clueless about the perfect bra size for you? Check it here.

Add style

Dressing for work should not mean leaving your personal style behind. The styles, colours, lengths and fit of your clothes speak volumes about you.

Kim Gross and Jeff Stone in their bestselling book, Chic Simple: Dress Smart Women say, "Your clothes say a lot about you. There is a psychology behind clothing that speaks to the need to draw attention and a positive response.

The way you present yourself, from your suit cut and hair length, to your heel height and style of handbag acts as a thumbnail sketch of your character. From these visual cues, others make assumptions about your dedication and competence; your personality, habits, tastes; social life, friends and quirks."

Create a look

So how do you go about putting a perfect wardrobe for work?

First, think over the nature of your job? Do you have to travel a lot because of work commitments? Or are you on your desk everyday? It is important to understand your professional goals first and then match a wardrobe to compliment these objectives.

For example, if you work in healthcare, you cannot be overdone and over-made. Sick patients don't want to see glamour. So, ethnic clothing, of course with style and good fitting can help.

Sharon Miranda, HR at a leading firm says, "It is always better to dress conservative for work. That does not mean you have to look like plain Jane without glamour and taste. What you can possibly do is present a professional and polished look. "

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Be yourself

The key to a successful working wardrobe is to dress better than your colleagues without anyone really being able to say how you do it.

Develop your personal style based on your body type, lifestyle, personality, career goals and budget. Discover what styles, fabrics, hairstyles, etc. will look best on you.

If you are not very sure about the right mix and match, learn to accessorise. A bright scarf, one eye-catching trinket, thin belts, classy shoes can do the trick.

Office clothes don't have to be boring -- but just smart. Also, make it a point every weekend to plan what you are going to wear the following week. That includes clothes, shoes, accessories and, handbags.

"When we don't have good routines and practices in place, what should be a simple task becomes a source of stress and lost time. I make sure that I have six pressed and dry cleaned outfits, shoes and accessories for the upcoming week," says Jenny Crasto, HR manager.

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Sexy for later

It is not appropriate to wear tight, sexy or trendy clothing to work. Natural looking make-up is best, avoid very bright colours.

As far as jewellery is concerned, avoid anything that jangles. For example, avoid stacks of bangles and go for one bracelet that is simple and elegant.

"Avoid sloppy clothes and wear pants that fit well, but free of visible panty liners. You can buy versatile fabrics and dark or neutral colours and you'll get more use out of individual items. The goal is to mix and match.

No one will notice if you wear the same pair of black pants repeatedly, but wear an unusual print, pattern or colour a few times and people will remember. Until you have a larger wardrobe, stick to less conspicuous items that you can mix and match," says Naina Zaveri, fashion designer.

Remember that is not the number of items in your wardrobe that counts -- it is what you have that really matters.

"First, try on everything in your closet and be ruthlessly honest," says image consultant and author Mary Lou Andre. "Be conscious of hemlines, overall fit and necklines. Your closet should be 80 per cent work attire," she says.

If possible, spend a little more money for good quality clothes that will last. Avoid high fashion stores and seek out stores geared to working women. These are the clothes you are going to be wearing the majority of the time.

They will affect your self-esteem, so it is important that you like them. Journalist Nalini Mathur says, "Nobody wears full business clothes these days. Unless if you work in a very formal setting. You cannot be completely casual either.

I think a woman's wardrobe must criss-cross to be useful in today's business environment. You have to think about all the different situations and settings where you work at any given time. You have to find what works for you as an individual. Just, find your classics and the rest will fall in place."

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Fashion designer Naina Zaveri offers a few ideas to establishing an authentic style.

• Take an inventory of your closet and check what items go with each other. Make sets of tops and bottoms along with accessories, dupattas, stoles, scarves and shoes. You can have a pair of black trousers with multiple matching tops.
• At the end of each week, launder enough outfits to get through the week. You can then arrange these outfits in your closet, keeping them grouped together for easy grabbing. This way, you can look forward to each morning instead of panicking and stressing at the eleventh hour.
• Be willing to spend more for classic, versatile wardrobe pieces that can be worn for years to come. If you think your wardrobe lacks some essentials, make a list of all the items you need.
• Choose a colour plan and stick to it. Find your best neutral colour (black, white, khaki, navy or brown) and use it as the core of your wardrobe. Choose lighter, brighter colours that blend, harmonise or contrast to coordinate with the neutrals.

For example, brown, grey, black and navy are safe classics, but mix well with reds, pale yellows and coral pinks to give your outfit a lift.

• Make sure you're wearing the right size bra -- it will make you stand straighter and walk taller.