Prepare to look professional and pulled together at impromptu meetings and last-minute event invitations by keeping a tailored jacket in your office or car at all times.   A chic jacket in yarn-dyed wool/linen featuring notch lapels and puffed cap sleeves.  Or try a refined, lightweight linen jacket.  You could even try a modern jacket in nubby tweed made of fine Italian fabric. 

Tweed Short Jacket

Carry a small handbag with just your essentials (keys, lipstick, phone, business cards) and leave your briefcase or laptop bag in the car. You don’t want to be the woman banging into everyone with her bag! And since you’ll need both hands free (for shaking and eating), consider a shoulder bag over a clutch.

Dooney & Bourke

A color option for shoulder networking bags a subtly grained calfskin leather is crafted into a chic shoulder bag finished with a diminutive logo plaque at the front.  Then Kate Spade offers a large, contoured flap slips into the branded tab on the front of a smooth leather hobo. Two small tassels dangle from the strap for a trend-right touch!

Small Black Bag

Do you know how far you will have to walk from the parking lot to the event? Factor that into your shoe (and pant or skirt) selection for the day. Keep in mind that you will be coming from work, so your feet may already be tired and may tend to swell during the evening (smile).

BCBG Pump

 

Sofft Natural Pump

Freshen up your lipstick and eye makeup. Try navy blue eyeliner to make your eyes appear brighter and erase some of the day’s tension. Go for a natural or neutral lip color to avoid the dreaded lipstick ring – and the lip print on your glass.

Nars Makeup

 … and the she asked the one question I am sure stumps everyone – “what about color?”

When networking color sends a strong nonverbal message and is the first thing a person sees. Think about what you want to communicate and then choose colors that support that impression.

• Navy: honesty, integrity
• Black: sophistication, authority
• White: freshness, reliability
• Tan: elegance, approachability
• Brown: stability, security
• Gray: strength of character, refinement
• Burgundy/Maroon: classic, elegance
• Plum: regal, diplomatic
• Teal: inventive, soothing
• Red: passion, tenacity

Think chic and practical when networking at after-office-hours events. Remember to wow them with style at your next networking event!

Until the next style adventure,

Monica