I recently went to an all-day business conference. There were hundreds of women from many different businesses. They all looked “meh” (to borrow an expression that is gaining currency at the moment). None looked particularly terrible and none looked really stylish, just meh.
I couldn’t understand whether it was because women felt that they can’t be both professionally successful and stylish or because they’re afraid that men won’t take them seriously if they’re pretty and stylish. Or is it that they just don’t care? I think it’s all of the above, and I think its wrong.
The following are my views and not necessarily those of the Epoch Times. But why can’t a woman be both chic and stylish and still be successful? What’s wrong with a man looking at a woman admiringly?
Studies have shown that people think better of attractive people than unattractive. People think attractiveness connotes intelligence and they like to be around others who are attractive. And women are so much luckier than men. We can do so much more to make ourselves look better. We have so much in our arsenal. We can use makeup, wear our hair in a flattering style, wear stylish clothes and, dare I say it, show off our figures.
I own my own business, so no one can tell me how to dress. As long as I look stylish, I can wear pretty much anything I please. I love looking my best and building an outfit, even if it’s around a pair of jeans. It gives me more confidence when I know I look my best. And as a businesswoman dealing with men, I need to feel confident to hold my own in a meeting.
At the business conference, few women even bothered with makeup. Their hair ranged from long and untidy, to a “put it up and forget about it” ponytail. Clothing ranged from stark business suits to “I just finished cleaning out the garage.”
I wore a pair of jeans, a sleeveless turtleneck, a scarf, and jewelry—a pin, bracelets, and earrings. Over it, I tossed a man’s cardigan.
I certainly did not look model-perfect, but I did look stylish and chic compared to everyone else and received compliments. I think that I received compliments simply because I tried.
I honestly believe that if women took more pains with their appearance, they might be more successful. I may well be wrong, and if you disagree, please write and let me know.
Miriam Silverberg is a freelance journalist and owner of Miriam Silverberg Associates, a boutique publicity firm in Manhattan. She can be reached at [email protected].
