I was on a vacation in Dubai a few days ago, and I was lucky enough to have time and meet friends whom I haven’t seen in years. I had the pleasure of having breakfast with one of my sweetheart friends, and while we talked about numerous topics, she asked me a question for which I literally had no answer at the time: “Is it really important to always look good?”

It might seem like a simple question with “Yes” as the obvious answer, especially since I am obsessed with shopping, fashion, and as my close friends know, it is almost impossible for me to be seen outside the house without my hair and nails “on fleek” as the cool kids say.

To make it easy for everyone, there are a few golden rules that I live by and swear by. These rules will make sure you are always presentable, while not losing sight of what is truly important and valuable.

 

“It is always better to be overdressed than underdressed”

Absolutely! Sometimes there are certain social gatherings, outings, or parties for which there are no specific dress codes. When in doubt, just be well-dressed and well-groomed. A classy satin camisole with lace trimming, skinny jeans and sexy heels. Spaghetti-straps figure hugging dress with strappy high heels. Or the perfect answer to everything: the LBD! With your hair and makeup done, your positive aura, and amazing confidence, all eyes will be on you.

P.S. Never trust that “friend” who tells you to dress very casual. Chances are, she won’t!

 

“Know the dress code and dress appropriately for the occasion”

Life is not always tough, and sometimes we are blessed with an invitation that specifically states the dress code. STICK TO THE DRESS CODE! If it is a black tie gala dinner, wear a classy evening gown, not a sexy bandage dress that leaves nothing to the imagination. If it is a bridal shower and all girls attending will be wearing pink dresses while the bride will be wearing white, don’t think you are too cool for the dress code and wear black. If it is a wedding, obviously never wear white! And never even think of outshining the bride on her big day! The list goes on, but the most important thing is that you shouldn’t feel like dress codes are forced upon and you should adhere to them as if they are a military uniform. Dress codes mainly give you a guide to what you should wear and you can easily inject your personal style into it and own it!

 

“Dress for the Job you Want”

Yes! Yes! Yes! The key here is to dress for success. Once you start a new work, you will know the corporate culture and the type of outfits you will be expected to wear while doing business. In all cases, make sure you look like you mean business. Make sure that you look chic, well-groomed, and put-together. Trust me, this will reflect on your behavior and your overall look and presentation.

I used to hear this expression a lot when I was younger: A woman can’t reach top management unless she looks like she was hit by a truck. This is very wrong on so many levels and so outdated. A well-dressed and good looking woman does not mean she is not fit to lead. In this time and age, we women are capable of doing anything and everything. And one of them is juggling both looking good and doing an amazing job! And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!

 

“Never judge people based on what they are wearing”

No matter what, never base your judgment of people on what they are wearing. While it is important to look good as you can see above, it is not the most important thing in the world. Guess what? We are all human beings. We can oversleep one morning and get dressed in a rush. We might have had a rough day, a long day, and we barely had time to get dressed for your party. Our boss might have forced us to stay longer hours and we couldn’t dress properly for your upscale occasion. Sometimes we don’t have a generous budget for your grand wedding and we had to opt for a simple dress from that shop right around the corner.

And one more VERY important thing that I will never get tired of repeating over and over again: You do NOT have to splurge in order to look good. Let me tell you one thing: If someone belittles you or thinks less of you just because you are wearing high street stuff instead of luxury brands, you don’t need that person in your life. Your outfit sheds light on your personal style, but never your character and your soul. And there are far more important things in life than the latest Manolo heels or that limited edition LV bag. And if people have a problem in understanding that, then those people’s minds and souls are cheaper than their outfits. And of course, we don’t want that, now do we?