When banking giant UBS released a dress code governing everything from heel height to underwear color for its Swiss employees, papers around the world took a jab at the company saying it had gone too far.
But stylist Fawn Cheng says if you are looking for an edge, the banker’s style guide could be your guide to success.
“You only have 30 seconds to make a great impression,” Cheng said. “So in that 30 seconds make sure that all of you is tip top, and in the best of shape and condition that it can be.”
The UBS guide dictates everything from the number of bracelets and other accessories women should wear (limit it to three, by the way), to when men should button and un-button their jackets.
“Unbutton the jacket if you are going to sit down to prevent the wrinkling or the gaping between the button holes,” Cheng said.
“You want for your interviewer to pay attention to you and what you have to say. If there is a lot going on with you, and your hair, undergarments, accessories, jewelry that is going to distract from the important message you have. “
Cheng said for men, jackets are must.
“When you are buying a suit, the rule of thumb is to start with a charcoal, navy or black suit,” she said.
If you opt for another color keep it muted, and pay attention to fit.
And then there’s a big don’t for women.
“An easy way to tell if your skirt is too tight is if it is creating wrinkles in the hip and waist area,” Cheng said. “A good two to three inches above the knee, that is a hemline you want to avoid.”
Shoes count too. Forget the straps and stilettos. You want closed toes.
The style guide even advises against eating foods like garlic and onions when you're meeting with clients.
Cheng says that holds true for job interviews as well, since you'll be close to your interviewer, you don't want anything distracting
