She’s here to take the stress out of getting dressed. She’ll also help you understand the new rules of dressing for work — and for the job you aspire to have one day. Hallie Abrams is The Wardrobe Consultant. The 54-year-old Chagrin Falls stylist and blogger works in person and by Zoom with clients close to home and across the country.
She started the business about 20 years ago, and the concept was born from helping her husband’s sister figure out her personal style before she returned to the workplace after time away to raise children. More recently, she’s been a go-to for women and men in a variety of work and life stages who have eased back into the office, shifted to work from home completely or are on a hybrid schedule.
Here’s the shortlist. It’s OK to go bolder with the lipstick on Zoom. Sneakers are fine; just wear hybrids. Your jeans don’t have to be denim. (“There are literally sweatpant jeans.”) Add accessories done right for personality. (We’ll explain.) Combine business-pleasure outfits that show a sense of ease and professionalism. And above all, you still can’t let it all hang out. Think of a dress code as a lead line. There’s more slack now, but it’s still tethered.
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Find your style words Abrams takes a layered approach to outfitting clients that begins with addressing personal taste, body type and life roles. “All of this influences what you need in your closet,” she says. From there, create a style statement. For example, a client told Abrams: “Classic, elegant and timeless with a touch of something unexpected.” Next, Abrams performs a closet analysis of pieces that work, items that can be edited out and what’s missing. “This way, we can create a targeted shopping list, like going to the grocery store with a recipe.”
Relaxed fit Suiting is not so stuffy these days. The latest footage: Oxford-sneaker hybrids can replace traditional penny loafers, and women can trade pumps for boots or flats, Abrams says. There’s slack for pants, too. For women, there are blouses with a true poplin front and T-shirt back, and men can find collared shirts made from performance material. Swapping out a button-down with a T-shirt or sweater under a blazer is acceptable. But Abrams says, “You can never go wrong dressing for the job you want.” If a dress code is business casual, she says, “Make sure business is the lead, and you can include elements to help it be more casual.” Fair or not, the reality is your appearance makes an impression. “What we wear is the first line of communication,” Abrams says. “And you’re the master of your ship. You have a choice to say, ‘I don’t care,’ but think about the message you are sending.”
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