- Skirt suit
- Pantsuit
- Dress with matching jacket
A long-sleeved, tailored dress may be OK too. If you’re going to wear a dress, think classic, not trendy. The problem with a dress alone is that there’s no jacket to go with it, so you have to rely on the long sleeves for coverage. Wearing a jacket serves notice to the world that you’re there to do business. When you wear a jacket, you're wearing the businessperson's uniform. Even if you take your jacket off in your own office, it’s a good idea to wear a jacket when you attend a meeting or see clients. So if you want to wear a dress, think about whether you can do without the extra layer of coverage that a jacket provides.
No matter which business/formal dressing option you choose to wear, your outfit should fit well. Short women may have a more difficult time finding a good fit in ready-to-wear, so be prepared to alter your suits if necessary to achieve a great fit.
