2 Posts are tagged with: pumps

Office Style: How to Dress for a VIP Meeting

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Aug 13, 2009 by Sabah K.

Whether you're meeting with corporate executives in the boardroom or attending a VIP meeting offsite, you'll need to dress for the occasion. Here are some important tips for putting together your work ensemble for the big day ahead:

1. Head to the tailor. If you plan on wearing an expensive suit or a fancy dress for the meeting, make sure everything fits just right. Head to the tailor to make sure the lengths of the blazer are perfect, and that the dress is of an appropriate length. The small investment will be well worth it, because you'll feel more confident and relaxed in your outfit when it fits you properly.

2. Stick with the basics. Avoid wearing too many colors and flashy prints, even if it's just for accessorizing. Maintain a polished and professional look by sticking with neutrals - preferably black and white. You can always accessorize with a colorful scarf or a bold colored bag, but avoid wearing anything that will attract too much attention.

3. Bring out the skinny heels or pumps. Avoid wearing any open-toed shoes or fashion-forward styles with embellishments, fringe or anything that doesn't fit the 'classic' mold. Your best bet for an important meeting is a pair of skinny heels or pumps with a thin heel (no platforms) in black or dark brown, depending on your outfit.

4. Wear a blazer. If you're not wearing a suit, you should still wear some type of jacket or blazer over your blouse or top to create a more professional look. Make sure this matches perfectly with your skirt or pants, and have it tailored (see #1) to achieve the perfect fit.

5. Accessorize with simple jewelry. A set of pearls, small silver or gold stud earrings, diamond or cubic zirconia bracelets, and other classic pieces of jewelry are the most appropriate selections for the polished, professional business look. Even if you're used to wearing flashy, oversized and trendy jewelry with your office attire during the week, the VIP meeting calls for something a little more simple and elegant. When in doubt, stick with the basics!

Dressing appropriately for the VIP meeting is just as important as being on time and delivering your best presentation. Take the time to put together the right outfit so you can make a lasting impression!

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Evolution of Clothing: Pump it Up

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Jul 6, 2009 by Pam Gaulin

A pair of pumps can turn any outfit from drab to fab. We wear them to work and to go out on the town. The word pump is often used to describe a lot of different types of shoes. Pumps have a medium to high heel and cover the back of the foot and the toes, without a strap. Visible parts of the foot include part of the arch, the top of the foot, and a bit of toe cleavage.

Early Heels: Chopines
High heels, some as high as 23 inches were in fashion for upper class women during the Renaissance. These shoes were custom-made and had intricate lacing. In contrast, pumps combined a heel and style with easy slip-on convenience.

Pompes and the Louis Heel
The origin of the word pump in reference to shoes comes from strapless and button-less shoes, "pompes" worn by men and servants in the 1500's. The pump was later elevated to royal status. Pumps with a low and curved heel could be found in the French royal courts of the Louis XIV.

The curved heel is one which comes in and out of style on a pair of pumps, and is called the Louis heel. This particular pump looks strikingly similar to the early pumps of the 1700s. Both styles are round and curvy, with subtle patterning.

In the 1800's more of the top of the foot was shown in silk court shoes. The heel was relatively low, and the Louis heel remained popular in the 1800's.

Modern Pumps
The modern pump, with the narrow heel at the bottom, that we see today first came into fashion in the 1950's.

Pumps were a formal footwear of choice for ladies, including fashion icon Jackie O. The pump, particularly in a plummy pink high heel is still popular, in no small part because of the Sex and the City TV and movie franchise.

Sources
Head Over Heal History, http://www.headoverheelshistory.com/pumps.html
Pumps, http://shoes.lovetoknow.com/Pumps

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