What Not To Wear: Better Clothes Than Your Boss

Kyra writes to The Cube . . .

This may be only a Woman-to-Woman thing, but it's probably not a better idea to outdress your boss if she's not a he. ('Sorry: couldn't figure out how to say this intelligently.)

If your boss is a woman - and you are a woman - she will probably not appreciate it if you are appearing more radiant than her glory and power. It is a fairly safe bet that you will not be hired in the first place by this Femme-Boss if you are more naturally attractive than she.

Fortunately, there are many women in power who hold an exalted impression of themselves, so there is a little more leeway here for the "naturally attractive" than may seem on first impression. This is largely due, with gratitude, to the Marketing Gods of Dior, Prada, Chanel and even Jacquelyn Smith for K-Mart, who have convinced our fragile egos that Purchase Power = Glamour & Appearance.

Still, once you are in the door, don't close it on your own ass by outshining the reigning diva.

This is even being sympathetic, because your boss may not necessarily be a Power Diva, but she is a human being. And, since the world at large, and the business world in specific, puts us femmes on a meat rack daily for comparison, then your boss cannot help but feel when the attention slides: from her considered opinions over to... consideration of your wardrobe-enhanced assets.