No matter how much pre-meditated planning I do on what to wear for an occasion, whether it be a first date or a job interview, I still find myself ransacking my closet for a different choice. I ask myself why? The outfit I chose -post getting dress anxiety- was fabulous. A high-waisted pencil skirt with a collared business shirt and pumps was my original choice. Is it too ‘corporate’ looking? Should I add a pop color? Maybe I should wear pants?…ahhhh! Do you ever find yourself consumed with fear as to what is the perfect outfit to wear? You’re not alone.

Most of the confusion women feel when they are attempting to put together an occasion specific ensemble is caused by fear. Fear of breaking the “fashion rules,” fear of violating tradition or the basic fear of looking bad. Getting dressed for an occasion should not induce anxiety. Your clothes should communicate who you are. So if it calls for breaking the “fashion rules”, rules were made to be broken!

Although at times you may be breaking the rules or not, there are still guidelines to the fashion language that help make our own rules. There is a right time and right place for everything, and the ultimate look book to guide you there: Nina Garcia’s, What to Wear to Every Occasion Look Book. This book leads you through the fashion lingo for some of life’s basic occasions to ensure that your ensemble is always a flawless representation of you.

As I was aboard a 5 hour flight to Las Vegas, I was transfixed by the pages of this book. Each occasion is broken up into categories for easy cross-referencing. The book starts off with work.  There is nothing more stressful than a job interview. The job market is very competitive right now due to the economy. You not only have to consider what you will say but also how you will look. The first impression sets the tone of the interview. You do not want to set a loud tone with extremes of any kind. This is an absolute no-no. The book advises to wear a suit. It says that you are serious and that you take the position seriously as well. As I attached post-it notes to key guidelines, I came across a sometimes unnoticed detail to any look for an occasion, but most importantly to a job interview. Your handbag! My handbag is my security blanket. It literally tells a story about who I am if you dare to look inside. So, you want your future employer to see a neat and well-organized handbag equipped with a pen and notepad ready to go.

Over 300 pages are filled with guidelines and antidotes of the language of fashion. You will be informed about what to wear for an occasion like casual Friday’s, after you’ve been cruelly dumped, or what to wear to jury duty. Holidays, weddings, day, night, and many more make up the categories in which you will find the answers to your fashion fears. This book now stays in my closet and is referenced before I even attempt to think about what to wear. No more dress anxiety for me!

Also by Nina Garcia, The Little Black Book of Style, The One Hundred, and The Style Strategy.