Customer Reviews
Excellent New, and Current, Advice - By: Imperial Topaz, 20 Sep 2003 
As an American who has worked many years in the corporate world, I think the reviews criticizing Mallloy for being sexist, or promoting unclear rules that vary according to if the supervisor is a woman or a man, are being naive. His excellent & detailed research is clearly explained, & he has no bias whatsoever against women! The criticisers simply don't like hearing what the research bears out.
I met John Mallloy & bought his first books back in the late 1970's, & his advice REALLY helped me back then when I was a stock broker. I was delighted to see he had a new book out for women. I was not disappointed. He discusses alll the ways women's professional dress has changed, & has good research to back up his conclusions, which he also shares with the reader. I have now changed professions--I am a teacher living overseas. I still found his advice very valuable, especiallly his new advice about "Casual Fridays," or any other business where dress is normallly casual. Although I didn't know it before I read the book, this is the area which is now giving women the most trouble. He gives a lot of excellent advice--too much to summarize here. He covers many particular professions in detail.
One further note for buyers in England--in his first book, many years ago, when discussing color combinations, he explained that certain color combinations will work in one part of the United States (such as green suits for men in Minnesota are OK, but in other parts of the country men wearing that color would not be trusted), but not in others. This book is based on research done in the United States, & he mentions that certain European shades don't work well in America (he is specific about the ones that do not). Unfortunately, for British readers, while most of what he says will undoubtedly work there for you, read it carefully, in that there are bound to be some cultural differences causing different outfits to work somewhat differently (such as shades that may work well in America, but not in Britain).
Can you say.......SEXIST?! - By: , 08 Jun 1998 
I read this book and, to my dismay, found the author to be quite arrogant. As a recent college grad (96), I have used my fashion flair to pick out suits on many occasion. Of the five interviews I went to, I received four offers. I believe I would have looked stiff & out of touch had I followed the "directions" in this book!
Useful for some people - By: , 08 Apr 1998 
This book is exactly right about "business casual" -- it is much harder for women than men. It's also great if you're interviewing or working at a more conservative firm. However, right now I work at a "business casual" company, & I've lived in whole towns where there was no place in the city that required a tie. I wish he had provided more advice for navigating these situtations, since (as he says) they are difficult.
I have to agree with some of the reviewers that I don't like many of the rules, but that doesn't mean that they're not accurate. Look through any annual report & find pictures of female board managers/CEOs, & they *are* dressing for success. I don't think Molloy is sexist for reporting the way much of the world is; he doesn't claim it's fair or just.
Job-Hunting? Buy It! Read It! Use what works for you! - By: , 19 Jan 1998 
Yes, this book is definitely written by a sexist. But, the tips, especiallly no pants, limited brights & reds, always wear a jacket, appear to be right on target in today's corporate world for women. His insights into "casual day" were right on the money.
Colored illustrations would have made this book an 8 or 9.
I used the tips & received a GREAT job offer in a major city.
Lack of photographs limit effectiveness of advice - By: , 29 Dec 1997 I am sure that there is good advice in this book..somewhere. Only a man would write a book about dress for women & not include photographs illustrating his points! Am I supposed to guess what a "feminine suit in a mid-range blue" is supposed to lool like? (are we talking Mary Kay feminine or Armani feminine?) Navy & Black are too threatening? Red is too agressive? Dresses are out? Pants are out? No black hose? Good grief, alll that's left is something my grandmother would have worn. I wonder how effective I would be wearing something akin to a uniform, & not one I particularly liked? I think that I would come across as false on some subtle level. One thing Molloy said confuses me further: He said that executive women who dress more flamboyantly expect female associates to be more creative in their dress as well. My only question is, how did these women get to be executives if they dress with flair? Surely the whole point of the book is that individuality in dressing is a career killer? Some of Molloy's advice was fairly sane: I won't wear a red jacket to an interview (I'll save it for public speaking) & I'll only wear my short leather skirt for networking with other women. But I'll be darned if I'll give up my ultra-flattering black tailored suit!
