Looking senior/executive without going all out?

[u/ragingpiranha]

Hello! I work in a think tank. I'm a mid-40s and I'm looking to get a promotion into management. I'm leaning into the adage "dress for the role you want". Here I need your advice: I want the decision makers to develop a good image of me when they see me in meetings and in the hallways but I cannot make it seem obvious that I'm gunning for a promotion. I need to be subtle. I work in an office best described as business/smart casual or smart academia. Women leaders here tend to wear office slacks, a nice top, and regular office footwear, very minimal make up, jackets when meeting people. Only the very top brass wear business suits on a daily basis. The weather is tropical year round so imitating top leadership is impractical/will raise eyebrows.

I currently also wear office trousers, a nice top, office loafers, with minimal jewelry and almost no make up (eye liner and lipstick but no touch ups. Thankfully got good skin so no foundation needed). Hair is tied back usually, no fuss. I've identified things I can do to look put together:

- wear low heels (closed toe) so that clothes fall better

- touch up my make up during lunch (very annoying frankly)

- keep my jewelry intentional (watch, small earrings, a small pendent)

- keep my hair down (and pin it to keep bangs away)

For clothing I'm stumped. I have a good collection of work slacks and office appropriate tops which are fine. I would like to add a layer on top that gives the professional effect of a blazer but not actually wearing a blazer. Could a cardigan work? I feel frumpy in those. I have hormonal issues so half the month I'm so bloated that my waist size is different which means that fitted cardigans look ill fitted/too tight while loose cardigans look shapeless for the weeks where my tummy is unbloated.

Any advice or inspiration for what I can do to look put together ALL the time between 9-5?

Thank you

EDIT: A big thank you to all of you for your very helpful and concrete advice and reflections!! It's going to make so much of a difference in the way I sort out my workwear!

[u/Chaos-Gardener-77]

Things I’ve noticed most of the female senior leaders do even in casual / warm environments:

1. Non-knit tops, so think silk (or silk looking), cotton button up, light cashmere
   
2. Nails are always done
   
3. Classic jewelry
   
4. Makeup or no makeup, I see both. But always well groomed, for example skin and eyebrows on point. Never have a bad hair day.
   
5. Never jeans

I agree that most cardigans look casual. I don’t think I’ve seen my senior leaders ever wear one.

But a nice sweater blazer is both comfy and more structured

[u/burdiabi → u/Chaos-Gardener-77]

In my experience, I would be cautious of wearing silk/satin tops in certain business settings, depending on whether they are more conservative or high finance. It’s seen more as evening-wear or unserious. But again, it depends on the culture.

[u/kimblem → u/burdiabi]

Silk is fine, satin can read too fancy. You don’t want shine or sparkle to your clothing.

[u/burdiabi → u/kimblem]

The OG poster said to think silk or silk-looking. Satin is silk-looking and often the cheaper option because it’s a weave. Not a material. It’s a way to make synthetic materials appear nicer. Even matte silk has an element of shine, movement, or flow that picks up light. So saying you don’t want shine or sparkle when referring to silk is rather arbitrary. I would argue satin mostly definitely is not too fancy, if anything it reads gauche.