On a daily basis what kind of jewelry should I be wearing to work? I work in a business casual type environment and wear a lot of pant suits or sweater sets. I never wear any jewelry besides a watch and my wedding/engagement rings.

Jewelry can make or break an outfit. Women have more leeway in wearing jewelry in the workplace than men do. As I say in Casual Power, it is important to accessorize appropriately, especially when you are dressed down. Most business casual outfits need a boost to convey top-level professionalism, authority, and personal power.

In addition to your watch and wedding rings, you can safely add these jewelry items and not be overdone: 1) earrings 2) a necklace or a scarf 3) a bracelet 4) one ring, worn on the other hand.

When choosing jewelry, make sure that it adds to the overall outfit and that it is appropriate for the situation and time of day. Keep your metals in the same tone as much as possible. If your watch and wedding rings are gold that does not mean that you cannot wear silver. Or if they are white gold or platinum, you can still wear yellow gold in your other pieces if you keep all the other items in the same yellow-gold tone. Belt buckles count as a metal, too. Look to your belt buckle to determine which metal color will be best for your earrings, necklace, etc.

I encourage you to wear more jewelry to add style and panache to your image. Earrings are a must, even if you have long hair. Earrings, in a flattering shape for your face, bring attention to your face and to you! They also add polish and finish to any outfit and to your overall image. Necklaces should only be worn if they truly add to the neckline of the outfit. As long as your arm is not stacked up with a bunch of jangling bracelets, a bracelet or two can be appropriate in the workplace.

Casual Power has a lot of valuable information on jewelry in the workplace. Chapter Five has an entire segment with written information and photographs. The sabotage section also discusses (in detail) what jewelry items and accessories will sabotage you in the workplace and what will not.

Use jewelry as a “Power Up” tool.