World Scene: United States

Dress up or forget the raise

Nearly all US working women believe that their professional appearance is crucial to success at work, and one in five female executives say they have withheld a promotion or a raise due to the way an employee dresses, according to a survey released on Tuesday.

The survey, by a women's magazine and a styling services firm, polled 137 business owners, chief executives, managers and professionals. Some 22 percent of the chief executives, top managers and business owners said they had withheld a promotion or raise because of how an employee dresses at work. The poll found that 98 percent feel appearance affected their career. Fifty-five percent said they often think they have nothing to wear, and nearly half said they wear too much black.