Dress for the Job You Want

Dress Code: Creative

This outfit is professional but relaxed, with clean, uncluttered lines and an artistic pop of color.

Lana Baker: A 45-year-old single mother, Lana lost her management position in publishing but recently scored a job helping to connect art collectors with sellers—"a perfect balance of creative and corporate," she says.

The Outfit:  A cool sleeveless dress (Calvin Klein, $128) provides instant poise (since it's one piece, there's no preinterview agonizing about coordination). The salmon suede jacket (Peter Som) shows a terrific color sense—"It's a mix of soft and tailored, art and business," says Lana. Low-key polish comes from high-quality accessories: wooden hoop earrings (Kara Ross), an elegant tote (Nancy Gonzalez), and python pumps (Diego Dolcini). "Heels make me stand straighter," Lana says. "They give me confidence."