We can all agree that it is a good thing to always look our best, especially in the office. Professional women are constantly making decisions including how their outfits will impact their lives between the hours of 9 -5. For our Shoeholics looking for inspiration in the workplace, Amy Palmer, Emmy – Nominated TV Host, Journalist, and the Founder and CEO of PowerwomenTV.com, weighed in on how to avoid letting the blah colored cubicles drain your style.

Exclusive Interview by Afriyie Amankwaa (AA) for Shoeholics

AA: Would you say your outfit, shoes in particular, play a part in your confidence as an entrepreneur?

Amy: Definitely. You always want to be presenting yourself in a way that reflects your brand and its message. It’s important as a woman to cultivate your look so that it correctly expresses who you are. So absolutely, the outfit helps to bring confidence and make you feel that you’re ready for the day. I just attended a huge meeting earlier and thought about what I was wearing and what message I wanted to say before I went to this meeting with a large media company. My shoes also came into play because they have to be power shoes.

AA: For business meetings… heels or flats?

Amy: I always go with heels. I’m 5’4 and I’ve been wearing heels since I was a teenager. To me it’s always about the power heel.

AA: What are the shoes that you have that say sleek, sophisticated, and show that you’re not afraid to take risks?

Amy: The Christian Louboutin suede boots with a stiletto heel that I wore today. I felt very powerful in those and even posted it on my instagram account (@amypalmertv). I also have a new pair of Sergio Rossi shoes that are nude and are just really beautiful. Those shoes can take me everywhere. They can take me to the boardroom to a dinner party to drinks. They are the shoes to me that say I’m just ready for anything. I tend to like a stiletto heel that is over 4 inches.

AA: Do you think that as women we have to have a lower heel to be taken seriously in the workplace?

Amy: [laughs] I think that’s a very old school rule and they just don’t fly anymore. As women, we’re so entrepreneurial and building our brands our own way. We are setting new rules for ourselves and the generation coming up. So, as long as you’re put together… classy, elegant, and fashionable [you don’t have to spend a lot of money] but dress for the part and the position that you want. There are no rules. If you have an elegant heel that’s high… that’s OK. The power dressing of the 80s and 90s that you see in the “working girl movies” that’s old school. That’s not now.

AA: Is it a bad idea to wear the same shoes to the office every day? Does it go against the “clean and professional” look?

Amy: If you’re first starting out and you don’t have a big budget, you should at least have three shoes that you’re rotating on a regular basis. But, while the image is important that you’re portraying to the workforce, if your work speaks for itself, it’s OK to keep wearing the same shoes until you can afford more.

AA: What is the greatest style advice that you’ve ever received as a professional woman?

Amy: Listen to your gut. It’s never wrong.

AA: I’ve noticed that’s a common theme at PowerWomen TV. Out of all the celebrity interviews that you’ve done, who wore the outfit that just made you say wow she’s well put together.

Amy: Wow.

AA: I know that’s a tough one. [laughs]

Amy: They’re just so many! Eva Longoria was beautifully put together when I interviewed her. She was classic, elegant, smart, and portrayed what a woman should look like when she’s speaking authentically about her life.

I thought Arianna Huffington looked like the master CEO (although she’s not currently CEO) and founder that she is. She looked that part. She looked strong and powerful. June Ambrose when I interviewed her had a red powersuit on which was elegant and fashion forward. Jennifer Fisher looked avant garde … very cutting edge which spoke to her brand. The women that I’ve interviewed all had their own sense of style and image that they wanted to portray and I thought they were very successful in doing so.

AA: What are your suggestions for a woman between ages 23 – 40 trying to become the office fashionista?

Amy: I really love Instagram so I would find certain people on Instagram whose looks I like and would take a snapshot. I’d go out and try to find pieces that mimic that look. Decide who you want to be and what image you want to portray. What position do you want in the office? Go out and find women that you admire that portray that image for you and copy it with your own spin.

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