From start-ups to traditional businesses, women are turning heads in the workplace–for more reasons than one. Four young achievers look thepart, and how.Radhika Ghai AggarwalCo-founder and Chief Business Officer, ShopClues.comFrom banking to fashion retail, Radhika Ghai Aggarwal has marketing experience in diverse industries. And now, her company ShopClues is the 50th most visited website in India, valued at a whopping $500 million. Watched closely by others in the e-commerce space, Aggarwal is driving change with the confidence of someone who knows where she’s headed. And at nearly 5ft 9 inches, she stands tall among her peers. Yet, at times, Aggarwal feels the need to tower over people. “So I keep a pair of heels in my drawer at work,” she says. “It’s literally a ‘pick-me-up’. I slip them on to lift my spirits.”Radhika Ghai Aggarwal. Picture courtesy: Anand GogoiLike the advertising world, those in the technology and start-up space are often expected to dress down. An expectation that Aggarwal doesn’t begrudge, keeping it casual on most days in jeans and T-shirts… So much so she picks up most of her work clothes, especially Indian semi-formals, off the rack from the same shops. Her no-fuss makeup and shoulder-length hair-“loose, if I’ve just washed it; tied up, if I haven’t”-come as no surprise either. Yet Aggarwal does shed this sartorial nonchalance when she travels, picking out dresses and shifts. Diane von Furstenberg is an old favourite. “I have at least 25 to 30 of her outfits,” she says. Back home, on special occasions, she is also spotted in soft cotton and Gujarati gajji silk saris. But with long workdays, these are exceptions to the rule.Sairee Chahal Co-founder, Fleximoms and SheroesBuilding career shops that work towards creating and enhancing flexible work options for 15 lakh women taking mid-career breaks, Sairee Chahal too is a fleximom–a term that doesn’t quite inspire fashion confidence on average weekdays, divided between a growing business and a growing child. “I’m boring [in terms of fashion]–almost a boy,” says Chahal, whose petite frame and pixie haircut appear to validate her schoolboy image.advertisementSairee Chahal. Picture courtesy: Anand GogoiWith no pressure to conform, as her own boss, Chahal is happy to sport her wardrobe staples of jeans, kurta, and T-shirts. For formal meetings, she sticks to a few can’t-go-wrong, key pieces, such as trousers (black, brown, blue), shirts (almost always white) and jackets. On special occasions when she must take it up a notch, well-tailored tunics and single dresses in clean cuts and comfortable fabrics, come to her rescue. “I also have a few little black dresses, of course,” she offers. Even at her TED Talk in the US a couple of years ago, makeup-free and dressed in blacks and greys, Chahal’s only concession to style was a red scarf casually slung over her shoulders… And yet, she owns this simplicity. Working towards “the feminisation of the workplace,” Chahal appears to eschew the image of feminists in heavily kohled eyes and statement saris. The emphasis is on getting work done.”Anahita Dhondy,Chef Manager, SodaBottleOpenerWala restaurantsAnahita Dhondy comes from a family of “mad Parsis” in Delhi-a breed rarer than the Mumbai Parsi, but just as typical, she says. Inspired by her mother, Dhondy started icing cakes at 10! Later, she studied at the Institute of Hotel Management, Aurangabad, and Le Cordon Bleu, London. In her mid 20s, she now wields the ladle at the restaurant chain SodaBottleOpenerWala, a tribute to the Irani cafe culture. As a chef, Dhondy appears to wear both her youth and gender lightly, even in a restaurant kitchen–a workspace as brutal and as ‘male’ as any. But does it influence the way she dresses? “At work–usually, a hot kitchen–I aim, first and foremost, to be comfortable,” she says.Anahita Dhondy. Picture courtesy: Anand Gogoi”And yes, since I’m often the only woman among men, I tend to cover up–full sleeves, high-waist jeans, a throw on top… Plus, the chef’s coat is a loose, cover-all garment. I wore a skirt once, and it ended up being a distraction–I’d rather the chaps focused on the orders.” Dhondy’s style is clearly an extension of the person and the chef she is-cooking with simple, everyday ingredients to make comfort food. Busy with the usual demands of a popular restaurant, and with the Parsi New Year celebrations, for instance, she arrives at our shoot in track pants. Outside the kitchen, though, she makes an effort to dress differently. Her style could be boho-chic with jeans, cropped top and cape, or a maxi with a floral scarf. “But I’m unpredictable,” she warns, “Monochrome one day, a riot of colours the next… I’m a mad Bawa, basically!”Sakshi Vij,Founder and CEO of Myles, a division of Carzonrent IndiaSakshi Vij started Myles in 2013-a challenge in India, where we’re unaccustomed to the concept of self-driving rental cars. What began with 14 cars and three locations has grown to over 1,000 cars across 21 Indian cities in two years. But this sharp rise in Vij’s career graph, leading to busier days and longer weeks, has hardly blunted her dressing style.Sakshi Vij. Picture courtesy: Anand GogoiA working woman who knows her CC cream and her mascara well, Vij’s sartorial choices are no afterthoughts. And unlike many other women heading their own businesses, she prefers to keep it formal and natty, taking cues from the European couture trends. Having said that, Vij doesn’t follow trends blindly, and has a sense of style all her own. “Of late, I’ve worn flowy shirts with leggings, even jeggings. I tend to opt for single tones in good material, and long garments.” Not one to shy away from bright colours, reds, pinks, and plenty of rust dominate her shelves. Sakshi is also happy to experiment with her clothes. “For dressier occasions, I switch to fusion,” she says. Nachiket Barve and Masaba are her go-to options. Add to that a spot of bold lip colour, comfortable footwear and occasionally, animal prints, and you have a businesswoman who is not afraid to show her true colours.This story first appeared in Harper’s Bazaar India (At Work)advertisement read more