My Look with Joey Powell, Public Relations/Marketing Director at Dickerson Park Zoo

It’s not often you’ll see Joey Powell, Public Relations/Marketing Director at Friends of the Zoo/Dickerson Park Zoo, without a pop of animal print somewhere in her outfit. Whether it’s earrings, shoes or a whole outfit, Powell tries to incorporate this fun nod to wildlife into everything she wears. “I’m always representing the zoo, and I wake up every day thinking about the zoo and how I can get people to the zoo,” Powell says. “Anytime I’m out and people comment on my outfits or accessories with animal print, it can lead into the conversation of ‘Oh well, I like to do this because I work for the zoo,’ and I might convince someone who’s never been to the zoo to give us a try.”

Powell has been styling her outfits with animal print since she first started working at the zoo eight years ago, although now she works to assimilate it into her outfit in a more subtle way. “When I first started working at the zoo I was obsessed with anything animal print,” she says. “My daughter looked at me one day and said, ‘Mom, just because it’s animal print doesn’t mean you have to wear it,’ and so I’ve kind of kept that in the back of my mind.”

While animal print still catches her eye every time she’s out shopping, Powell works to incorporate it into her outfit in smaller ways, like with a zebra print belt or scarf. “Animal print can be really bold, and it can be really busy,” says Powell. ”But it can be really subtle too, and sometimes the subtle things draw more attention.” 

Another major staple in Powell’s business wardrobe is shoes. “I pair the outfit around the shoes, not the shoes around the outfit,” she says. “I’m the one person who runs around in heels at the zoo. In fact, it was a joke when I first started that if I wore flats three days in a row I had to hold a snake, and I’ve never lost that.”

Overall, Powell puts a big emphasis on dressing professionally for the workplace. “I’m a diehard etiquette person, and I think dressing professionally gives you more credibility,” she says. “Just because I work at a zoo doesn’t mean my job is a zookeeper. I’m not in boots and shorts. When I’m out in the public, I want to be the best example I can be.”