Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/580744
{ SOMMjournal.com } 105 to share their styles. One of these women, Jessica Norris, Wine Director at Del Frisco's New York, likened her work wardrobe to putting on a costume—she enjoys having fun with it and showing her personality through her outfits. Norris quickly mentions the importance of pockets—a place to put her wine tools—that are hard to come by in dresses and pencil skirts. "On Friday and Saturday night," she begins, "we have fewer client guests and more customers who are out celebrat- ing birthdays and anniversaries. I change the way I dress for these days—more approachable, you might call it—so patrons feel comfortable asking for wines." Dressing for the type of guests reflects how Norris sees the Penfolds portfolio: "You can dress up Penfolds or dress it down and it will still be amazing. It has iconic bottlings, but is also user friendly!" Another Jessica—Jessica Brown, Wine Director of The Breslin Bar & Dining Room and The John Dory Oyster Bar—echoes Norris's search for pockets. "Men have it so easy!" she laughs. "Even a women's blazer lacks pockets, while a man's blazer might have pockets in the pockets." Brown keeps to classic styles and wears a lot of black, since she admits that she can be slightly clumsy and the dark color hides stains. "I wear heels every day on the floor," she notes. "I found a pair of comfortable ones and bought them in four colors. They give me better posture and a sense of authority. I think wearing them adds a little formality to the floor." She also dons her signature bracelets, which she has done for the past decade. For Brown, the outfit adds to the show that a somm puts on for the guest—it adds to their expe- rience when the staff complements the restaurant's atmosphere. All three of the somms noted that the clothes you wear to work are not as impor- tant as how you wear them: Confidence is key in both style and service. Check out the five finalists and winner of this year's competition and the final event recap in the December-January issue of The SOMM Journal. Jessica Norris, Wine Director, Del Frisco's New York, brings her best acces- sories to the floor: an Advanced Sommelier pin, a bright belt and Penfolds wines. At The Breslin Bar & Dining Room and the John Dory Oyster Bar in NYC, Wine Director Jessica Brown knows you can't go wrong with comfortable heels and her signature bracelets. PHOTO: TIMOTHY MURRAY PHOTO: TIMOTHY MURRAY