By Terriane Palmer
In today's high-tech, fast paced world, instant gratification is not enough. We want everything today, and if not today, yesterday. We have little time to ponder or reflect and are quick to make judgements based on the marketing and branding thrown at us from every angle via any and every media possible writes Terriane Palmer.
Those people who are serious about being striving to be the best and exceed expectations, recognise image has a direct correlation to the way a person feels and therefore behaves.
First impressions are just as important as their reputation, their qualifications and their experience. They recognise if they want to be part of a bigger game, they need to be dressed as if they are already on the team.
Some of the perceptions or judgements people can form solely from your appearance are:
Whether these perceptions are real or imagined, they underpin how your appearance instantly influences the opinions of strangers, peers, and superiors. Being well dressed in a corporate setting can influence not just perceptions, but also promotions.
For men the rules have changed little in the past decade. If anything, they have relaxed allowing more personal expression into the workplace. What was once considered a faux pas (like wearing a black suit in business) is now widely accepted.
For women, it's not that simple. I remember a time my competitor described me as 'that tall aggressive woman'. My client found it incredibly amusing, but it got me thinking and after a little research I soon discovered a confident brunette (made even worse by being 5'8" or taller) was considered aggressive. A confident blonde was considered pushy.
So it's a fine line women have to tread in order to get the right message across about who we are and what we are proposing. Dress too casually and women won't be taken seriously. While masculinity is seen as aggressive or pushy. Too much exposed flesh is seen as using our 'assets' to get ahead.
Balance is the key. Women must dress for business – business casual and above – every time. If you want to excel, your dress sense must reflect who you are, accentuate your positive features, be appropriate to the occasion and display an element of femininity.
First, there is no single set of rules that work for everyone, but there are a handful of characteristics that most successful business communicators share when it comes to dress and grooming.
1. Just as in business communication, business dress requires you to know your audience. You need to gauge what attire will be right for the audience and the circumstance. This all hinges on the culture of the industry, region, company, division, department and function.
While your attire can be a vehicle for personal expression, you can pay a price for violating the written and unwritten codes of your culture. Always know the price before you pay.
2. Business attire is different from social attire and is more subdued in personal expression. If in doubt, stay classic! Dependant on the industry you are working in, just how formal you need to be can be somewhat of an enigma. One person's floor is another's ceiling. Tune your business attire to the needs of the business circumstance and if you are in doubt, ask.
3. The small details count! For men, your watch and shoes are the key ingredients for standing out from the millions. Get a watch that is reflective of who you are, or who you aim to be. Polish your shoes! Let the styles you wear reflect the man inside.
"If you want to know if a fellow is well dressed, look down." - Fred Astaire
For women, hairstyle and accessories are the key components to manage. Let me ask you a question: If your face was similar to the Mona Lisa, what type of frame would you put around it?
Get the picture? Your hairstyle is the frame for your priceless picture. Choose well and pay attention to maintaining its upkeep.
4. If it wrinkles or clings, wrap your food in it. Enough said?
To play a bigger game, pay attention to the language you use in your dress. It speaks before you do. Communicate what you need to get the results you desire. Remember, your Image is never neutral. It will either be positive toward your goals or negative away from your goals. Love what you wear and become a master of the language of clothes.
Written by Terriane Palmer,
International Image Consultant & founder of TAP INTO IMAGE PTY LTD.
W: www.tapintoimage.com.au
P: (+61) 0418-634-852
