You never get a second chance to make a first impression
It only takes 7 seconds for people to form their opinions about you. And their opinions are solemnly based on how you look. Within these 7 seconds, people make assumptions about your education, economic situation, credibility, level of success, whether you are trustworthy, sophisticated and interesting enough to give you their time and attention. The rest of the time you interact with them is spent on finding evidence to support the judgments they’ve made about you.
Your outfit is a message
Make sure to curate it carefully. What you wear gives your professional surrounding clues about you. Clothes in certain shapes and colours will communicate that you are professional, reliable and trustworthy. The suit is the ultimate sign of power or authority. Even if your current position doesn’t include much of that, wearing a suit communicates to your peers that you’ve got the potential to get there. Your clothes also subconsciously influence how you feel about yourself, and how you perform at work. Studies show that when people wear outfits which are considered more professional, they behave more professional.
YOU BUILD YOUR IMAGE EVERY day
You never know when the opportunity to prove yourself could present itself. It’s good to always be prepared. As you work on your skills and competencies and improve them every day so you are ready to step up when you’ll have the chance, it’s important that your image won’t hold you back. Dress for the job you want, not the one you have. Every morning, before you leave to work make sure you look polished and feel confident in your clothes. Maybe today is the day when you unexpectedly get a one-on-one moment with your boss or meet an important client.
Your outfit reflects the COMPANY’S CULTURE
What you wear shows your respect for the culture of the company you work for, its values and your colleagues. It communicates that you are the perfect fit as well as a great ambassador towards the clients, market and the outside world.
consistency means credibility
Your image is solid only if you reinforce it every day. If your style is consistent, it becomes part of your professional image and builds your credibility. It has to be coherent with your personality, your role, and career goals. Putting on a shirt once, if normally you wear a t-shirt, just won’t do the trick. Similarly, if you wear a suit on a day to day basis and once in a while you switch to jeans on a casual Friday, your image will remain intact. Dress in a way that feels authentic to you and makes you feel good. Try to find one style element that feels authentic to you and incorporate it every outfit. It will be your differentiating factor even in a strict-dress-code environment.
haircut, perfume and make-up matter
Your haircut, make-up, and perfume are the elements that build your image and should be coherent with your outfit. They express your unique personal style. They should reinforce the message your clothes communicate and subtly set you apart from the rest. Outgrown, messy or damaged hair say to others that you aren’t put together enough to take good care of yourself and raise a doubt whether you’re capable of taking care of the serious stuff. Unless you are intentionally going for a “crazy professor” look, book your hair cut appointment regularly. A beautiful signature perfume doesn’t only smell nice but adds to a positive experience people have when interacting with you and it leaves them with a pleasant feeling they will associate with you.
In conclusion, your clothes and style are a very important part of your personal brand. You have a full control over it. Your professional image is worth investing time into, to carefully plan it and execute it every day. That way it will communicate exactly what you want it to, support your career goals and should you need it, even boost your confidence. If you want the efficient and foolproof solution to curate your style and image, consider hiring a professional.
