This item was contributed by Lesley Everett, Image Consultant at The Aziz Corporation, who takes a look at why its vital to dress to impress and how personal appearance is a vital tool that can ensure you keep your job.
The current economic uncertainty, which was preceded by the spectacular bust after the dot-com boom, has left the trend for ‘smart casual’ attire in the workplace dangling from a very fine thread. The recent dramatic turnaround by two major City institutions in their dress code policy exemplifies the new drive to leave behind the ‘dress down Friday’ look and return to old-style City chic. With volatile markets and job insecurity, employees need to recognise that image is a powerful and fundamental business tool and that, ultimately, your image can help you keep – or lose – your job.
Appearance – an important part of communication
Successful business communication works on both a spoken and unspoken level, so for maximum impact – especially in a sales or client-facing role – your image should reflect and reinforce the corporate brand. First impressions really do count – research has shown that it takes a further 21 interactions with someone to change an opinion formed on a first meeting. Whilst wearing smart clothes and taking pride in your appearance does not mean you are better at your job than someone who does not, looking well-groomed always conveys professionalism. Paying attention to the details of appearance portrays a confident business image and one people are more likely to trust and respond positively towards.
The first and most obvious consideration is what to wear. This is a key element in meeting client or business associates’ expectations. The issue of image is a complex one but a key factor is the so-called ‘Triangle of Influence’. This is drawn with its point at the centre of the breastbone to form a triangle, which takes in your eyes and all of your head. This area is critical since most people’s eyes will be drawn to this area. It is therefore vital that you enhance this triangle of influence as much as possible. An unflattering hairstyle or dandruff on clothes will undoubtedly make for a hot topic for conversation amongst your colleagues or associates – for all the wrong reasons. On the other hand, a carefully chosen combination of clothes in a style and colour palette that compliments your features will prove to be a winning combination, helping you to be taken seriously and respected by those around you. However, personal appearance goes far beyond choice of clothing.
The question of makeup is an increasingly thorny subject for many modern businesswomen, particularly if they hold beliefs that makeup potentially places them in a subservient role to men. However, our own research has shown that 54 per cent of UK directors believe that women who wear make-up look more professional than those who do not. Furthermore, 17 per cent of directors say that women who do not wear make-up look like they “can’t be bothered to make an effort”, and 11 per cent are more likely to employ a woman who wears make-up rather than one who does not – a trend particularly pronounced among larger companies.
However, men are not exempt from the need for scrutinising facial appearance. Beards, it seems, are bad for business. The same survey found that facial hair is regarded as untidy by 39 per cent of directors and a third of clean-shaven company directors (and 17 per cent of bearded directors) believe that there is a prejudice against men with beards in business.
Although neither of the above are politically correct views, there is undoubtedly a practical application for the findings: as any actor will tell you, make-up is very useful if you are speaking at a conference or giving large presentation on a lighted stage. Lights wash out natural colour; wearing make-up therefore reduces the risk of a ghostly conference pallor and increases your impact. Similarly, it is advisable for people – particularly those often making presentations or appearing in the visual media – not to wear beards. Even people with perfect hearing rely on mouth movements to aid comprehension and, because beards obscure your mouth, they make this difficult. Beards can easily look unkempt and certainly cause some people to react adversely, so those that choose to sport one should take particular care to ensure that it is kept tidy at all times.
Whilst the area inside the ‘Triangle of Influence’ is vitally important, additional care should be taken to ensure that your clothes and shoes do not offer distractions to those you are interacting with. No matter how powerful your presence, peoples’ attention will always be drawn to scuffed shoes, lack of personal hygiene, too many patterns and garish ties (particularly if sporting unamusing cartoon images). Many people have an innate sense of what looks good in a given situation, but it may still be worth seeking advice – preferably from an impartial source. This allows you to explore new styles or previously untried combinations and offers a fresh perspective on the best look for you.
Look good to feel good
A good outfit is something that you feel makes you look good. This will add to your confidence and will, in turn, affect your interactions with others. A flawlessly turned-out individual will not give anyone cause to criticise their appearance: if someone’s attention is focused on that annoying piece of thread dangling from a shirt button which they are just dying to cut off, they will not listen to what you are saying.
The old adage that people should dress for the job they want, rather than the one they have remains true. Taking care over your appearance will allow you to portray a confident business image and command respect and authority from those you are dealing with. This is likely to mean you will be more successful in your job and hence also a more valuable asset to your company that they cannot afford to lose. Ultimately, the smarter people look, the more seriously they are taken.
