
A wise saying goes, you are addressed the way you dress. Before people can see what you have to offer, they first see your appearance. Most organisations pick their judgment based on the appearance of individuals. That is why your look has to suit your title as a CEO, entrepreneur, business owner, or management team.
To demonstrate how important your dressing is, many cultures and races are identified through their appearance. Even organisations adopt a particular style of dressing to carve an identity brand for their organisations. As a business owner, CEO or management team, you can sell your brand to the public without making social media posts, television advertisements, or newspaper advertisements just through your dressing.
Just like the famous chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Tony Elumelu dresses, once you see him in his black suit, white shirt, and red tie with red stockings, you can immediately relate to UBA out of his appearance. Just like they say, looking good is a good business. You will come to understand how crucial client and customer perceptions are to an organisation’s success. Typically, you serve as the company’s face, so maintaining that image is important. Likewise, customers utilise dressing and look in this global market to determine if a company deserves their business or not.
Your dressing guarantees the comfort and safety of your clients and the people in your environment while portraying a professional image to clients, customers, and potential workers.
Employers have utilised dress and appearance guidelines for years to help build their employer brands. Some businesses utilise dressing to promote a certain perception of their organisation. Employers can achieve these various objectives of comfort, professionalism, safety, and brand image through their dress.
Your appearance is as important as the image your organisation, business or investment presents to the public. Every time you want to make a public appearance, either going to the office, going for a pitch presentation, or striking a business deal the first thing that should come to your mind should be your dressing.
As a CEO or leader, you might find yourself in an impromptu meeting that changes everything or in front of the camera on any given day. What you wear can affect how others remember you.
Your attire should reflect your professional persona. You must take that into account if you don’t want to send the wrong message to your potential investors during the engagement process.
Here are some tips to lace-up your appearance:
Events determine the outfit
Some events are lifetime opportunities to strike that business deal and you would not want to mess it up with your appearance. In such events, you are first judged by your outfits. Even while some CEOs, businessmen, entrepreneurs, or management teams are quite accepting of informal attire, they do not take it lightly. There will be occasions when informal attire is required, but until then, purchase and wear quality formal attire. A timeless men’s suit, women’s pencil skirt, or season-neutral trousers would do.
Some occasions do not call for casual attire, so you must pay close attention to the occasion and how you present yourself. This could be your branding before the public. You can be described by your dress. That is why you must not let your guard off your dressing. You do not want to be caught unfresh.
Be intentional about your colours
Have you ever wondered why the chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) wears just a red tie? Have you ever wondered why American presidents wear just blue and red ties? This is because most times, the colour of your outfits can communicate your business brand. This is the major reason you cannot just wear any colour.
Your attire should reflect who you are as a person if you want to make a statement. You can thus experiment with colours. Utilise colour psychology to your advantage and make your own decisions. Dark hues are typically associated with authority, blue hues can evoke confidence in others, and wearing softer hues can reveal a friendlier side to you.
Consistently sporting a hint of your brand colour, can spruce up your looks.
If possible, work with a designer
Some people think it is a waste of money to get a personal designer. But it’s more investment than it is an expense because if you’re wearing an expensive suit whose shoulder pad is too relaxed, you will fail to make the impression you want to make with your outfit. Looking good is not just about the expense of your outfit but the craftsmanship that goes into it. This is why you need to work with designers who can create well-fitted outfits that make you look executive.
Dress smart with your smart wears
Dressing smart with smart wear is and should be an essential part of your dressing. You do not want to be that person who always has a Bluetooth device in their ear or who wears sunglasses in the evening. Wear the appropriate accessories that match your personality and the occasion.
Ladies, if you want to make a statement in a professional space, avoid bright, sparkly jewellery.
Pair a high-quality leather belt with shoes that are of the same colour and a simple buckle. The metal of the buckle should ideally match the metal of your watch or ring.
Purchase a belt with brown and black sides so you may match it with either colour of the shoe.
Wear cufflinks to secure the sleeves of your shirt and to add a little extra oomph to your look. Choose cufflinks that go well with your suit or contrast with the colour of your tie.
Your choice of shoe matters
When you’re searching for the ideal dress or suit, shoes are usually the last thing on your mind. Avoid making this error. Men can get away with this since their shoes often go with practically everything, but for women, it’s not so simple. The choice is thus whether to choose simpler footwear or dress any outfit up in heels.
Despite how uncomfortable they may be, heels somehow give you a stronger, more self-assured appearance.
Conclusively, keep it timeless and classic, especially if you oversee a large staff. Instead of detracting from your message, you want your style to support it.
Make sure your clothing is well cleaned, lint-rolled, pressed, and that there are no frayed threads or missing buttons. A great haircut and decent hygiene go a long way toward finishing the look too. Maintain neat facial hair and trimmed nails. Depending on your hairstyle, you should have a haircut roughly once a week.