Making good first impressions in business is important. Your physical appearance and the way you dress can help suggest certain qualities about you. Here are 7 tricks for dressing professionally.
Consider the formality
It’s important to dress to the right level of formality. Underdressing in a job that requires formal dress could make you seem a little too carefree – when it comes to matters like financial advice, funeral care and real estate, people want to know that their demands are being taken seriously and a suit can help project this. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you don’t want to overdress for a job that requires a casual dress code as this could make you seem too conservative. It’s usually best to avoid suits in highly creative jobs, as well as jobs involving children or counselling in which causal dress can make you seem more approachable.
Wear a watch
A watch is more than a handy accessory for helping you to tell the time – it can also suggest to people that you’re organised and a good timekeeper. This can help to boost your credibility. You don’t have to shell out on a designer watch – so long as it’s in good condition, most people won’t care what brand it is.
Shine your shoes
Shiny shoes have long been a symbol of professionalism. This is because making the effort to shine your shoes shows that you’re attentive when it comes to the details and that you’ll put in the extra time to make a good impression. Even casual dressed professionals can benefit from cleaning their shoes.
Wear a name badge
Name badges can also help to create a more professional image by giving people a point of reference and identifying you as a professional and not just another member of the public. These could be pinned onto a suit or sewn onto a uniform. It’s worth getting badges professionally made to help with your professional image.
Bring a brolly
It’s useful to carry an umbrella around with you in case you get caught in the rain. Turning up to a meeting looking like a drowned rat could suggest that you don’t come prepared. It also looks more professional than a jacket with a hood.
Use colour psychology
The colour of your clothing can have a big impact on how your customers feel about you. White, black and grey are neutral colours that can work well in all situations. If you want to gain trust or have a calming effect on clients, you may want to throw some blue into your work wardrobe. When it comes to looking confident and passionate, you may want to try adding some red to your work outfit. Green meanwhile is thought to have connotations suggesting creativity.
Display your brand
Your workwear could also be an opportunity to showcase your company’s brand. By wearing your brand, it can show people that you’re proud of your company. It also makes your more identifiable to clients and can even help to market your company to strangers, potentially getting some more business.
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The watch thing is such a great tip!
I have been to plenty of visitations at funeral homes over the years and you are so right the staff there are dressed impeccably. It does project an image of attention and courtesy.