(Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of stories in print and online by Susan Osborne where she’ll discuss improving personal presence to succeed in the workplace.)
Businessmen want to come across as professional. Looking the part goes a long way in making you feel more at ease, which is an important trait of confident people. Here are few tips to enhance a good sense of style.
1. Jacket Fit
Every businessman worth his salt needs a sport coat, but do you know why there are choices between a single button, two-button, and three-button jacket? Or how all those different vent options—the slits at the back of the jacket for instance—allow for movement? The choice here is as important as choosing what socket wrench to use to loosen a rusted bolt. It’s all about fit. You need to consider your horizontal and vertical body shape and relevant proportions.
If you’re tall and skinny, a three-button jacket will look more flattering on you because it has height and length that is proportional to your body. The skinny man usually isn’t concerned with having ample room in the rear, so you’ll choose no vent or a single vent.
A large man looks best wearing a two-button jacket (designed to work for most body types) and should avoid the eye-catching, double-vented jacket because those vents will only emphasize his backside. So, a large man should shoot for the single-vent jacket.
A one-button jacket with a low set button stance looks best on a short guy because it adds length and establishes balance. I would also recommend the double vents because they create a longer silhouette that will lengthen the body’s frame.
Facilitating your mastery of scale and proportion will help you achieve the most polished look for your money.
2. Dress Shirt
How much and how accurately do you know your face shape, neck length and shoulder type? They are all key factors, among others, that determine your choice of the appropriate type of dress shirt collar.
The shirt collar is a revealing gesture of personal style and it helps to frame the face, not to mention it’s the only part visible when wearing a suit and tie. There’s small collars, narrow collars, long collars, spread collars, tall collars, and the list goes on. The three basic collar options include point, spread, and button-down.
The point collar should be used as a default, especially if you have a round face. A spread collar conveys more formality and works well for those with a slender face. A collar appears best when it extends to beneath the lapels of your suit coat. If you relinquish the tie, make sure that your shirt collar doesn’t flop. A button-down or point collar keeps its structure while a spread collar tends to flair out and flatten without the support of the tie. You want a collar that keeps a stiff shape for a clean look without a tie and doesn’t make your head look two sizes too big or small.
3. Suitable Color
Although black is an authoritative color, when it comes to choosing a suit color, go for gray. A gray suit promotes supreme power. The neutrality of gray elevates the look to be modern, particularly if the suit is in a subtle pattern like herringbone, glen plaid, window pane or chalk stripe. Darker grays look best in the fall and winter and light grays work best in the warmer months.
4. Tie Tales
The tie is the most powerful aspect of the suit, so getting it right is important to your overall look. The tie should end at the center of your belt buckle, and its width should be in good proportion to the width of the lapel (either wide lapel with a narrow tie or wide tie with a narrow lapel creates symmetry). The pattern of your tie serves you in many ways. For example, a diagonal stripe helps to slim the body. The pattern can also bring symmetry to your face by contrasting the pattern shapes with your facial features. So, if you have angular features, look for a tie with a rounded, softer design, such as paisley or circular shapes and avoid square and triangular shapes.
5. Beyond Black Shoes
It’s time to reach for the brown shoes. Yes, brown, particularly chestnut brown. This color works beautifully with a gray suit. It supports a modern and polished look that black shoes can’t hold a candle to. As for style, your personality can dictate that, but one can never go wrong with a plain-toe oxford (closed lacing). There are other choices too, like blucher or derby (open lacing), and wingtips that are good standbys. Invest in a quality pair of shoes and keep them shined. People notice when your shoes are shabby so give your shoes a little bit of love and attention.
6. Watch the Dial
A watch is an accessory every man should have because it adds a little zing to your outfit. Businessmen don’t have a lot of accessories to play with beyond the tie, shoes, belt, cuff-links, and handkerchief (if that’s your thing). A classy watch declares professional confidence and adds some interest to your outfit, particularly if you’re wearing a suit. Choose dial over digital for a business pro look and get it in gold, silver, or both (whichever you prefer). Leather straps that are classy and modest can work too.
7. Attention to Detail
The worst thing is when you spend time and money on your fabulous suit and then cover it up with a bad overcoat. First impressions are first and the first thing people see is your coat and winter scarf. Moreover, carrying an elegant briefcase or bag adds refinement to your overall look. Skip the backpack look if you’re wearing a suit. Wearing a nice leather belt that isn’t fraying, splitting, or tarnishing adds a nice touch of appeal to what would otherwise be questionable to your judgment. A distinguished, cultivated look is often achieved when you pay attention to the details.
8. Impeccable Hygiene
Good grooming habits will keep you looking polished, but all it takes is a set of dirty nails, a wrinkled shirt, or sweat stains to derail your leading look. Take care of your skin. Keeping your skin looking clean and healthy is a necessary part of feeling confident about yourself. Use a good face cleanser for your skin type and if your skin is dry, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. (That’s code for putting lotion on your face.)
9. Hairy Situation
Taking care of your hair and maintaining a clean professional look is essential to building a positive personal brand. To stay current, next time you’re in for a cut, test-run a new hairstyle. When was the last time you tried something new? Do it while you still have hair. Maybe it’s as simple as changing the part, or forgoing the part. For some, it may be taking the leap towards a completely bald look. Hairstylists can show you how to use product to manipulate your hair to achieve all sorts of styles that can provide you with a modern, yet professional look.
My clients are asking if beards are a good idea for work. Beards are a trend right now, and trends go out of fashion, so all this beard talk may be much ado about nothing. There are many factors that come into play when deciding if a beard is right, chief among them is, do you have the face for it? Aesthetically, some men can pull it off professionally and some can’t. Beyond that, your industry and company culture will help determine what is acceptable. Some studies conclude a positive bias toward clean-shaven men in business hiring decisions. The clean shaven look is youthful, stylish, and classically professional, but a well-groomed and medium-length or shorter trimmed beard on a face well suited for it can uphold a confident look in business.
10. Smile
If you want to exude leadership, power, trustworthiness and credibility, just smile more. The magnetism of a smile promotes approachability and attractiveness. Studies suggest that smiling, forced or not, can have a positive effect on our own mood. What’s to lose? So, when you want to show off those leadership skills, brush those teeth with whitening toothpaste and just grin.
When we feel good about the way we look, we feel more confident, poised, assertive and secure. That confidence translates smoothly at the office, in the client meeting, or during important interviews, and your personal and professional brand of excellence, leadership and aptitude is seamlessly magnified.
Susan Osborne of Be Image Consulting LLC is a personal and executive image coach. She is a business consultant, speaker, and seminar leader, and a one-on-one image makeover stylist, including style consultations, wardrobe auditing, color analysis, personal shopping and makeovers for men and women. For more information, visit www.beimageconsulting.com or contact Susan at susan@beimageconsulting.com.
Current Issue - May 2024