First impressions count

First impressions count

Life shouldn’t be about first impressions but it often is. Little things do make a big difference in business so position yourself for success with an impeccable image. Enhancing the way you look at work may increase your chances of closing a deal, listing a new property and advancing your career. Story by Elena Reed.

"Don’t let inappropriate clothing throw shadow on your skills and weaken the professional positioning you’ve worked hard to attain."

Ten tips for enhancing your first impression

1. Colour to flatter
Black is often an obvious pick when it comes to dressing for business but if you're going to wear a black suit, ensure you don’t look like you’re dressed for a funeral. For women, a contrasting blouse underneath will add a splash of personality. For men, there’s no such thing as a gentleman’s day time black business suit – black is the colour for night time only. Wearing navy, charcoal or chocolate brown is more appropriate for doing business in style.

2. Tall and lean
Wearing one colour from head to toe is an illusionary way of dropping a size or two. For some extra style, control the visual focus of your outfit by accentuating the top half of your body only. Girls, you can use a necklace, scarf, earrings, or lipstick as the feature accent in your outfit. Guys, a great tie is still considered to be a display of a man’s confidence.

3. Mix and match
If you're going to wear a mixture of colours in one outfit, wear the lighter colour on top and the darker colour on the bottom to avoid appearing bottom-heavy and short. Opt for prints on top with plain bottoms, again to keep the focus of your ensemble moving upwards. Above all, it's about thinking how your attire works as a whole and delivering focus to the top of your outfit through keeping the bottom simple.

4. Love your shape
An important part of creating a stylish wardrobe is honouring the body that you have now and dressing for your age. Your body and your face shape are genetic so choose the fashion pieces that accentuate your best features. Dressing with style is all about feeling great and letting your natural confidence shine through.

5. Fit not size
Tight clothing is never your best option. To avoid emphasising flaws, wear garments that don't cling to the body. Fabrics that fall straight are more stylish and slimming. Don’t dress yourself in over-sized clothing either. You can’t hide under a shapeless jacket and bulky clothing visually adds weight. Spice your clothes with a great posture and you have a formula for image success.

6. Beware of fashion
You'll never be “dressed for success” by slavishly following the latest trends. Instead, focus on developing your personal style. Be confident in any situation by ensuring your clothing choices reflect your personality. Choose colours that complement your skin tones and styles that flatter your body and let them be an expression of your inner self.

7. It’s a shoe-in
Your footwear acts as an exclamation point to your outfit, so be sure to finish off your concept with great, well-polished shoes. If you have any special shoe fitting requirements or simply can't find what you're looking for in a store, consider having your shoes handmade. It won’t break a bank and will give you a pair that will serve you for years. G & L Brothers are craftsmen of hand-made shoes and have retail outlets in Paddington (Sydney) and Prahran (Melbourne).

8. Comfortable confidence
If you're not at ease in an outfit, constant tugging and adjusting will really cloud your look. If you're comfortable in the clothes you wear, the people you meet will pick up on your confidence and it will be much easier for you to show the attitude that matches the outfit. And remember it's YOU who should look great in the outfit, not the outfit should look great on you!

9. Art of wardrobing
Good wardrobe does require some energy and effort input so be strategic about it. Learn to schedule a closet audit into your diary, just as you schedule a visit to a dentist. You do that at least twice a year, don’t you? If a garment doesn’t give you an image of first class professional, it most probably works the other way. Don’t let inappropriate clothing throw shadow on your skills and weaken the professional positioning that you’ve worked hard to attain.

10. It’s not easy being woman
Women generally have many more options when it comes to work attire. Most guys, with very few exceptions, can swiftly zoom in on their favourite shirt and tie, thus getting out the door on time.  A woman getting ready for work is a different matter! When a female mind gets confused with too many choices from her cluttered wardrobe, she inevitably gets overwhelmed with the “nothing-to-wear” phenomenon. A little wardrobe with few fantastic garments will give you more pleasure, confidence and credibility than a closet jam-packed with a mismatch of pieces.

Elena Reed is a speaker and stylist specialising in image and business etiquette. She runs regular webinars for professionals to help them create a winning image for career and personal success. Meet Elena at www.elenareed.com.au