It is likely you will meet different people each working day, such as colleagues, clients or customers, business associates, and vendors. For this reason, you must aim to develop a smart, hygienic appearance to make a great first impression.
As you will represent a brand, you must aim to refine your look as much as possible. Read the below advice on how to improve your professional appearance.
- Wear Neutral Colors at Work
Wearing bright, bold colors can look the opposite of professional, as they can be both distracting and unsightly. To ensure you maintain your professionalism at all times, you must wear neutral colors each working day, which will make you appear smart and sophisticated. It can, therefore, increase trust in a brand and your abilities.
- Focus on Personal Hygiene
Nothing will cut a meeting short quite like poor personal hygiene, as a client or a business associate might want to escape an unpleasant smell. Ensure they don’t remember you for the wrong reasons by showering every morning, wearing deodorant, and brushing and flossing your teeth twice per day.
You also should:
- Wear a pleasant perfume or aftershave
- Trim your nails
- Wash your hair
It will ensure you both look and smell fresh and clean so that their focus will be 100% on your pitch or presentation.
- Care for Your Hair
A messy hairstyle will prove you not only don’t care about your appearance, but you don’t care about the company, either. If you want to successfully climb the career ladder and make a great first impression when meeting with new clients, you must take the time to care for your hair every day.
For example, you must develop a neat style, which reflects your professionalism. It is also important to develop a hairstyle that complements the shape of your face, which can help to pull your overall look together.
- Develop a Beautiful Smile
Unfortunately, crooked teeth cannot only detract from your appearance, but they can seriously dent your self-confidence. If you want to smile with ease when meeting with clients, customers, or potential business partners, you must take the steps to create the perfect smile. For example, you should find out more information about an Invisalign treatment to help you develop straighter teeth.
- Always Overdress
To send the right message to a potential client or employer, you must always overdress. For example, if you are attending your first day in your new career or meeting with an important client, it is wise to overdress over undressing, as they will appreciate the effort you have made to impress them.
Only once you learn more about a workplace or a client can you alter your style. For example, if your new office has a smart casual dress code, you could dress down a little bit the next day.
- Select Conservative Clothing
While there is no reason why you cannot express your personality through your professional attire, you must aim to dress as conservatively as possible. For example, you must avoid wearing revealing clothing, such as mini-skirts and deep V-neck shirts. You also should ensure your garments are the right fit and length for your body, which will make you feel both comfortable and confident.
- Choose Professional Footwear
As many people’s eyes will be drawn to your footwear, you must wear work-appropriate shoes that complement your clothing. For example, while there is nothing wrong with donning a pair of high heels in the workplace, you should stick to simple, neutral designs and avoid over-the-top styles, such as eye-catching animal print or bold patterns.
- Carry a Briefcase or Portfolio Case
Carrying various business documents and folders in your hand or under your arms cannot only look disorganized, but it can distract from your smart attire. To keep your documents both safe and organized, you should carry either a lightweight briefcase or portfolio case with you, which can complement your sleek clothing.
- Remove Any Body Piercings
While there is no reason why you cannot wear a lip ring or nose ring during your own time, it might be beneficial to your career to remove them during working hours. Despite being a reflection of your personality, body piercings can be distracting and may appear unprofessional and untidy to others.
- Dry Clean Your Clothing
Creased, unkempt clothing can indicate you lack the attention to detail a client or investor is looking for in a business. It is important to take special care of your clothing by regularly dry cleaning your professional suits, which will ensure they look as good as new time after time.
- Wear Natural Makeup
Makeup can make women, and some men feel more confident in their appearance each day. However, it is vital you only wear natural shades in a professional environment, which means avoiding a smoky-eye or red lipstick during an interview or business meeting. Instead, select neutral shades to develop an attractive, natural-looking complexion.
- Groom Your Facial Hair
Different companies might have different rules and regulations regarding male facial hair, which might be stipulated in a company handbook. For this reason, it is a wise decision to attend an interview clean-shaven, which could increase your likelihood of securing a job.
If you are allowed facial hair in the workplace, ensure it is well-groomed each day by trimming and brushing your beard. You can even improve its health and texture by using a reliable beard oil.
- Monitor Your Body Language
There is more to a professional appearance than good hygiene and high-quality clothing. Believe it or not, your body language can add or detract from your look. For example, hunching or slumping your body will make you appear unconfident or lazy, which could project the wrong image to your employer and/or colleagues.
Instead, you must stand or sit with your back straight and your arms loosely open to maintain good posture and appear more approachable. Don’t forget to look others in the eye when talking to them, which can evoke confidence and trust in your knowledge and ability.
