THE way we dress ought to be a matter to be reflected on and sometimes deliberated on because our clothes tell the world a lot about whom we are and how we expect to be treated. We should take time out to know the etiquette of the industry: what is expected of us, how to make a statement with our attire, how to accentuate our positive features with our dressing, the advantage of grooming and accessorizing and the level of influence of a cultivated style and standard in our overall image. It should not be termed as being fussy but caring enough about the way we look and appear to others. The person who brushes that off as frivolity only exposes his own timidity and insecurity.As I always quote, 'clothes make the man; naked men have little or no influence in society' ' Mark Twain. In a highly visual society such as ours, where image is everything, success is basically judged by how well we look. If you have the conveniences and attributes of success, it therefore follows that you are successful. To a certain extent, this is true; what we are expresses itself in the way we walk, shop, talk and yes, dress.Mastering the following basics should get you well on the way to creating a solid professional image and presence. This should be a guideline to work along with your organisation's own clothing policy.PRINCIPLES OF CORPORATE DRESSINGOne of the pillars of corporate and professional dressing is not to call too much attention to yourself. You should be the vehicle of your product and values'efficiency, trustworthiness, simplicity, etc. Today's corporate dressing is derived from the military (and is reflective of royalty), the standards of which are:UniformityAuthority and/or HierarchyConservativeness or Restraint.Efficiency or SmartnessKeeping these values in mind, you should easily cancel certain styles and attributes of attires out from your corporate wardrobe: there should be no flashy colours, nothing that draws too much attention to itself like bulky jewellery, traditional clothing you have to lift up from the ground to walk around in, etc.Most people worry that this doesn't give room for self- expression. Yes and no; it leaves enough room for creativity with the boundaries clearly marked. Boundaries are good especially in business as they represent submission to authority; they bring a level of seriousness and are expressions of conformity and high standards. We should be inspired by those boundaries. You should not present an image that isn't you but you should present the best of you that you possibly can.In general, start your wardrobe with dark hues that should be the foundation to build on. Feel free to use bright colours to accessories and compliment. For example, brighten a dark suit with a bright coloured blouse or shirt; Spice up a white blouse with a rich red scarf or a black jacket with a light blue, patterned tie. Remember to start with neutrals and match with appropriate colours.Corporate CasualFor corporate casuals, loose a piece or two. For example, loose a jacket and/or tie. Wear a white, corporate blouse over a dark patterned, corporate styled skirt.AccessoriesGenerally, business attires are always best in dark hues. If you want to risk using colours do not stray too far, keep it simple and sophisticated. Example, a wine red umbrella is much more becoming than a bright red, playfully patterned one. Your wallets and briefcases and bags are best in leather. Let your writing instruments stand out; reserve your plastic pens for private jottings.Grooming ChecklistEnough cannot be said concerning the cleanliness and smartness of personal grooming for it can bring all our efforts to an embarrassing disappointment. The best perfume cannot mask body odour; it will only worsen it! Dirty, chipped, uncut nails speak of atrocities elsewhere. Nothing repulses others like smelly, ill kept hair. The foundation of good dressing is cleanliness and neatness. Just because it means nothing to you does not mean that others do not pay attention. It will not go unnoticed and does nothing to compliment you. You must do everything in your power to cultivate admirable grooming habits; it is beauty in itself and should be your standard. If you need to incorporate that habit, make a personal check list and post it on your mirror. It would help if you make a tradition of checking it each day before leaving home until it becomes second nature to you.Image and Etiquette addresses general perceptions, societal norms and expectations and personal expressions with the goal to cultivate social graces, suavity and a dignified presence for interpersonal relationships. If you have questions on Image and Etiquette please send them to regalgraces@yahoo.com or SMS 08062280952. Pamela also covers Workshops and Keynote speeches on Corporate Image and Etiquette08167089656 (SMS only).E-mail:regalgraces@yahoo.com
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