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What is your image saying about you?
We've all heard the expression, "you never get a second chance to make a first impression."
But just how much truth is there behind that statement?
Let's take a look at the numbers.
According to one study the numbers are rather telling:
- 55% is attributed to your appearance/look
- 38% for tone/rate /volume
Some figures go as high as 60-90% of a message's effect being attributed to nonverbal clues - appearance, body language, and sound.
Regardless of which study you prefer, the results speak volumes - first impressions matter... a lot!
What does your look say abut you? Does it say..
Or is your image getting in the way of your career and goals, that special someone, or maybe even stopping you from gaining approval or acceptance from an important organization or group.
It's not your fault, you know. You are a fashion victim just like the millions of others who follow blindly, waiting for the next new look or style to come in to "fashion", only to be followed by the next new trend and so on.
But then, if it weren't this way, the clothing industry would just be a minor player instead of the multi-billion dollar behemoth it is today, continually pumping out the newest and latest, while you keep spending your money season after season in order to be "in style" with the latest and greatest must have looks.
Now don't get me wrong, I have nothing against fashion. I just believe in individual expression by way of finely tailored age/ industry/life style specific clothing, not cookie-cutter-for-the masses bulk production, inconsistent ill fitting, poorly constructed clothing made off shore for pennies and than resold to you for dollars -"big dollars" in many cases.
The majority-make that the vast majority-of men and women do not know how to dress well. After all who taught them how to dress except for the magazines and retailers who are promoting the latest clothing lines?
Maybe they were lucky enough to have had a parent or family member who was well versed on the subject. If so, I can tell you they're in an ever shrinking minority.
The results, to name a few, are
- Wrong color choices for the persons skin tone, poor color choice can result in making you look older than you are or tired, sometimes giving you a washed out appearance
- Wrong size choices-usually to big-giving the impression of a lack of fit knowledge, the possibility of a recent weight loss, or worst yet, a total disregard for your appearance, all of which are sending out the wrong signal/impression
- Wrong style choices-usually inappropriate for the persons age or position-which could suggest, "I'm trying to look younger than I am", "I think I'm cool" or "I just don't know any better"
Regardless of which one it is, it's distracting and takes away from you and your message.
"I cant believe I ever wore that"
moment in the making
Lately I've been seeing what I'll call the Pee-Wee Herman look" on men. If you don't know Pee-Wee Herman, his signature look was a tight fitting short jacket and pant suit that looked like he had grown out of, by his late teens.
As a comedian on a kids show it worked, but can you imagine for a moment having an appointment with a professional, let's say a financial planner, and he walks in with a suit that looks like it belongs to his little brother. Are you going to stop looking at his outfit to focus on the message? Probably not.
Let's say it's just the opposite, as is usually the case, and you're about to have a serious conversation about your hard earned money.
In walks this pleasant looking man with a loose fitting suit. The subliminal message you get is, "Hmm, I wonder if he'll be loose/careless with my money?
Why? Because he didn't display a look that says, I am a professional from head to toe and inside-out, I pay attention to the details and I know all of my subject matter, beginning with me."
I recently heard an interview with one of the panelist, Daymond John, from the TV show "Shark Tank ", and he said a couple of things that absolutely rings true to those of us in the expert field.
One of the things he said was that a jury will convict or exonerate someone in the first 15 seconds of visually looking at them.
That's a pretty powerful statement which goes right back to my opening statement, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression."
The other thing he talked about was fit. He said something along the lines of wearing a suit three different ways.
He said a financial professional will wear a tapered or fitted suit, a broker or deal maker will wear a medium fitting suit, and someone in entertainment for example might wear a loose suit with jewelry.
He absolutely nailed it right on the head. Whether we realize it or not we are constantly sending out quiet communication about ourselves, and fortunately or unfortunately being judged accordingly.
It all boils down to one of my favorite lines, "You don't know what you don't know." Simple but profound, and so the reason for experts and authorities. Quite simply, none of us has the luxury of living long enough to learn everything there is to learn.
And the good news is you don't have to. If you've never been instructed in the art & science of proper dress and you want to have an advantage in business, attract a wonderful mate into your life, or expand your social status and activities, you have no more excuses.
Because for the last few decades I've been doing just that, taking all of the guess work out of the equation, by providing turn key solutions for my clients and creating powerful first and lifetime impressions.
For examples of my work with clients, go to the case studies section of this website. See you on the other side.
