We are in a competitive world and today's professionals, no matter what their chosen career path, are subject to the same rigors of competition more so than ever before. They can no longer be contented restricting themselves to their assigned duties. If they want to be noticed, they need to make a statement, rise above the ordinary, learn to communicate effectively and at the same time facilitate the exchange of ideas and information. This is something which they need to hone and develop, something which needs a presence above and beyond what they learn in business school. Professionals today are in a sense like public figures and with this comes their reputational risk. This includes their physical presence, the aura they exude, the way they carry themselves in the presence of others, the kind of clothes they wear and how they are likely to be perceived by others.

Here, I shall touch upon one of the most important and perhaps the most overlooked of these dressing up the professional man. One question that could arise in the reader's mind is "What about the professional woman?" Dressing up the professional woman has its own dynamics and is a study in itself. I shall confine myself here to men's attire in the professional world.

Professionals not only represent themselves, they also represent their companies and their organizations in their interactions with people outside of their organizations. They should therefore pay particular attention to their dressing, their bearing and their body language. Their behavior and all that they say or do make a lasting impression on others. This makes it imperative that they are especially careful with their attire as this is what will make the first impression and as the oft-quoted clich goes "The first impression is the best impression". One important aspect of professional behavior is the ability to impress upon others their stability and longevity and this is where attire makes an important contribution.

Some pointers on the professional man's attire are given below

Shirts Plain White or Blue shirts give the impression of authority and class. I stress on the "plainness" because patterned shirts generally give the impression of casualness or being lower down in the hierarchy. This is not to say that they are to be entirely shunned. There are occasions where patterned shirts are more appropriate than a plain colored shirt. An example would be a corporate get-together where starched white or blue shirts

• 1
• 2
• 3
• next page >>

---

Add your voice

Know something about Professionalism: Dressing up for success?
We want to hear your view. Write now!