Business Dress and Grooming (Unit-6)

Corporate dressing refers to sensible dressing at work place which helps an

individual to make a mark of his/her own in the first meeting itself. Corporate
dressing teaches an individual to dress according to the organization culture. Do
not wear something which will make you feel odd one out at the workplace.
Dressing sensibly makes you feel confident throughout the day.

Grooming Tips to show up gracefully at work place

Take a look at these grooming tips to show up gracefully at workplace:

1. Understand your industry’s dressing trend

It is important to dress in line with the trend that your industry follows. While
being employed in hospitality industry, you cannot expect to show up at work in
casual dressing. Even if your friend follows a casual dress code, into the IT
industry, it is not because he/she wants to be the one out of the box; but because
everyone follows the same code. If your industry does not have a concept of Friday
dressing, do not break the code and appear at work with a casual tee and crocs.

2. Wear clothes that fit your size

Showing up at workplace with either a loose fit dress or tight body hugging dress
can go wrong. Choose the attires that fit your body aptly and look good on you. If
you wear a dress, try to pick the one that covers you appropriately from chest to
knee. Don’t be the victim of wardrobe malfunction at office.

Wearing inappropriate clothing can be distracting for colleagues around you. It can
even lay an inaccurate impression. Avoid looking too provocative at the
workplace.
3. Avoid wearing strong perfume
A cardinal rule for wearing perfume at work is that ‘a little goes a long way’.
Choose a perfume with light floral and citrus scents. Going to work with musky
and sexy scents is considered as inappropriate. Another important tip is to resist the
urge to reapply perfume. People around you may be allergic to fragrances and your
addiction to the perfumes can worsen their health.

4. Wear polished shoes

Nothing can boost up your confidence if you don’t wear a nice pair of shoes. Shoes
have their own story to tell when you meet someone. Wearing high-quality shoes
will make you appear successful even when your dress is a little underrated for the
day. After you buy an expensive pair of shoes, take control of maintaining them. A
polished pair of shoes is a hallmark of your gentleman personality. Dirty shoes
depict chaotic domestic habits that in turn affect your professional performance
too. Avoid being tagged in this category and keep your shoes clean.

5. Carry a trimmed beard

A clean-shaven-for-work rule works in the corporate very well. For professional
look, one must keep his beard trimmed because studies say that people with heavy
beard are perceived to be more dominant and aggressive. Carrying an untrimmed
beard is also a sign of being lazy and casual person. Do not let you personality be
undermined because of your beard. Buy electric razors to maintain a short,
trimmed beard on regular basis.

6. Pay attention wrist watch

Wrist watch is an accessory that won’t ever go out of style when it comes to
professional outfit. It is the choice of the wrist watch that will affect your
professional attire. For women, a Classic round shape wrist watch with a non-
blingly leather strap or stainless steel strap will be the best pick. For men, a simple
and sophisticated watch will blend perfectly with business suit. Try to pick the one
that has leather strap with saber-style indexes, preferably with circular dial.

7. Avoid wearing neon or flashy color attires

Neon colors at the workplace are a big disappointment to your professional look.
Hues of black, white of neutral colors will always work wonders for your
professional dressing. While neon colors are in trend to enhance your personality,
but should be worn when you go for an outing or party. Your wardrobe must have
a clear distinction when it comes to corporate dress code and casual dresses.
Wearing flashy colors in the office can be distracting for the co-workers.

Reasons to Dress for Success

1 – Science Says So.

As already stated, there is science behind the term “dress for success”. A study by
Lefkowitz, Blake, and Mouton (1955) proved that business suits portray a form of
authority. In an experiment they had someone in a city cross the street against the
traffic. When he was dressed in a suit, three-and-a-half times as many people
followed him as when he was wearing a work shirt and trousers.

2 – First Impressions count.

There’s an old saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” which is technically true,
however, product designers create packaging with the mind-set that people do
judge, and they’re not wrong. This also applies to how someone dresses. The
visual aesthetic we present to others through our appearance and apparel is
extremely important. We live in a judgmental world; we are quick to make
assumptions and to categorise individuals based on what we see.

3 - Promotes self-respect.

Following on from the last point - If you take the time, effort and pride into
dressing sharp, you will undoubtedly radiate an image of self-respect and self-
worth. People will see you and think positively of you as it’s clear you respect
yourself. Furthermore, a sharply dressed man will radiate a sense of worth. People
will see you in your clean, fitted clothing and they will start to think that you are
worthy of their time and company.

4 – Boosts self-confidence.

How does dressing for success boost self-confidence? Well, your self-perception
has a great impact on how others perceive you. When we feel good on the outside,
we are more likely to feel good on the inside, which boosts our attitudes and self-
confidence leading us to trying our best which in turns brings results.

5 – It draws the right kind of attention.

There is a term known as "peacocking". It's a practice that involves dressing up in

order to get noticed. A sharply dressesd young man stands out from the crowd.
Dressing sharply is the first step to attracting and keeping wanted attention. A
well-dressed man with a good style will look nicely put together.

6 – It’s a step to overall self-improvement.

Putting the effort into what your wear and how you look will have positive effects
on your overall lifestyle. As your confidence grows, along with the self-perception
you may just open a gateway to some lifestyle changes. People may start treating
you differently, because they’ll notice something about you has changed. It might
inspire you to eat better, work out more, or pursue the kind of job and life you
really want.

7 – It will keep you productive.

It’s easy to become comfortable wearing sport trousers and a t-shirt, however, once
you are in your comfort zone that is when you’re the laziest. But when you are
dressed to impress, you look well, feel good and you’ll be more motivated to get
things done and in turn be more productive. If there’s a big day ahead of you then
why not dress sharply, you won’t be able to help yourself from getting out and
showing off.

8 – It shows your attention to detail.

By putting time and effort into how you’re dressed with matching accessories it
can show potential or current employers your attention to detail. How can this be
an advantage? If you take pride in how you look then you will also take pride in
the work you do. It also demonstrates that you can stand behind your work, which
could give you an edge in any job opportunity.

9 – Competitive edge.

Dressing to impress gives you a competitive edge. Not just for finding a job, it can
also help you drum up new business or help close on a potential sale. A strong first
impression leaves a lasting impression. When you dress well, it shows that you are
taking care of yourself, and now, you are ready to take care of your customers.

10 – It’s fun.

Can you remember a time when you got dressed up; it may have been for a
costume party or when you were younger dressing like one of your ideals? Do you
remember how much fun it was? Well dressing for success can also be fun.
Experiment with different styles and colours, see what is comfortable and engage
the different types of reactions received. Go with what’s most suited for you and
never be afraid to change things up every now and again to ensure excitement.

A few common errors people make in business dressing are −

 Ill-Fitting Clothes − Clothes too big give you a bloated look and too tight
fitting clothes accentuates the body in a non-formal way. In a meeting, you
would not want the attention to shift from you and your presentation
towards your clothes.

 Wearing Short Skirts/Sleeves − Short skirts and sleeves draw attention to

your legs and hands when you sit down. That diverts the attention of the
listeners and appears unprofessional.

 Wearing Short Socks − Short socks, or drooping socks expose skin and
that distracts attention while crossing legs or sitting down. Always go for
socks that cover 3/4th the distance from the ankle to the knee. Avoid
wearing white socks as they immediately draw notice towards themselves.

 Low-Cut or Plunging Tops − Just as with short skirts, this distracts an

interviewer and looks very out of place in a professional environment that
requires a conservative dress code.
 Improper Color Choices − Colors, like green, yellow, red, etc., do not go
down well in corporate circles. They not only draw attention towards
themselves but also look unprofessional.

 Clothes with Quotes, Pictures or Designs − This lends a very informal and
non-serious look to the interviewee. There is always a risk of people
associating the slogans and mottos on the t-shirts to be your personal points
of view.

 Poorly-Maintained Shoes − Shoes are a very important part of your

business attire. Shoes, in a way, announce your arrival even before you
interact with someone, so naturally, it draws a lot of attention. It is for this
reason that your shoes should be always clean and polished.

 Not Dressing Formally For Business Social Events − Even dinners at the
boss’ house are formal business occasions. So, dress accordingly. The
general rule about informal business dressing is that it should be treated as
formal clothing.

 Improper Grooming − Unclipped nails, odorous breath and unkempt hair

are all red-checks. If you are one of those who perspire profusely, use anti-
sweat deodorants. However, keep in mind that the meetings will be mostly
in air-conditioned rooms with very less chance of fresh air entering the
room. So, wear a perfume or deodorant of a mild fragrance.