The Power of Personal Appearance

 It is a very prejudiced world because we are all so judged by our personal appearance. Yet others have mastered their appearance and how it affects their career's and personal relationships.  I would like to think of it as "The Power of Personal Appearance” and how it can change your life.

 If you take a look around your workplace there are, likely just a handful of executives who would qualify for GQ or Vogue. The majority of these people are authentic as they have their own personal style of dress code, hairstyle, the watches they wear and the labels that they choose to associate themselves with.

Even within your circle of friends you can tell who draws attention to themselves by the clothing they wear and their style of personal grooming make the person.

 Now some staunch personalities might say, ‘I don’t need to look attractive or appealing to get ahead’. My response would is, if you don't worry about don’t worry about chances are you won’t have to worry about getting ahead.

In fact I was actually asked by someone who was a colleague of mine (about 15 years ago), how many times do I wear a shirt before I take it in for dry cleaning? After my initial shock, I said; "every time I wear the shirt". The came my second shock, he was leaning against the wall with one arm up as the stain on the armpit of his shirt exposed itself.

 These are Exec-Guy’s rules on how to obtain “The Power of Personal Appearance” you can likely expand on the rules however you will get the idea.

 The Outside: 

1. Always wear fresh smelling clothing.
2. Never wear anything twice in 48 hours unless it has been washed.
3. Shoes polished, not torn and heels not worn down.
4. Anyone wearing open toed shoes get pedicure, you may like you digits but not everyone else will. Especially in business.
5. Pants always clean and pressed a reoccurring stain will be noticed and may earn you a label of sloth.
6. Socks dark blue or black and no holes on the heels or toes.
7. Stay in tune with the times buy and wear what is in style.
8. No shame for a guy to browse GQ in the bookstore.
9. Shirts remember, “ring around the collar” if the dry cleaner can’t remove it, time for a new shirt.
10. Remember what your mom always said to wear clean underwear in case you get into an accident.
11. Go to an upscale optical store retire those old glasses.

 The Inside: 

1. If you smoke make sure you don’t smell like stale tobacco.
2. Smokers and heavy red wine, coffee and tea drinkers use a teeth whitener.
3. Brush your teeth twice a day and use mouthwash.
4. Men when shaving be clean and sideburns trim. If you have beard keep it consistent.
5. If you dye your hear do it routinely so you don’t look that obvious. 
6. Body odors, eliminate them buy a deodorant you are comfortable with and stick with it.
7. Don’t spray cologne on top of perspiring skin nothing smells more stale.
8. Body weight, stay trim first and foremost for your own health. Second lean is in, it is a judgmental world and as good as you may be at you job it’s the man or woman that is perceived to care enough about their total appearance that gets the job or date for that matter.
9. If you have an overweight problem that you are managing get clothes that compliment you and do not tear down the image you want to portray.
10. Get into an exercise program and manage your weight and physique.

 What to do next? 

1. Ask someone who you can trust to give you the unvarnished truth.
2. Hire a personal style coach, for a little bit of money you can change the view others have of you.
3. Go to a high-end clothing store tell the style specialist on the floor about the image you want to have and watch them transform you. Get lots of ideas and buy nothing or what little you can.
4. Make changes in a subtle manner to drastic and it draws unnecessary attention.

 As an executive everything matters even if a hair is out of sort I don’t want to look like a mad scientist or that I lost the fight with my pen. If you want to change your life, your career, your personal relationships start by doing an honest assessment of yourself. And remember the only thing holding you back is you.

 Exec- Guy