How To Look Your Professional Best -- Males

Your physical appearance, words, voice tone, and mannerisms can express to others the person you are inside. Clothing allows you to reveal how you want to be perceived by others. In 75 to 95 percent of the cases, one is judged for such things as hiring or promotion in the first 2 to 3 minutes of visual contact. Your appearance plays a major role in this perception. Clothing can easily be changed to maximize strong points and to camouflage weak points.

How will people know that you are a professional? You will look the part by your overall physical condition and appearance. Clothing allows you to state who you are, and it helps you to reach professional goals. If your clothing is attractive and well-coordinated, you feel more confident, and this is reflected in your behavior. On the other hand, if your clothes are unattractive or not well-coordinated, you may withdraw, evoking a negative reaction from other people.

It is easier for a man than for a woman to project a clear clothing message. There may not be as much style confusion in bridging several roles such as father, husband, and professional.

Certain kinds of clothes are appropriate for working men. Fashion taste and good judgment are essential for an adequate, professional wardrobe. Analyze appropriate clothes for your chosen career, then plan your wardrobe around that description.

Your Image Is Showing

When other people look at you, they make judgments about you based on what they see. They may judge your ability and disposition by that first impression. Appearance creates a picture of who you are. When other people lack personal information about you, they may use your personal appearance to judge your character.

By changing any part of your appearance such as hairstyle, grooming, or clothing, you can change the total image others have of you. Appearance can be a powerful and useful tool in controlling the kind of message you send to others.

Plan Your Career Wardrobe

It is normal to feel you don't have enough suitable clothes for various professional occasions. You may need to coordinate your wardrobe to create more outfits from your existing items. It is possible to spend a great deal of money on clothes yet not really be well-dressed. If you plan your clothing purchases, this need not happen to you.

Determine what you already have that is useful and that looks good on you. Get rid of garments you have negative feelings about. Clean and straighten your closet in the process.

After you determine which items are still usable and comfortable, plan additions to your career wardrobe. It is unlikely you can afford to expand your wardrobe all at once; so plan to update your wardrobe by adding to it gradually.

A plan for an adequate wardrobe is never completely finished. It changes as you change and as your clothing goals and ideas change.

Business Dress Scale

* small geometric or abstract patterns printed or woven onto a solid background
** small objects such as ducks, golf clubs, horseshoes, etc., embroidered onto a solid color background

A Basic Career Wardrobe

Carefully select and coordinate a few basic garments. Choose solid colors and subdued prints you can mix and match with solid colors or multicolored companion pieces.

• Suits should be as year-round as possible. Wool selections are available that can help you meet this goal.
• Jacket or blazers can be worn with more garments in your wardrobe if they are solid in color or have a subdued pattern.
• Pants should offer a variety of medium to dark colors and durable fabrics.
• Shirts should include a variety of whites, other lights, and stripes. You could include a fashionable offering or two in chambray or denim, depending on goals and personal preferences.
• Ties of medium width are considered classic and can be worn with current fashions.
• Belts should be made of good-quality leather in a subdued color.
• Shoes can be chosen from lace-up selections (for more formal professional wear) or slip-on selections (for casual professional wear).
• Coats also should offer classic details in good-quality fabric. Both full-tailored and all-weather versions are acceptable.

Wardrobe Planner

A Professional Look

Studies have shown that certain clothes lend an air of authority to the person wearing them. If you would like to enhance your authority on the job, consider these suggestions.

• Wear quality.
• Wear a jacket, with a long-sleeve shirt.
• Wear subtle, sophisticated colors such as navy, dark gray, black, taupe, etc. If bright colors are becoming to you, wear them in a tie print or a shirt stripe.
• Wear small, sophisticated prints and tweeds rather than large shapes and designs.
• Carry a fine leather briefcase, preferably in a dark color.
• Keep consistently high standards to your look. Always look and act professional.
• A vest is usually considered "authoritative" for presidents or top level executives.

A starter wardrobe that meets the professional dressing needs of most businesses/professions is 2 suits, 2 jackets/blazers, 3 trousers, and 10 shirts. Compare the items you listed earlier with this recommended starter wardrobe to determine your current needs. If there is a great difference between what you already have and what you need, don't try to buy everything at once. It often takes years to build a classic, effective wardrobe. A few good-quality clothes are better than many poor-quality clothes.

Dressing Do's for Men

• Do wear socks that blend with your slacks and shoes.
• Do wear socks that cover the calf.
• Do wear a thin watch with leather straps or with a gold or stainless band.
• Do wear clothes that fit well.
• Do wear clothes that are well-coordinated. If needed, ask for help in coordinating color, style, fabric, and pattern.
• Do wear clothes that are well-pressed.
• Do wear clothes that feel comfortable.
• Do keep a beard/mustache neat and trimmed.

Dressing Don'ts for Men

• Don't wear slacks that are too long or too short.
• Don't wear clothes that are soiled or in need of repair.
• Don't wear loud, flashy clothes.
• Don't wear a tie that is too short or too long (tip of tie should end near the center of the belt buckle).
• Don't wear clip-on ties, which are seldom the right length.
• Don't wear shoes that are not shined or that have run-down heels.
• Don't wear clothes that are out of style.
• Don't wear too many patterns (shirt, tie, and jacket should offer a maximum of two patterns).
• Don't wear neck chains unless you know they are accepted by your firm.
• Don't wear earrings.

Hints for Body Builds

To Look Taller and Thinner

• Wear clothes that fit well (too tight or too loose clothes add pounds).
• Wear solid colors, preferably in the same color range, from head to toe.
• Avoid stiff fabrics and nubby textures.
• Wear darker tones in smooth fabrics with flat finishes.
• Limit stripes to very fine, subdued, and close-together versions.
• Wear two-button jackets with natural shoulders.
• Wear trousers with vertical pockets, which are more slenderizing than slanted pockets.
• Wear trousers at the natural waist (never below). If needed, wear suspenders.
• Choose suspenders with buttons instead of clips.
• Wear hemmed, not cuffed, trousers.
• Wear classic-length jackets, preferably without vests.
• Avoid too many accessories.
• Be sure your tie touches the waistband and that it is medium in width.
• Avoid busy patterns.

To Look Shorter and/or Heavier

• Wear contrasting colors in mix-and-match separates.
• Wear bolder colors as accents, if desired.
• Wear patch pockets or styling details.
• Wear layers.
• Choose double-breasted coats.
• Choose a broad-shoulders style, with a slightly tapered (not fitted) body and with adequate length. Three-button jackets often look best.
• Wear spread-color shirts and slightly wider ties, with Windsor knots.
• Wear thin-soled, trim-looking shoes.
• Select a top coat in a huskier fabric. It can be full or belted and should fall below the knee.
• Wear trousers with deep pleats, cuffs, and full legs.
• Limit using the same color from head to toe.
• Limit the use of narrow vertical stripes, very narrow ties, and pointed lapels.

Necktie Knots

There are three basic necktie knots. The following are mirror reflection directions for tying each:

The Four-in-Hand*

1. Start with wide end of tie on your right, extending it a foot below narrow end.
2. Cross wide end over narrow end and back underneath.
3. Continue around, passing wide end across front of narrow end once more.
4. Pass wide end up through loop.
5. Holding front of knot loose with index finger, pass wide end down through loop in front.
6. Remove finger and tighten knot carefully. Draw up tight to color by holding narrow end and sliding knot up snugly.

The Half Windsor

1. Start with wide end of tie on your right, extending it a foot below narrow end.
2. Cross wide end over narrow end and turn back underneath.
3. Bring up and turn down through loop.
4. Pass wide end around front from left to right.
5. Then, up through loop...
6. and down through knot in front. Tighten carefully and draw up to collar.

The Bow Tie

1. Start with end in left hand, extending 1 1/2" below that in right hand.
2. Cross longer end over shorter end and pass up through loop.
3. Form front loop of bow by doubling up shorter end (hanging) and placing across collar points.
4. Hold this front loop with thumb and forefinger of left hand. Drop long end down over front.
5. Place right forefinger, pointing up, on bottom half of hanging part. Pass up behind front loop and...
6. poke resulting loop through knot behind front loop. Even ends and tighten.

* The four-in-hand knot is the one most recommended for traditional professional wear.

Career in Color

Colors can enhance your appearance. The colors you wear are determined by your feelings about color, by your personality, and by your personal coloring.

Look at your coloring, which is created by complexion, hair, and eyes. You can hold different colors next to your face and see the different effects they will have. Although all colors will not compliment your face, you can still wear them away from your face. Find your best colors and build a coordinated wardrobe around them.

What is your best color?

What is your second best color?

When you build your wardrobe around two or three basic colors, you can maximize your choices for mixing and matching. This also allows you to increase the number of outfits without increasing the number of garments you own. Here are some things to remember about color.

• Light colors make you appear larger.
• Bright colors make you appear larger.
• Dark colors make you appear smaller.
• Dull colors make you appear smaller.
• Bright colors with textures make skin blemishes more obvious.
• Bright colors in large amounts become tiresome quickly.

The Finishing Touches

Hair, nails, and fragrances are important final touches that should not be neglected. Remember: understatement is always better than overdoing.

Hair. Keep hair simple, clean, and well-cut. A conservative professional appearance requires hair to be cut above the ears. Also, facial hair is discouraged for a conservative appearance. If you prefer to wear facial hair, keep it neat and trimmed.

Nails should be clean, trimmed, and in good condition at all times. Use hand lotion for rough, chapped hands to avoid making a bad impression when shaking hands.

Fragrances should be kept to a minimum. Some people are allergic to fragrances. If in doubt, don't use them.

Evaluate for Quality

To get the most for your investment, learn to judge quality in the clothes you buy. Being able to recognize quality is a great asset. Become a wise shopper, and you will understand why seemingly similar garments may vary greatly in price. The quality you look for should depend on garment use. Fads and occasional pieces need not be of the best quality. Coats, suits, and other basic items that you will wear often and for a long time should be of the best quality you can afford. Remember, high prices in clothes do not always mean high quality. Use the checklist below to evaluate your prospective clothing purchases before you buy.

Evaluating Your Clothing Purchases

Shopping Tips

• Shop early for the best selection and to find the size, color, and style you want.
• Find two to three clothing manufacturers that have your type of clothing preference and look for those brands.
• Find two or three shops/stores you like and stay with them.
• When shopping in a department store, look for special "career shops" and see what the models and mannequins are wearing.
• Don't be an impulsive shopper or an indecisive one.
• Be a cautious shopper. Buy for a need, not for a want.
• Before you buy, be satisfied with price, fit, style, and color.

References

Boswell, S. Menswear: Suiting the Customer, 1993, Regents/Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

Weiland, B. Clothing Sense, 1984, Palmer Pletsch Associates, Portland, OR.

Thompson, J. Image Impact for Men, 1983, A&W Publishers, New York, NY.

How To Look Your Professional Best - Females, MSU-ES Publication 1476, 1993.

Finding Work: Dressing for the Job, Cooperative Extension Service, Clemson University.

Success Image, Self Incorporated, 1990.

Shinn, George. Leadership Development, Glenco Publishing, Blacklick, OH.

By Everlyn S. Johnson, Ph.D., Extension Apparel and Textiles Specialist.

Mississippi State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or veteran status.

Publication 1974
Extension Service of Mississippi State University, cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published in furtherance of Acts of Congress, May 8 and June 30, 1914. Ronald A. Brown, Director

Copyright by Mississippi State University. All rights reserved.

This document may be copied and distributed for nonprofit educational purposes provided that credit is given to the Mississippi State University Extension Service.