Here is how your personal appearance affects You
Clothing has a way of transforming an individual’s state of mind.If you dress like a professional businessman and you’re more likely to act like a professional businessman. There is a saying that “you are addressed the way you are dressed”. The effect of your dress on how you are perceived by people is enormous and instant. The interesting thing is that few people use the power of Dressing even when its impact is so visible.
Here are few ways how you dress affect you and how other people perceive and interact with you.
Dressing professionally improves self discipline
What comes to your mind when you see a US Navy seal personnel? Discipline! The world’s finest militaries are known for sharply dressed soldiers and all that comes to mind when we see them is Discipline, and truly, they are more disciplined than ragtag militias. This is because military force pay attention to the details and it’s in the details that battles are won.
Similarly, a person who dresses professionally learns the value of self discipline. They learn that planning and allotting enough time are paramount for consistent results. They prepare for the day by thinking through it, anticipating their needs, and taking the proper steps to ensure they can meet the challenge.
Appreciation and respect
Properly clothing yourself takes time; shirts need to be ironed, shoes shined, and jackets brushed. When you meet a well dressed person you give him an extra measure of respect because of his outfit; you notice the perfect dimple in his tie and appreciate it because it took you 15 minutes and 5 attempts to perfect your own.
The power of visuals
Numerous communication studies have demonstrated the power of visuals in human interaction. Some studies have shown that visual cues are 3times to 5times as powerful as audio cues. With clothing covering 90% of your body, it can’t be stressed enough as to how important a role it plays in how you are perceived by others. Want faster & better service in a restaurant? Look like you have money and wear a navy blazer.
First impressions
Made within a few seconds, first impressions are powerful and should not be taken lightly. We often observe a person before we speak with them, and being human we look to make sense of what our eyes are showing us. Using our personal experiences, we categorize individuals; we pick-up on a key feature that has meaning to us and then associate that person with it. If what you are wearing is doing all the talking for you, make sure it is sending the message you want.
The power of colors and patterns
Colors and patterns are very powerful; certain ones grab our attention, some accentuate our natural tones, and others affect our emotions. When choosing colors and patterns, you should first understand which ones work for you and which ones do not. Then you need to determine what message you want to send. If you dress in a pin-striped navy blue suit, blue shirt with white contrasting collar and cuffs, and a red tie; you screams power and authority. On another occasion let say you wore a solid brown suit with an earth tone shirt and light colored tie; you signal trust and openness. In both situations, you were wearing suits, but conveyed two very different.
Positive assumptions
Well dressed people are often perceived as being smarter, funnier, and more enjoyable to be around. For example, dressing professionally can help you appear more important to the success of your company and may even help you hold onto your job.
Conclusion
Though, book should not be judged by its cover, but in our fast paced society a book’s cover can be just as important as its content. Being well dressed is not everything; you have got to perform well to succeed. But in a competitive world it pays to understand the importance of your clothing and grooming. Investing the proper resources into your personal presentation will multiply your ability to succeed.