Most of us are too busy trying to get ahead to think about what we look like while doing it. Sure, we dress up and shine our shoes for an interview, but, day to day, we may not give much thought to the image we're projecting.
That's a mistake, according to Atlanta image experts Cynthia Johnson Bailey, president of Intentional Image Institute, and Aaron
Marino, founder of alpha m. image consulting. We asked them for gender-specific advice for businesspeople. Here's what they said.
Q: What is professional image?
Bailey: Image is your nonverbal communication, and 97 percent of what you project is nonverbal. It's how you look to others — your wardrobe, hair, makeup, skin, body posture and etiquette.
Marino: Image is how others perceive you, including all the nonverbal communication, in the first 10 seconds of meeting you. It's your clothing, grooming, posture, eye contact, smile and breath. In 10 seconds people are already making judgments about your trustworthiness, social worth, confidence, attractiveness and ability to do the job.
Aaron Marino helps men choose the right clothes and the right haircuts, while Cynthia Johnson Bailey gives advice on similar topics to women who want to improve their professional images. Both say that it's important to feel confident about how you look.
Q: How important is it?
Bailey: It's vital — the key to all your success, not only in your personal life, but professionally. If you're not conscious of the image you're projecting, it can undermine your credibility in your job and keep you from achieving goals.
I think it's harder for women. We have to look so much better all the time, and, in some ways, we're still fighting to be taken seriously in the business world. We also judge ourselves more harshly and tragically overestimate our size based on the unrealistic images from fashion magazines.
Marino: It's even more important in today's competitive market. You need every advantage. If you've got a good professional image, you don't have to work as hard to convince people you can do the job.
How you look makes a dramatic difference in how you feel. When you feel good, you're more confident. You stand up straight, talk to others, make new contacts. Productivity goes up.
Q: What things are important in a professional image?
Both Marino and Bailey said that consistency, appropriate clothing and good grooming are important.
The point is to rise to the level of expectations and dress code for whatever situation you're in and to develop your personal style within those limits.
Marino: Take the trouble to dress well every day, not just when you're meeting clients. You'll feel better and work better. If in doubt about what's appropriate for an occasion, better to dress up than down.
Bailey: Don't dress based on your moods. Dress for the person you are and want to be.
I have a few great outfits pulled together, and, on the days I get up tired or in a bad mood, I default to one of these outfits. It brings my mood up.
Q: Is it harder to make appropriate choices in a more casual world?
Bailey: Yes. There are so many different styles of jackets, skirts, blouses and tops for women. It's not always easy to put together a look that is credible and professional and not too old or too young. Trends are for tighter and more revealing clothing — not appropriate for the workplace and not flattering to everyone. Just because they make something in your size doesn't mean you should wear it.
Marino: Yes. There are many definitions of "business casual" or "casual Friday," and that has led to many fashion faux pas, such as guys wearing concert T-shirts, jeans with tapered legs that they've had since college or novelty ties. The tie is the measure of a man and should stand for quality and elegance. Unless you're a stand-up comedian, never wear a novelty tie.
Aaron Marino helps men choose the right clothes and the right haircuts, while Cynthia Johnson Bailey gives advice on similar topics to women who want to improve their professional images. Both say that it's important to feel confident about how you look.
Q: How do you build a professional wardrobe?
Marino: Choose clothes that fit well and are current. This is harder for men, because they don't read fashion magazines and hate to shop. Clean out your closet and get rid of what doesn't fit or you don't like. Take the time to learn what looks good on you. Ask someone you trust. You may not like what you hear, but it's in your best interest to listen. Go shopping with someone who will help, and try things on. Ask clerks for their opinion, and shop where things can be altered.
Men's styles change more slowly than women's, but they do change, which means that you need to update your look occasionally. Pleated pants are out; all that fabric wasn't flattering anyway. What you want to create is a clean line down to your feet — no pleats and no cuffs; you'll look thinner and taller. Socks should not show when you're standing.
When considering a makeover, take baby steps. If your shirts are all solids, choose some with a pattern or stripes. Instead of lace-up shoes, try a loafer. Add more color — start small, like a tie with a bolder design. Instead of beige khakis, buy light brown or green. Aim for a little variety.
Bailey: Women have a tendency to dress based on their moods, instead of aligning their images with their personal goals. If a receptionist wants to be a sales manager, she should go ahead and start projecting that image. It will make it easier to move in that direction.
Build the bones of your wardrobe with the lines, colors and shapes that are perfect for your build. Organize your closet to find out what you're missing, and shop accordingly. When your clothes fit and flatter, you feel confident, and confidence for women is power.
Wear a color palette that goes with your skin tone. The wrong color is subconsciously aggravating to others. A hairstylist or beauty consultant can analyze your best colors. Build your wardrobe around your best colors and features.
Q: How do you add personality to the business uniform?
Marino: Invest in a quality belt or classic shoe. Introduce details that speak to your passions in a subtle and understated way. Cuff links are a great way to do this.
Choose a pair of interesting glasses that accent your face shape. Round frames are a mistake on round faces. Choose rectangular.
Bailey: Use accessories to express your personality and show that you're on top of new trends and colors but not a slave to fashion. If you're a romantic type, you might choose a softer blouse or a pretty scarf to wear with a business suit.
Q: How about grooming tips?
Marino: Clean, neat and well-groomed is the image you want. If your hairstyle was "cool" in 1985, it's time for a change. Trim nose and ear hair. Never try to hide baldness with a comb-over or toupee. Bald is in! You can balance it with some facial hair, but keep it neat.
Pay attention to nails and cuticles; women notice.
Bailey: Invest in good skin-care products. You can't pack more makeup over bad skin. Choose a hairstyle that looks good and fits the time and money you are willing to spend to maintain it.
Eyebrows can do so much for your face. Shaping and arching your brows will open up your eyes, making you look more approachable and trustworthy.
With fragrance, less is more. Perfumes are a source of allergens in other people, and they're distracting.
Q: What are some common mistakes that easily could be remedied?
Bailey: Waiting too long between hair-color treatments so that the roots show, choosing the wrong colors for your skin tone and wearing baggy clothes to hide weight. A good fit and tricks with lines and colors can make you look slimmer and taller.
Marino: Pants that are too short. This can happen when a guy gains a little weight and pulls his pants up higher. Shoes and belts that don't match in color. Wearing white or yellow if you have a pale complexion or gray hair; it makes you look old and tired.
MEET THE EXPERTS
CYNTHIA JOHNSON BAILEY
Bailey, a master cosmetologist and aesthetician, is a hair and makeup artist and an image consultant for the TV and film industry and corporate clients.
Her inspiration to help people create intentional images came from a traumatic experience: She was brutally attacked and shot early in her career.
"It destroyed my mental and physical well-being and my self-esteem," Bailey said. "But it also opened the door to consider the whole idea of image and how powerful it can be to helping you achieve your goals. I didn't want to be controlled by how I was feeling or stuck in the victim role."
She set new goals and "used her knowledge of creating TV characters to rebuild a stronger person." Today, she's doing what she loves, and she shares what she's learned with many groups.
"Image starts within, but you can help how you feel within by what you do on the outside," she said.
On the Web: www.CynthiaJohnson.biz
AARON MARINO
For years, Marino had been giving advice to friends and co-workers about how to look and feel better. Realizing how few resources men had when it came to talking about wardrobe or grooming, he turned pro and founded alpha m. image consulting two years ago.
"The modern man has a lot on his plate — career, family, raising well-adjusted children. Now he also has to be fashionable and well-groomed. So where do they learn the aesthetics of looking good?" he said. "Most of them take their fashion cues from their peers, which is sort of like the blind leading the blind."
Today, Marino has a national client base and trains other consultants to be "a guy's guide."
"It's a fun job. My wife says that I'm the only straight male who knows more about shoes than football," Marino said.
He believes that a good image is grounded in confidence and helped by never taking yourself too seriously.
On the Web: www.alphamimageconsulting.com