I realize that not everyone is going to be bold or outgoing, but what do you have or what do you do to make yourself stand out. I mean this from a “make people remember you in a good way” perspective…
I am sure you have all heard so many times that you can never make a first impression again, so you want to do it right…well, I am here to tell you that while it is possible to shift someones perspective of you over time, that first impression is vital!
I think I have told you about my oldest son and what he said about me…he told everyone that one huge thing that he learned from me was that “no matter what you are doing, make sure you look your best while doing it!” – notice that I never told him that he needed to look “perfect” or that he needed to impress anyone, rather that he should put the right amount of effort into making sure that he was the best HE could be. I think sometimes it’s easy to fall into the trap of dressing and acting the way that others think we should. Obviously there is some amount of etiquette that is required to be successful in business, and that also applies to what you wear, but other than following those simple rules, I truly believe that we hold so much power about how others perceive us.
Dressing the part is not the only thing to consider when thinking about what makes you stand out…it is also important to consider how you communicate with people, how genuine or authentic you are, how efficient you are, and how reliable you are. Have you heard the expression “perception is reality” – I didn’t realize what a true statement that was until I had an experience where I thought I was expressing my style in a way that I thought was appropriate. I was working in an office and it was at a time when the sating spaghetti strap tops were in style. I was wearing a business pant suit with a jacket and when I came back to the office I took off the jacket because it was hot. It wasn’t until someone told me that the General Manager thought the top looked like lingerie that I realized I was not representing our company in an appropriate way – even though I had worn a jacket while I was meeting with clients, what he saw lead him to believe that was how I was dressing all the time. It sounds really obvious, but sometimes styles can lead us in a direction that is not really where we want to go. From then on, I have been really careful to consider how others might perceive what I was wearing, because there is nothing worse than someone thinking something about you that isn’t true.
Now, I use my style to demonstrate that I am professional and confident, but that doesn’t mean I don’t wear unique clothes, I just make sure that they are appropriate for whatever I am doing or where I am going.
Above are some great business outfit examples, feel free to shop them below if you are looking for some great ideas for yourself!