An extract from 'How to Dress for Business' and 20 years as a business wear supplier and image consultant. What jobs should not use dress codes and if so can damage their company! When should personal image be replaced with a professional dress code...
Over the years I have observed how visual communication impacts on people's lives and careers.It has taken me on an interesting journey discovering the power of clothing as an essential business tool which I refer to as "your suit of armour". It is a necessary tool for every business person whether you're a company director, freelance professional, politician, micro business or large corporation.
It ceases to amaze me that even in this day and age most companies from your micro business to corporation don't take financial account of the impact and relevance of their "Professional Image" and their "Staff's" image as a key factor to building a congruent brand image.
I first discovered the power of clothing very early on as an unconfident youth who loved designing and making my own clothes motivating me to study fashion design. My motivation to inspire others confidence and self esteem led me to train as a Colour & Image consultant, and later establishing of my business of 17 years in the contract management and supply of professional business wear and uniforms.
Corporations spend millions of pounds every year on their marketing activities for brand development but often dismiss the most obvious and essential ingredient their "staff". That "first impressions" of you and your employees will either build or destroy your consumer's perception and confidence of your products, services and brand and directly affect your companies' profitability in an increasingly competitive global market.
From my experiences as a designer, image consultant and corporate wear business owner and supplier my goal was to provide the tools and knowledge on how to evaluate the correct needs for your company to create a visual representation of your companies values, ethos and culture through you and your staff's professional image...........................
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Chapter 1
Many years ago I was invited as a young entrepreneur to attend the first Entrepreneurial Convention in the European Parliament in Brussels, one evening during a dinner for some of the British delegates I met a retired gentlemen who was a representative and volunteer for a leading British entrepreneur charity where we had an in depth conversation on the subject of image.
He recalled for me his first job as a young apprentice in the 1940's in journalism, where on arriving for his first day at work he was sent to the Editors office, on Bond Street. I waited patiently for over an hour in the Editors reception, only to be instructed by the secretary that I was to spend the day standing on the corner of Bond Street, with one clear instruction "to people watch", and not to return until the end of the day.
At the end of the day I returned to the Editors office where the secretary told me to go home and return the next day.
The next day I returned to his office as instructed and waited patiently. Finally the editor appeared in the reception instructing his secretary that he would be back in 30 minutes, at that the Editor turned and nodded and gestured for me to follow him. As he walked briskly downstairs and out onto Bond Street he asked "So George what did you learn yesterday? " Nervously, I answered there's a lot of people on Bond Street.
The editor took me to the corner of Bond Street and stepping backwards into the recess of a closed door way asked "What do you see, George?". Before you start any career in journalism the most valuable lesson I can teach you is this
"People can tell you a million things without uttering a single word, and if you want to learn one of the most valuable communication tools in life and master journalism, you must first learn how to read people". '' Many stories can be told by our appearance, clothing, grooming, posture, facial expressions; it communicates our personality, attitude, emotions, economical and social status, sophistication and success.''
He maintained that no matter what generation or culture you come from, whether you are standing on Bond Street in London, Time Square in New York, standing in a room full of strangers or meeting someone for the first time before you open your mouth you have already told your story and firmly established that very important "first impression" rightly or wrongly
