Siddharth Sharma, a marketing professional, was supposed to deliver an important pitch presentation revealing his organization’s new offerings at one of their client’s headquarters. Since he never paid attention to his attire and grooming, his worn-out jeans coupled with a printed T-shirt along with ear studs and dishevelled hair made him appear unprofessional. His unkempt shoes didn’t help his case whatsoever.
The receptionist asked him to remain seated. She dialled a number and he overheard as she spoke into the receiver, “Sir, an individual claiming to be Mr Siddharth Sharma is here for a presentation in Boardroom 3. He doesn’t seem to be the right representative.”
She then hung up the receiver and asked him to proceed to the third floor. His presentation wasn’t received well either because his unpresentable appearance gave an impression of inefficiency and incompetence. Some board members felt that their time was being wasted, and were forced to cut the meeting short, in a seemingly polite manner.
The truth however is that the board members as well as the receptionist found his business dressing, grooming, and accessorizing unacceptable for the place, setting, and occasion. Siddharth would have been taken seriously if he was formally dressed. This is because corporate dressing is an art of professional conduct which reflects on the image of individuals and the organization they represent. A well-dressed and groomed individual is admired because such an appearance emanates a sense of professionalism, discipline, and confidence.
Hence, corporate professionals must lay meticulous importance on their attire, grooming, and accessories. For instance, fitting, clean, and ironed shirts paired with trousers (men) and knee-length skirt suits or pants (women) should be the norm. Long-sleeved shirts must be coupled with ties wherein the tip of it should touch the upper edge of a decent belt. During the winter season, professionals must wear suits to ensure the formal dress etiquette. Men must further ensure that they wear adequate length socks in order to avoid showing any skin while sitting or crossing their legs.
In terms of grooming, it is advisable for men to maintain neat and tidy facial hairstyles and women to tie their hair up in an elegant manner. It must also be ensured that nails are neatly cut. Women should frequently opt for pedicures while wearing toe-revealing sandals. It is also important to smell good with mild perfumes being a recommended option. Accessories must only be worn to add to an individual’s outfit rather than overwhelming it. A minimalistic approach must be adopted while wearing watches and earrings.
The reasons for developing corporate dressing etiquette go beyond mere appearance. It has a more crucial role in work psychology and helps create magnetic personalities filled with charisma and the drive to ensure high thresholds for work effort. The confident energy is transferred throughout the work space in turn creating an admirable atmosphere. Corporate leaders must therefore harness the art of professional dressing by first acquiring the knowledge and implementing in into their organizational work culture. This will invariably raise the standards of employee performance while impressing clients and associates as well.