The mind of a man is his headquarters; an estate that houses his consciousness. All actions in it are coordinated by the housemaster called perception.
The human mind whether consciously or unconsciously always makes assumptions about others based on their Appearance (grooming, facial expressions and garments).
You must understand that your visual impact is very much as important as verbal impact. The very first aspect of your Image that is immediately available to others is your Appearance. This is what Image Consultants/Experts like to call First Impressions.
I don’t think I can overemphasize the important of First Impression- they can be about attitude as well as clothes. To be very frank with you, we live in a dispensation where perception outranks reality. What people perceive of you when they see you undeniably very important.
It takes only 10 seconds to make a First Impression. During First Impression, people are impressed only by 7% when you speak, 38% by how you speak (tone and eloquence) and a whopping 55% by your appearance- of which your appearance incorporates your facial expression (smile), grooming (hair-cut, body fragrance, etc.) and clothes (outfits). Please note all this are done during perception.
Let me say this, you are created with an estate to house your Image internally, dressing well is an avenue to showcase that Image externally. What your wear sends powerful signals, that’s why paying extra attention to details in your appearance can positively influence your work.
When you dress well, you look like you have got your act together. Dressing well increases your internal confidence plus it creates a halo effect around you giving rise to opportunities that will never come if you are poorly dressed. Fashion is general, while Style is much more a personal thing. You must always think royal in your style, you have to look like a king to be treated as one.
There is a saying within my industry that am sure your must have heard: “Dress for the job you want to have, not the one you currently have”. As a leader you have to always dress the way you want to be perceived; if serious, then dress serious. You have to understand that your outfit is an expression and elongation of your thoughts and personality.
Your appearance strongly influences other people’s perception about your Personality, Values, Authority, Financial Success, Trustworthiness, Intelligence, Confidence and most importantly Suitability for Hire.
When you dress well and good, you directly project three important characteristics/qualities. They are
- Dominance (Authority),
- Leadership
- Resourcefulness.
These are qualities that trigger attractiveness signals in the mind of others, in other words it causes people to automatically like you. You have to understand that people buy with emotions first and justify with logic later.
As I end this piece, I ask:
Your outfit speaks volumes, are yours saying the right things?
Do they portray you as a Leader or as a Beggar?
The way you dress is always the way you will be addressed. Think on these.
Eminence is Attainable!!!
Satoriallly Yours,
Gabriel Adewale Balogun
Image Consultant | Fashion Designer | Dress Coach
