First impressions count, particularly when attracting and securing new clients. The clothes you wear can play a vital role in this, for multiple reasons.
What we wear affects our mood. That in turn changes our behaviour and how we come across to other people. At the heart of all of this is confidence. And that’s how we, as entrepreneurs, want to feel — confident. Confident to be ourselves, to attract the clients who are ideal to us, and to be vulnerable when need be.
Dressing with confidence is always key. If you put on items that make you feel like someone else, this will come across in everything you do; from a Facebook live, to how you carry yourself in a client meeting. And if you feel uncomfortable, you won’t feel confident.
Who is your ideal client?
If you want to appeal to professionals in the city, consider wearing a slicker, more corporate style of clothing. It could even just be the addition of a blazer, but a more tailored, sharp look will appeal to the city slickers.
Alternatively, a corporate look can be intimidating to some. Consider both your industry and your ideal client, and you can plan your looks around them.
If, for example, your ideal customer is a stay-at-home mum looking to launch her first business, you might want to dress in something that’s either down-to-earth, wearing high street brands — or opt for something more “aspirational”, so they can see the advice you’re giving them has worked for you.
A “style hook”
Wearing something memorable is extremely powerful for keeping you in people’s minds.
A good example of this would be Anna Wintour (the Vogue editor) with her trademark bob and sunglasses. Or Steve Jobs with his black roll neck jumper. A style hook becomes synonymous with you as a brand.
Consider what yours could be and try to feature it in your social media videos as often as you can. It could be a hat, pair of glasses, a statement necklace, silk scarf or bright suit. Make it unique, consistent and memorable.
Colour is important
Did you know that we make quick assumptions about people based on the colour someone is wearing? You can be deemed as powerful, assertive, conservative or playful, depending on what colours you wear. Here are some great examples of colour psychology.
Yellow is pure sunshine! It’s a happy, friendly colour. You will be more approachable to people when wearing yellow. Red is power. It’s attention-grabbing. Red asserts authority and dominance. It’s a fiery, passionate colour.
If you need a trustworthy colour, look no further than blue. Whether it’s navy or cobalt, blue is calming yet authoritative. Black is a handy blank canvas. It can be a powerful colour, but I’d advise against it if you’re wearing black to “hide” or play it safe.
Grey is a fantastic colour to use in the corporate world. It’s not the most dynamic colour but it’s safe, secure and sophisticated. However, I would advise against wearing this colour for social media “stories” on Instagram as it’s not as attention-grabbing as other colours.
Consider a work ‘uniform’
Consider smart, working-from-home comfort, with pieces such as dresses — really comfy when sat at a desk and if you get chilly you can layer tights or some leggings underneath. Jumpsuits can also be comfortable and either a dress or a jumpsuit can easily be smartened up for last minute video calls, by slinging a blazer on top (keep one on the back of your chair. Much smarter than a cardigan).
Dress to impress!
Everyone’s interpretation of dressing to impress varies. The most important aspect is to wear something you feel comfortable in. You are your brand and your business, and if you look uncomfortable in your clothing, you won’t exude confidence.
Consider a co-ord suit in a neutral colour (black or navy). You can dress it down with a smart pair of trainers and a crisp white tee underneath, so you get the perfect balance of entrepreneur with an edge! If you need to dress to impress, consider your footwear. If you wouldn’t usually wear heels, avoid them! Depending on the situation, you may need to walk onto a stage, stand for a length of time or move around a room, networking. Ensure your footwear is comfortable — and clean, too.
Susie Hasler is an award-winning personal stylist who founded Styled By Susie — which helps women with their confidence by dressing them for their body shape and colouring.
