It’s easy to make minor slip-ups that compromise the image we wish to project to those around us. Some men aren’t even aware of the mistakes they are making on a day-to-day basis. Success is in the details and in this blog, we will be discussing some simple ways you can improve the finer details of your image.
Image Improvements
As we’ve written about previously, image is about the ABC’s – appearance, behavior, and communication. The four improvements we describe below will deal directly with appearance, behavior, or communication. More often than not, there will be overlap among these concepts too.
Shine Your Shoes
Shoes will tell you everything you need to know about a man. Are they cared for, beaten up, well-worn, or fresh out of the box? Part of maximizing the impact of your appearance is to wear clothing that’s in good repair. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a $5000, perfectly-fitted custom suit – if your shoes are scuffed or have other aesthetic problems like severely worn heels or holes in the soles, you’ll come off as sloppy on the details.
We published a guide to a very quick shoe shine previously. For anything more involved than that, Google “cobbler near me” and enlist his or her services.
Get Clothes That Fit
Fit is king, period. No one wants to look like they are wearing tight hand-me-downs or their father’s oversized jacket. A well-fitted $2 t-shirt will make its wearer look better than a poorly-fitted $550 shirt you might pick up at Neiman Marcus. Wearing clothes that fit well will make you carry yourself more confidently, and those with whom you interact will notice this and likely treat you better than they may have otherwise. This is, without question, the strongest reason to visit a custom tailor like Henry A. Davidsen. In terms of fit, there’s simply no substitute for clothing that has been made expressly for you.
Color Coordination Properly
Most men are not taught proper color coordination principles when they are young. This leads to a lifetime of safe yet boring outfits. Simple rules and concepts can allow you to step outside of the mundane and be more memorable for your sense of style. Explore our blog post on color coordination to learn some simple principles.
There are a few easy rules of thumb. Neutral colors pair well with primary colors, meaning that a grey suit with a blue shirt would look smashing with a red or yellow tie. Earth tones look great together. An Olive sport coat would go very well with a brown sweater for a night out. Finally, white pocket squares go with everything.
Ah’s & Um’s
Speech is one of the more straightforward ways that humans communicate, so it’s important to be mindful of what you say and how you say it. How you say something deals with your tone of voice, your accent, and how clearly you speak.
One thing we are all guilty of – image consultants are lumped in here too – is relying on filler “words” like “ah,” “um.” These non-words indicate, rightfully or not, a lack of thoughtfulness or low self-confidence. They hardly inspire confidence from your audience’s end. Do your best to eliminate these non-words from your vocabulary, as difficult a task as that may be.
Other filler words to avoid are:
- “Like”: Using the word “like,” after, like, every, like, word in a sentence, is something that seems to endure among Millenials and Gen Z. It’s a great way to lose your audience and make yourself sound vapid. Train yourself to use the word “like” only when it, ahem, like, makes sense.
- “You know?”: Lots of folks use this at the end of their statements to elicit agreement and ensure that the other person is listening. The only problem is that the other person doesn’t necessarily know. The question serves the person asking it (by making him more comfortable) than it does the person responding.
- “Right?” This is just “you know?” by another name and you should avoid it for the same reasons.
Conclusion
We hope these tips are helpful and provide you with some value. We’re ready to talk about your image if you are – give us a call at 215-310-0219 or email info@henrydavidsen.com to start the conversation.
