The first thing that you need to remember is that first impressions count when dressing for a business meeting. And they don’t only count when you’re at work. Whether you are out in public, at a meeting or going on a date, it is vital that you make a great first impression. For now I am going to focus on business meetings and how to ensure that you can dress the part so that you can make the right impression on your colleagues, managers and business associates.
You could speak to hundreds of people a day while Europe work. Many of these might only be over the phone or via email. You could have a great relationship with the client or manager over the phone, but this could all be blown out of the water if you do not make a good first face-to-face impression when you meet them. So in order to figure out how to dress the part it is important to understand the circumstances for which you are dressing.
How Smart Do You Go?
There are many cases where dressing too smartly could also give off a bad impression. Just because you wear your best newly dry cleaned suit a designer tie doesn’t mean that it is suitable for the occasion. Nowadays, many business meetings are more informal, and if this is the case it is important to dress as such. So before you decide what you are going to wear, you need to decide where you are wearing it to.
Don’t Forget the Fun
For a more informal business meeting, you may find that a quirky accessory such as a pair of green suspenders will go down really well with your managers or clients. Not all businesses are stuffy and traditional and this may be a look that would be perfectly suited. But it is also important to remember that in order to wear something like this it is important that you know how to pull off suspenders, otherwise the look will not be natural and your stylish hopes will just look ridiculous.
Important Things to Consider
Once you’ve taken into account how smart your outfit needs to be, it is important that you wear something suitable, not just for the formality, but also for the climate, the country and the activity. It can be a hard sequence to get right the perfect outfit, for the perfect meeting, for the perfect weather. But if you put enough thought into it, it is possible. Just try to take everything into account, have a couple of outfit choices depending on the weather or if there are any drastic last-minute changes.
Why is it So Important?
Simply, because judgements are made in a split second. You only have one chance to make a first impression and it needs to count. Looking sharp and being confident is your ticket to success. So don’t forget to pay attention to your environment and your outfit – you never know where it might get you.