The Appearance of Success by Marc LeVine

Good grooming and hygiene are essential. It's never too early to start being concerned about your appearance - first impressions are everything. - Robert Parish

It’s been a long while since most companies required formal business attire on the job, daily.?Some companies remain stricter than others regarding dress code. Industries such as banking, accounting, law, government, and finance often require business professional dress in the workplace. Some jobs that require formal attire include political consultant, accountant, broadcaster, funeral director, investment banker and lawyer. However, dress codes vary by industry and by environment.

The trend of companies doing away with suits and ties in the office started back in the 1990s. ?But isolated change was already underway in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The concept and practice of “Casual Fridays” began at computer-giant Hewlett-Packard which permitted their employees to dress more casually on Fridays to rev up their creative juices. The policy didn’t spread more universally until many decades later, however.

In 2016, JPMorgan Chase relaxed its famously rigid office dress code; Goldman Sachs did the same, acknowledging that the move was necessary to attract top tech talent, who were pretty much done with stuffy business attire. ?As a result, between 2015 and 2019, sales of men’s suits dipped 8%, and sales of men’s neckwear fell along with them. ?What began as a modest transition sped up during the Covid Pandemic as more people worked from home and held many of their meetings, virtually. ?In most cases, employer branded polo shirts and neat khakis or blue jeans have replaced the old more formal suit and tie.

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While most modern employees enjoy feeling more comfortable at work wearing their favorite casual attire, the guardrails have completely come off in some places. ?Many people have become lax regarding their wardrobe choices and attention to grooming. Unkempt hair, rude tee shirts and ripped jeans have shown up at work more often than most managers might prefer. Such is not the best of looks for clientele seeking confidence in those they hope to conduct business with.

There are costly consequences for coming off looking sloppy and unprofessional at work in front of managers and customers. Physical appearance gives immediate clues about one’s level of professionalism in the workplace and competence in their roles. ?A certain level of neatness is expected in most businesses, even those with a very casual dress code. Sloppy dressing and personal presentation imply that you don’t care about your job, even if that’s not the case.

How to dress for work depends on the level of formality, the industry, and the occasion of your work environment. ?The business professional look has the most conservative dress code, requiring a suit and tie or a pantsuit or skirt suit. Business formal is a dressed-up version of business professional, usually for events like awards ceremonies and benefit dinners. Business casual and casual are more flexible and allow for jeans, colors, and styles that express your personality, if they are not faded, ripped, or inappropriate.?A general rule of thumb is to dress more traditionally and professionally if you deal with a client’s money or a member of the board.?Obviously, that’s where the need to project confidence, competence and professionalism comes in – dealing with a client’s financial assets.

And it is not all about clothing choices. Attention to grooming refers to the practice of paying attention to body hygiene, personal cleanliness, groomed nails, hair, absence of body odor and dressing well. It is an important part of your image and demonstrates respect for yourself and for others.

There are many benefits to maintaining a good personal appearance, including attention paid to grooming. ?Dressing well can help position you for success. People who dress better have more confidence, feel more powerful, and are more focused on details. Being well-groomed can have a positive impact on your career and how others perceive you, as well. ?It can give you a bolstered sense of self-esteem which affects how you come across to others. If you feel unkempt, you will appear diffident in your outlook. This will impact negatively on how people perceive you.

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The Author

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Marc LeVine is a graduate of Syracuse (NY) University with a degree in Industrial Psychology, Marc is currently Talent Acquisitions and Learning and Development Lead at Thermo Systems. He is the recipient of the Excellence in Talent Acquisitions Award from HR Awards in 2021.

Marc's prior employment includes senior Human Resources and Staffing Industry management roles with Edgewood Properties in Piscataway, NJ, Brickforce Staffing in Edison, NJ, InfoPro Inc. in Woodbridge NJ and Plainsboro, NJ and Harvard Industries in Farmingdale, NJ, a former Fortune 500 company. He also served as Director of Human Resources for New Jersey Press, the parent company of the Asbury Park Press, Home News and Tribune and WKXW-NJ101.5. Earlier in his career, Marc served as Director of Career Services and Placement at Union Technical Institute in Eatontown and Neptune, NJ. In addition, Marc owned and operated Integrity Consulting Associates, a New Jersey based Human Resources and Social Media Marketing firm for 11 years. Marc also served as Council President in his hometown of Freehold Borough, NJ