Fare Bella Figura - Make A Good Impression, Be A Sharp Dressed Man, Episode #116

Fare Bella Figura - Make A Good Impression, Be A Sharp Dressed Man, Episode #116 (Video here:https://bit.ly/4fwKdTI )

In business today, people judge us immediately based on how we are dressed, before we even get to say one word. Unfair? Yep! I run my own soft skills corporate training business in Tokyo. Every day I carefully choose my clothes to determine that so important first impression. How do you handle it?

This day I had an Executive Coaching session and later that evening an excellent kaiseki dinner with a happy client at Tonami Restaurant in Kagurazaka near Iidabashi Station. We delivered the Leadership Training For Managers Course to his top leaders, grooming one of them to become this successor. I first met this CEO at the American Chamber New Year Party at the Tokyo American Club in Azabudai. I had been there trying to find new clients for hours, my feet were getting tired and I was thinking about heading home. I happened to bump into this CEO as I was heading for the door and we had a brief chat. Of course I followed up and we met over lunch for a discussion on what he needed. After we delivered the training he invited me and the trainer to dinner, so I needed to look very sharp and approachable.

I chose my custom single breasted navy chalk stripe suit with notch lapels, flap pockets, side vents, double cuffs and over the calf navy socks. The blue and black alternating stripe shirt with French Cuffs was custom with fabric by Lanvin, the collar stays were horn from Kirby Allison, the light blue pocket square from Paul Stuart, my handmade Italian navy and white broad stripe Shantung tie from Rampley & Co in London tied with a dimple in a Four-In-Hand because the Shantung silk is so thick a double Windsor is out of the question. This was an experiment to see how the rough Shantung silk look would pair with a chalk stripe suit. The rougher texture in the suit and the tie is close and I thought it would be a good match and I believe it worked - what do you think?

You might be thinking that is a lot of stripes - shirt, suit and tie. Don't forget the cufflinks which were navy with mother of pearl stripes, so even more stripes in this ensemble.

This exercise was an example of layering with stripes, starting with the shirt stripe being the narrowest width, followed by the width of the chalk stripe suit and finally the very broad stripe in the tie. In this way, the stripes did not compete or create chaos with each other. The secret was to start from narrow and gradually go wider.

The silver corporate badge from Dale Carnegie, the pen was my black and gold Mont Blanc, the business card holder from Lanvin, the watch my vintage gold 24m Cartier Tank Francaise with a black nubuck alligator strap.

The high shine shoes were Pollini Derbys with wingtip design and a decorative medallion. I have a lot of wingtip designs for my Pollini shoes and that is simply explained. When I was younger and buying shoes earlier in my career, I though Italian shoes were very sophisticated. Mitchell Ogilvee from Ogilvees in Brisbane introduced me to the brand. I had no idea about men's classic clothing, so when I started work at JLW, Mitch was my guide on what I needed to look professionaI. I stuck with Pollinis, buying more whenever I visited Italy.

At that time I didn't know what I was doing, so I found plain Oxfords very boring. I didn't have any knowledge of shoes then, so I didn't distinguish between the formality of Oxfords and the more casual nature of Derbys with lots of brogueing. Australia, and Brisbane in particular, are casual societies, so formality wasn't high on my list of priorities.

We had a Leadership Training For Managers public class taking place in the Mochizuki Room this day, so we headed outside for this shot outside my office in Akasaka.

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About The Author

Dr. Greg Story, President Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training

Contact me at [email protected]

Bestselling author of “Japan Sales Mastery” (the Japanese translation is "The Eigyo" (The営業), “Japan Business Mastery” and "Japan Presentations Mastery".? He has also written "How To Stop Wasting Money On Training" and the translation "Toreningu De Okane Wo Muda Ni Suru No Wa Yamemashoo" (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのは止めましょう) and his brand new book is “Japan Leadership Mastery”.

Dr. Greg Story is an international keynote speaker, an executive coach, and a thought leader in the four critical areas for business people: leadership, communication, sales and presentations.?He leads the Dale Carnegie Franchise in Tokyo which traces its roots straight back to the very establishment of Dale Carnegie in Japan in 1963 by Mr. Frank Mochizuki.

He publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter

Has 6 weekly podcasts:

1.?????Mondays -??The Leadership Japan Series,

2.????Tuesdays – The Presentations Japan Series

Every second Tuesday - ビジネス達人の教え

3.????Wednesdays - The Sales Japan Series

4.????Thursdays – The Leadership Japan Series

Also every second Thursday - ビジネスプロポッドキャスト

5.????Fridays - The Japan Business Mastery Show

6.????Saturdays – Japan’s Top Business Interviews

Has 3 weekly TV shows on YouTube:

1.?????Mondays - The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show

Also every Second Thursday - ビジネスプロTV

2.????Fridays – Japan Business Mastery

3.????Saturdays – Japan Top Business Interviews

In the course of his career Dr. Greg Story has moved from the academic world, to consulting, investments, trade representation, international diplomacy, retail banking and people development.

Growing up in Brisbane, Australia he never imagined he would have a Ph.D. in Japanese decision-making, become a 39 year veteran of Japan and run his own company in Tokyo.

Since 1971, he has been a disciple of traditional Shitoryu Karate (糸東流) and is currently a 6th Dan.

Bunbu Ryodo (文武両道-both pen & sword) is his mantra and he applies martial art philosophies and strategies to business.

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