Fare Bella Figura - Make A Good Impression, Be A Sharp Dressed Man, Episode #107

Fare Bella Figura - Make A Good Impression, Be A Sharp Dressed Man, Episode #107 (Video here: https://bit.ly/3YuZ2iK )

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 online Zoom call with our Dale Carnegie President Joe Hart and senior members of his management team in the US. They were talking with my fellow APAC Franchisee colleagues about our new Dale Carnegie Coaching Accreditation system. I had lunch with Ted Katagi, our potential partner for AI services to help us organise content and make our massive curriculum IP accessible. I had to laugh, Ted even wore a tie and suit to meet with me, because the last lunch we had at the Tokyo American Club in Azabudai, I was all dressed up and he was very casual.

I wanted to look a sharp dressed man who was on point with my international Dale Carnegie colleagues and for the lunch with Ted.

The weather had suddenly gotten chilly, so the summer suits have now been put into hibernation. I chose my single breasted Corneliani dark grey suit with a large window pane pattern, using super 100s extra fine Merino wool. It has Barchetta suit breast pocket (which means small boat in Italian) and the so suit breast pocket isn't straight. It rises from inside to outside like the prow of a boat and is a very distinctive feature in Italian style men's suits. If you have an italian suit, take a look and you might have this design too, but may not have noticed it before.

Corneliani was founded in 1930 by Alfredo Corneliani in Mantua, Italy making raincoats. I bought this suit ,many years ago in Brisbane from Mitchell Ogilvie, who was positioning it in those days as high quality like Zegna, but at a more moderate price. That certainly appealed to me, because in those days I couldn't afford to only buy Zegna suits. I have had a number of Corneliani suits over the years and this one is a favourite and is the last one of the clan standing.

Wearing out the trousers in suits is a disappointing eventuality for men, especially when you have particular suits you love to wear. Over the last few years, as the price points have become comparatively more reasonable (or as off the rack has become more unreasonable), I have been moving to only making custom suits, rather than just buying Zegna, although I still love the brand.

This suit has a three roll on two buttoning arrangement, notch lapels, flap pockets, side vents, double cuffs and I wore over the calf black socks. Pink shirt by Abelard and horn collar stays by Kirby Allison but no French Cuffs. In fact, I think this is the only business shirt I own without French Cuffs. I choose them because I always want to wear cufflinks. There is very little scope for variety for men in business, when we are all running around in navy or grey suits and so cufflinks are one way to express yourself.

The white linen pocket square with pink edges in a reverse puff from Simonnot Godard was purchased from Kirby Allison. The strong red, navy and beige striped regimental tie with a double Windsor knot is from Fermo Fossati 1871 for Barneys New York. Looking at the knot, I think next time I wil go for a Four-In-Hand knot because that tie is quite thick. I matched it with a light pink shirt rather than white shirt, to soften the strength of the tie. The linen pocket square with just the pink edges showing in the reverse puff was chosen for the same reason. If I wanted a power look, that tie will do the job, but I didn't want that strong a look that day because I wanted to appear more approachable.

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 24mm gold Cartier Tank Francaise, with a black ostrich leather strap.

The high shine dark brown cap toe Oxford shoes from Carmina Majorca has a swan neck design, using a Rain last, brown vegano calf leather with JD Redenbach oak tanned soles.

The shot is taken in the Mochizuki Room in our Akasaka HQ.

How can you become a leader people actually want to follow? How can you be the leader whose team gets results? Do it yourself trial and error wastes time and resources.There is a perfect solution for you- To LEARN MORE click here (https://bit.ly/43sQHxV )

To get your free guide “How To Stop Wasting Money On Training” click here ( https://bit.ly/4agbvLj )

To get your free “Goal Setting Blueprint 2.0” click here (https://bit.ly/43o5FVK )

If you enjoy our content then head over to www.dale-carnegie.co.jp and check out our Japanese and English seminars, workshops, course information and schedules and our whitepapers, guidebooks, training videos, podcasts, blogs.

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.

?