Does your dressing affect your company’s productivity?

If you wear a plain white, long-sleeve shirt over a pair of brown trousers or skirt, what should be the colour of your necktie or socks, in the case of men?

How about the belt/brace and shoes? And is it appropriate in fashion and the corporate world in particular for women to tuck in without wearing belts? What of a gentleman putting on a necktie over a short-sleeve shirt without a jacket?

While these questions might sound menial in the minds of many people, they are pertinent issues that every corporate executive, job seeker or entrepreneur preparing for that crucial meeting, be it with the board, the bosses, stakeholders, peers or for a job interview, would have to answer prior to settling on what to wear.

Unfortunately, however, not many executives in the country and the world at large have answers to these questions. Most executives might not even bother to ask them, with the excuse that results rather than appearance matter in today's competitive business environment.

But while that might be true, Medical Aesthetician and Chief Executive Officer of the FC Group of Companies, Ms Grace Amey-Obeng, said a good look would boosts one’s confidence and serve as an icing on the person's personality.

From the shape and size of toe and finger nails to the colour of one's pen, Ms Amey-Obeng said proper attention must be paid to virtually everything one puts on the body to ensure that they align and send a positive message to the outside world.

In the September 27 edition of the weekly motivational radio talk show, the Springboard, Your Virtual University, Ms Amey-Obeng thoughts on Executive Dressing and Personality Management, which were shared at this year's Festival of Ideas in Accra, were replayed to listeners.

It aimed at exposing the audience to the rudiments of dressing and personality branding, which are key to the success of every business executive and individual.

The FC boss intimated that good looks in the corporate world was of paramount importance, given that it enhances the person's confidence, which could invariably translate into higher performance and results for the individual and the company in question.  

First things first

Ms Amey-Obeng, who is a beautician and founder of the FC Group, explained that the first thing for every corporate executive was good feet, which she said must fit the person's body shape.

"If your institution has a dress code, follow that dress code but make your personality shine through that dress code by associating correctly with the right shoe, bag and pen, among others; don't do anything flashy, something that is acceptable and will make your friends say they are always happy to have you here," she said.

Given that most business executives are exposed to a lot of people, the FC CEO said it was advisable to avoid using strong perfumes, which could end up causing disaffection among colleagues.

"Sometimes we blend all kinds of perfumes to formulate our own scent and it can become very offensive. Just use the mild ones and preserve the strong ones for the night when the temperature is low," she said.

To avoid a clash of scents between the perfume and deodorant, she advised that those using scented perfumes should avoid applying deodorants that have scents.

The wardrobe

For everyone everywhere, the wardrobe is that place where all kinds of dresses, either for office, social events or causal activities, are kept.

To cut down on time wasting in selecting the right cloth for the office, Ms Amey-Obeng said it was advisable to partition the wardrobe into two, where one side will contain only office attire and the other locked up with dresses meant for causal and social events.

This is to help reduce the stress involved in choosing an attire under.

"Everything should be planned such that chasing the right dress doesn't give a headache. If you don't, you may just dress down and you can imagine what impression you will create in the minds of people," she said.

While admitting that jewellery formed an essential part of the corporate dressing, she said it must not be over-worn or it defeats the purpose.

On colours, she said a lot of attention should be paid to them, given the meanings that are read into them.

She mentioned navy blue, beige, black and brown as "great considerations for the wardrobe" but added that top level executives should desist from wearing beige, given the flexibility attached to that colour.

"If you are middle or low level, fine because it means you are approachable. You can even wear it without a tie and you can flow but you cannot do that if you are top level. So, do not wear beige jackets or suits if you are a top level executive because it says that you are very flexible and people may not take you that serious," she added.

 For women, she said they must dress to march their age.

"If you are 40 years or 50 years and you want to dress like a small girl, always be mindful of what people are saying about you. Dress to fit your shape, size and height. Never have a neck-line that is too high to make it seem as if you are choking or too low to show cleavage. Ideally, a V-neck is the best thing to wear for the office space and the bags should be reasonably sized," she added.

She also touched on make-up and hair do, which she said should be prioritised to help complement the dresses.

She urged the women to consider natural hair, which she said was more healthier and easy to keep, compared to the artificial one.

Food is everything

In all these, Ms Amey-Obeng said good food, proper rest and continuous exercise were key to the putting on a better body.

She, therefore, asked corporate executives to find time for themselves.

"Eat well, sleep well and manage your stress. Don't allow things to stress you out. Have quality time at home. You have 24 hours in a day and eight of that is for your rest so if you sleep five hours, you still have three hours to rest but try and sleep at least up even to eight hours in the night.

"It means you must leave work when you must leave work and get home when you must get home. Otherwise, you will procrastinating so many things and it will affect your family, you and work done will be zero.

"Only you can define your personal style. Others can advise, coach and influence but you have to define who you are and stay true to it," she said.