Polish your professional image by dressing intelligently

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Have you ever passed someone on the street and wondered who they were just because they looked impressive? Without saying a word, they have sent a message with the way they dressed and acted. We all send messages like that every working day, whether we want to or not. We don't have a choice. We all have an image.

In fact, companies like IBM, Dow Corning and Coca-Cola have invested in image workshops for their employees. The employee feels more confident about how he looks, and the customer is more confident about the company he represents.

Mary Marcdante, a professional image consultant based in Milwaukee, conducts workshops, slide shows, lectures and does individual consulting on dressing professionally for business. She offers advice for seven common image mistakes people make in business:

Change your image to fit a new position
"I worked with an insurance salesman who switched from the public sector without abandoning his corduroy, elbow-patched sport coat. He'd say, 'I'm a likable guy!' He was perceived as just that - a likeable guy who couldn't close the sale."

Dress your best every day, not just for interviews and important meetings
"You're going to be asked out to lunch; you'll run into someone on the elevator; you'll be asked into an impromptu meeting. You could look ordinary vs. your best. You never get a second chance to make a first impression."

Use your clothes to your advantage
"Make them work for you, not against you. Rebelling against the idea that image matters is going to hurt you. It does matter, whether you like it or not. Loud plaids, polyester leisure suits and outdated hair styles are suicide even if you are talented."

Dress for effectiveness not just for power
"Many people think they have to wear navy or gray suits to assert their authority. The idea is to create the image of effectiveness. Power isn't the only image necessary to convey in business."

Buy quality
"Natural fibers will last longer and look better. However, a natural synthetic blend of 55% or more of a natural fiber could work, as long as it looks natural. Feel the fabric. Also, know when to let go of something when it looks tired."

Mix appropriate fabrics together in a jacket and tie or with a jacket and skirt or pants
"Choose fabrics that have a similar weight. A common mistake is to wear a wool jacket with khaki or gray light-weight pants. Never wear wool ties in summer. Instead, silk is always appropriate." If a woman wears a dress and jacket, Marcdante suggests a hard finished fabric for the dress, not a cotton knit.

Reinforce positive behavior in appearance
"We're all so worried about giving people 'big heads.' It may be just the kind of reinforcement a peer or subordinate needs to hear."

In her consulting, Marcdante hears the concerns of senior executives about their employees' appearance. Here are some quick tips from those conversations.

For men: Ties should be 2 1/2 inches at the widest point and hit the middle of the belt buckle; shirts should be long-sleeved pressed cotton; pants should hit the top of the back of the shoe heel with slight break in front; shoes should be polished, heels in good shape and not too casual for the suit; and socks should blend with the shoes and pants and go over the calf.

For women: Hair shouldn't have an unfinished, frizzy look: necklines should be covered (self-tie blouses, jewelry and scarves can look feminine yet businesslike); no house dresses or party dresses; shoes should have more leather than skin showing; use a handbag or briefcase, not both; and be an inherent beauty as opposed to dressing to be beautiful.