When you’re working from home or on a small commercial property the lax, casual style of dress is seemingly okay. However, when you’re traveling for business locally or internationally, your appearance is everything. Even before another business professional shakes your hand, says hello, hears your opinion, or learns more about your brand, they see you. They are looking at your professional appearance to determine whether you’re someone they’re interested in getting to know better. If you’re not dressed for the part, you could potentially lose a lot of business.
Staple Pieces To Add to Your Wardrobe
Building the ultimate wardrobe as a business owner can take time. There are a few staple items that you should always have in your wardrobe. Should you have a last-minute meeting in town or need to hit a convention overseas, you need to have a professional wardrobe that screams success. Below are a few staple pieces to start investing in:
A Tailored Suit
As a business owner, you’re expected to present yourself in a different caliber then say, someone who is going on an interview. The traditional black suit that you have stored away in your closet isn’t going to cut it when traveling for business. International business professionals, in general, are a lot more formal than those in the US, meaning you’ll want to step your game up.
Your suit should be unlike any other and look as if it were made exclusively for you. Custom tailor suits give the impression that you’ve made it. Bespoke suits made specifically to fit your size, style, and personality sends a strong message about you as a business professional, your attention to detail, and your brand. It puts you beyond the average working professional and in the league to play with the big boys.
A Great Pair of Shoes
What do your shoes say about you and your brand? Though you may enjoy throwing on a pair of jogging sneakers, some sweats, and a tee-shirt on the weekends when it comes to conducting business a pair of tennis shoes isn’t going to cut it. Therefore, every traveling business owner should have at least two to three pairs of high-quality dress shoes to complement their business attire.
There are two reasons that the types of shoes you purchase matters. Shoes have historically been identified as a status indicator. They are the finishing touch to your professional style. In other words, a tailored suit in and of itself can be very professional but if you throw on some penny loafers from a thrift store you diminish the look.
Accessories
No professional look is complete without a few accessories to add the finishing touches to your style. Every business professional should have the following accessory items in their wardrobe:
o Belt – A sturdy leather belt in basic colors like black, blue, and brown are ideal.
o Tie – Ties add character to a tailored suit and further help you to stand out from others. Every business professional should have at least 5-10 ties in varying colors and materials.
o Watch – Jewelry can be a great accent to any business look. A high-quality watch would be a great investment. While there are a lot of watches to choose from, the best styles for business professional are luxury watches for men with a mix of metal and stones. Simple yet stylish is always best.
o Socks – It’s never a good idea to throw on a custom suit, leather shoes and sweat socks. Invest in nice cotton or silk socks for men.
o Cufflinks – Cufflinks are another professional and classy touch to add to your wardrobe. Designed to keep dress shirt cuffs together, cufflinks are timeless pieces of jewelry that can help to accent your style.
Don’t underestimate the importance of dressing for success as a traveling business professional. While you may see nothing wrong with getting the job done in a sweat suit, others will make an opinion on you and your brand the moment they lay eyes on you. The best way to show that you mean business, that you care, and you pay attention to detail, is to dress the part. By adding these staples to your professional wardrobe, you’ll be one look closer to sealing deals and making lasting impressions in the world of business.
