What Do Your Clothes Say About You?

Regardless of the kind of life you live, there will be times when you need to meet new people. And when you do, what kind of impression do you want to leave? Learn how to accentuate your personal style so you can make your best impression each and every time.

Which style is right for you? Choose your style from the D-I-S-C Personality Illustration.

—Did you select the D-ominant Style? Then you’re likely to be extremely confident and carry a lot of positive energy when you walk into a room. Your fashion statement like your personality type will be dominated by one color or two at the most.

—Maybe you are an I-nfluencer, the social type who always comes off as a socialite. Your colorful trendy designer wear is always tastefully selected to keep all the attention on you. You work your way through the room gracefully acknowledging everyone.

—Next, are you like the majority of us, a S-teady Style. You survey everyone to see what their wearing and then select an outfit to match the group. You have developed a unique skill to blend in by adjusting your character for the occasion.

—Last but not least, the C-ompliant Type. You are quiet and usually introverted, analytical, and serious. Your fashion choice is very simple and keeps you out of the spotlight. You will locate a spot in the room where you can observe others without drawing attention to yourself.

The style that is comfortable and make you feel confident is the best style for you. Always remember, your appearance counts.

Here are a few questions to help you plan a positive and memorable first impression:

• How do you look? In many situations, there’s no need to be dressed in the most expensive or trendiest fashion. Or maybe you didn’t plan ahead what you were going to wear and just threw on the first thing. If you are well groomed and your clothes are not over 5 years old, you’re on the right track to making a good impression. Psychologist Jerome Bruner, has quoted research that proves people only remember ten percent of what they hear, thirty percent of what they read and about eighty percent of what they see and do. This supports the quote, “A picture is worth more than a 1,000 words.”
• Do you smile and make eye contact? Your facial expressions can be an asset or a liability. A real smile is seen all over your face. A genuine smile is a portrait of kindness. Your smile is the earliest impression that will determine what people will remember about the first time they met you.
• What do you say? Your social skills and ability to communicate will determine how you come across when you first meet someone. Are you very quiet? Do you only say, “Pleased to meet you,” or do you chatter on incessantly? Do you exchange compliments? How do you connect with people? Your first verbal exchange must be a memorable one. And if one of your skills is that you can tell a good story, then go for it.
• What kind of mood do you portray? Are you serious or playful? Do you look like you’re searching for your next big client or are you the life of the party? Maybe you look like you want to fade into the wallpaper or are you mapping out your exit route now that you’ve satisfied your commitment to make an appearance? Whatever might be the case, your mood demonstrates your personality and could make either a negative impression or a wonderful one that will classify you for years to come.
• What kind of effort do you make? When getting to know someone, do you ask specific questions of the person to show your interest? Do you try to find common ground by asking how they know the host, what they do for a living or what kind of day are having? One of the BIGGEST impression you can is to remember a person name. Say their name and watch their face illuminate.
• Finally, what do you want people to remember about you? This might be the most insightful question of all. If you know the answer to this, you’ll be able to adjust your behaviors and appearance to give the impression you truly want to make.

One thing is for sure, for the rest of your life you’ll have opportunities to meet new people and leave good impressions. Use your personality style to make an extraordinary statement about yourself. Plan now the best style for you and make your next encounter unforgettable.

Forever Steady,