Personal Brand – Take Care of Your Appearance

Nov 20, 2024

Here we come to my lovely topic – your appearance.

My father is a craftsman. He has sewn clothes for private customers for over 40 years. It is no coincidence that there have been periods in my life when I tended to dress well or sometimes even provocatively.

Today, years later, I am rediscovering the power of appearance.

How you dress, what accessories you are wearing, how you smell, how your hair looks, your skin, your body structure – all of this matters for one simple reason: people are visual beings.

When people meet each other for the first time, appearance is key before you open your mouth and start filling the room with words. Men like women who look good, and women like men who look good. As simple as that!

In a relationship, when somebody looks well, it means they care about themselves, and psychologically, that tells the other person that they will take care of them too. This is an attraction.

Similarly in business, if you look well, that shows status, it could show wealth, it could show confidence, and so on – qualities which are important when you do business with somebody.

Enough talking. Let’s dive into a few key aspects of appearance.

Body and Sport

I don’t know how it is in your country, but years ago in my home country, going to the gym was considered a stupid thing. People would even mock you and make fun of you.

What a shame. That’s why most of those people, when they hit 40, look like they are 60.

The reality, however, is different. Everyone appreciates being next to a person who does any type of sport. That could be hiking, tennis, skiing, heavy lifting, martial arts – you name it. My personal preferences are heavy lifting, jogging, and, recently, boxing. But that’s me. You may have your own preferences. Whatever they are, my advice is to do it.

Go out, train, eat well, sleep well.

The benefits are that eventually you will look good, which will attract people because they will appreciate being around you. However, we should not forget the most important benefit – health.

Did you know that if you train and build muscles until very late in your age, that decreases the chances of getting injured as a result of ageing? They also call muscles the organs of longevity.

Personally, I am quite busy with my work and personal obligations and literally have no time to read or research how to train, how to eat, and so on. That’s why, at some point in my life, I decided to hire a trainer who prepares my diet and training programme. If you can afford it, I strongly recommend you find a good trainer and go for it. You will see the dramatic difference it will make.

If you wonder where to start, I would advise you to begin with walking – every day at least 7,000 steps. For example, here are my achievements over a period of one year.

Hair and Skin

Again, there is no rocket science behind what I am going to say. It is an obvious fact: if your hair and skin look good, you will look good.

Find a good hairdresser in your town. Consult with them on how to style your hair. You can even check the Internet for good hairstyles and try them.

A month ago, I attended a business event in my town and saw a guy who was around 55–60 years old. I can tell you this: the suit he was wearing was very well chosen. His hair and beard were perfect. Every single hair was in place. He looked good, and people loved that – I can confirm because I saw it.

Regarding the skin, especially your face, it is the thing people see most of the time when they speak with you. Therefore, taking care of it is important. Consult a specialist about what kind of creams you need or do your own research.

Health

The food we eat today is not always the best. Besides, we carry unhealthy habits – for example, eating sweets once in a while or having a drink or two after work. Not to mention the stress we all experience on a daily basis.

Do you know what puzzles me? They say people used to live shorter lives, and now we live longer. Well, my great-grandmother and great-grandfather lived to eighty and ninety in perfect health. All their lives, eating unprocessed foods and moving their bodies all day long – because somebody had to grow the food in the fields and take care of the animals.

And today, people live to the same age but with a bunch of diseases.

My point is that, considering the stress and the processed food we eat, we definitely need to do something. Everybody makes their own decisions. I personally decided to undergo a detailed RNA test, as well as blood tests and other types of examinations, and to use the services of a company based in the United States to advise me on which vitamins and supplements I need, what types of food I should avoid or consume, and so on.

Again, your approach may be different, but whatever it may be, take care of yourself.

Clothes

I don’t know how it is in your country, but in the region of the world where I live, most men dress very badly. Meeting a 40-year-old man on the street who wears a black shirt with a big yellow duck on it is a common occurrence. Women here, fortunately, dress well.

I have recently heard a joke (which is in fact true) that in our region, men wear a suit only at their wedding and at funerals.

On the other hand, if you go to countries like Switzerland or the United Kingdom, particularly London, you will notice well-dressed people who not only dress well but also have good taste and know how to combine colours.

If you want to do business, you definitely have to know how to dress because your appearance will stand out when meeting a new client or negotiating a new contract. If you have ever met a salesperson, you will know one thing for sure – they are always dressed well.

My advice is to take a course on how to combine colours, what types of clothes pair with what, etc. Going to a clothes store and picking up random items won’t work – you need to have some knowledge. Also, each piece of clothing you buy must have its purpose. For example, some clothes are suitable for going to an opera or dinner. Other types of clothes are suitable for business meetings, etc.

Let me give an example from myself. Here I am in a suit – a random photo taken in the changing room a few weeks ago.

Here is another one: I travelled to Norway recently to meet the client I work for.

Accessories

In this category, we can include all small accessories like rings, watches, earrings, necklets, etc. Depending on whether you are a woman or a man, your preferences may vary, but one thing is for sure – the devil is in the details.

What makes a building beautiful? Certainly, the shape and the colours of the building are two of the factors. And yet, the small details are those that catch the eye. For example, the small ornaments give depth and dimension to the building. The same effect occurs when you wear a nice wristwatch or a nice necklet – not too flashy, but a small detail that speaks of elegance.

Speaking of watches, let me give you a couple of examples. The masterpiece below is a Longines calibre 12.68 made in 1959.

Or another one. This one is a Breitling Avenger, a piece of art!

Personally, when I choose an accessory, I prefer to spend some extra money and get something authentic instead of an imitation. For example, if you get a watch, make sure it is automatic. I don’t like electronic watches – the art of making every single piece in the watch is what makes it art. Everything else, like electronic watches, are factory-made and, for me at least, there is no magic. They are not made with love.

The same goes for necklets, rings, and earrings. Get something that stands out; it is better to have one piece that is good compared to having ten with no spirit inside.