The Look of Success: The Importance of Image

We would first like to congratulate the winners of our Best Dressed contest who you see pictured on our front cover!  These six businesspeople embody the words ‘look of success’ and we’ve gathered some information from each of them on their fashion secrets!

INSPRO Insurance
Who is your fashion idol/icon or where do you think you get your sense of style? – I can go way back to Jackie Kennedy Onassis.  Her style was always so classic and never overdone.
How do you think your image fits in with your career? – Classic, professional with attention to detail.
What is your favorite piece of clothing/accessory in your current wardrobe? – I love to add belts to everything I wear to finish off an outfit.  I also wear simple omega necklaces and have lots of different slides to constantly change the look of one simple piece of jewelry.

SequrID
Who is your fashion idol/icon or where do you think you get your sense of style? – I don’t really have a fashion idol or icon.  I have always loved clothes.  My wife jokes that I like to shop more than she does!
How do you think your image fits in with your career?  –  How do I think my image fits my career?  That’s a tough one.  I think that the more professional you dress, the more serious people will take you.
What is your favorite piece of clothing/accessory in your current wardrobe? – My favorite piece of clothing in my closet usually doesn’t get seen in my professional life.  It has to be a pair of jeans that I’ve had for a long time, although I don’t usually wear jeans to work.

Gary Michael’s Clothiers

Who is your fashion idol/icon or where do you think you get your sense of style? – I have always taken notice of celebrities who dress well. They set the fashion standards and the general public always follows. These individuals are Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, Roger Moore and Daniel Craig (James Bond 007), Michael Jordan, Richard Gere, and Ralph Lauren.

How do you think your image fits in with your career?  –  I have always said that I’m in the image business and I just happen to own a clothing store. I enjoy dressing for the moment, it gives you a great deal of confidence. I feel it is better served to be overdressed than under.
What is your favorite piece of clothing/accessory in your current wardrobe? – My most favorite item of clothing in my wardrobe is a hand tailored Italian custom suit from Brioni.

Alternative Tan
Who is your fashion idol/icon or where do you think you get your sense of style? –  I don’t know if i look at someone as an idol or icon, it’s an affordable version of many influences. It’s about feeling confident in whatever you wear for the event.
How do you think your image fits in with your career? – I guess I never thought if it “fit” but i always remember the saying “Dress the part of who you want to be” quote.
What is your favorite piece of clothing/accessory in your current wardrobe? – My black studded purse, black poor boy hat and a great pair of tall black boots.  I don’t think you need to spend a lot to make a look.  Having a mix of trendy and a classic is what I try to do.

West Gate Bank
Who is your fashion idol/icon or where do you think you get your sense of style? – I like a simple, classic and clean cut look when it comes to clothes and style. I’ve always thought that guys like Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling and Ryan Reynolds have it figured out pretty well when it comes to fashion and style. There is a guy I’ve met a few times who lives in Michigan that I think has some pretty cool style as well. I think my friends and family could probably guess who I’m talking about.
How do you think your image fits in with your career?  – To borrow a quote from Andre Agassi, “Image is everything.” I think it’s important in whatever you do to have a specific brand and image that people recognize you by and associate you with. As a banker, being well dressed and put together is a very important part of my job. When I meet with customers and people in the Lincoln community, I think giving a good and confident first impression is very important. Your name is the most important asset you have.
What is your favorite piece of clothing/accessory in your current wardrobe? – My Ray-Ban sunglasses and cowboy boots.

Rae’n Boutique & Pixi Chix
Who is your fashion idol/icon or where do you think you get your sense of style? – I would say I am a magazine junkie and love seeing the different seasons and looks.  I have over the years adjusted my style based on new brands I fell in love with at market or trends that really make a statement I would go after.
How do you think your image fits in with your career? – I feel like my image is my career.  If people like what they see they want to buy it.  It is the best part of my career.
What is your favorite piece of clothing/accessory in your current wardrobe? – My favorite piece would have to be my handmade Biya sweater jacket for clothing and my over the knee camel boots.

Now that you’ve gotten a few tips from the winners, let’s take a look at how you can achieve the ‘look of success’ in your own life!
Health and Wellness
If you don’t take care of yourself, it will show and no amount of money spent on clothing or accessories will be able to cover up the fact that you’re unhealthy and out of shape.  Not only is this bad for your health, but it will also affect your self-esteem as you will be uncomfortable in clothing and know that you are not putting your best foot forward.  Eating right and exercising is vitally important when it comes to both your image and your internal wellness.  When you are healthy, it shines through.  You attract others.  You are able to embrace each day and its challenges with confidence and optimism.
If you’re having trouble getting or staying healthy, you should work with a professional in the industry.  Try getting involved in an organized exercise program taught by someone who is well educated in fitness and nutrition, such as Capital City Bootcamp.  Instructor Mike Bevard provides education to his clients as well as motivation and it’s difficult not to get excited about getting healthy when you’re attending an intensive class with fifteen or twenty other people, many of whom are probably in the same situation you are!
Working with a certified nutritionist is also an excellent way to get on the right track.  Depending on your knowledge of the right foods to eat and in the right amounts, you may find that you don’t really know the best foods to pick.  This becomes even more important if you suffer from a health condition that if affected by food like diabetes or a gluten intolerance.  Nutritionists can go through you health history, talk to you about your goals and set you up on an eating plan that can address health, weight loss and more!
Remember, when you’re trying to achieve the look of success, you need to put first things first.  If you’re on a tight budget, you’d be better served spending your money on nutritious foods and exercise programs or a gym membership (or even a good pair of shoes so you can take morning walks) rather than clothing.
Self-Confidence
“To me, the look of success is not so much about how you look,” points out Bev Israelson with The Spec Shoppe.  “I feel that if you have peace and confidence, it will show in your work as well as your daily life.  Doing what you love to do is so important.  You are then able to use your gifts and strengths daily and if you do your best, it will show to your clients.  My career as an optician offers me an opportunity to use my talents and I enjoy working with my patients, and I think that really shines through.”
If you want to have an image of success, it’s important to have confidence in yourself.  “Self-confidence is an attitude that allows individuals to have positive yet realistic views of themselves,” explains Dr. Sam Bryant of Bryant Cosmetic Surgery.  Self-confident people trust their own abilities and are comfortable with their appearance.  Since your confidence really stems from how you perceive yourself, if you can change something you don’t like about yourself, then you can change your level of confidence in yourself.”
There are a number of things that can affect a person’s self-confidence and, fortunately, there are often ways to improve these aspects with the help of specialists.  One major factor in low self-esteem is hair loss.  “When a person has hair loss, they feel that everyone is looking at their hair,” says Chris Garner Giles with Hair Specialists.  “It makes them feel vulnerable and unsure of themselves.  For women, the social standard of beauty is the face and the hair, so when you have any measure of hair loss, it can impact a person’s overall self-image and esteem.  It can certainly impact one’s career as it makes you less assertive and question your identity.  Fortunately, Hair Specialists can help men and women with any degree of hair loss.  We have every option for all types of hair loss.  We offer a free consultation so we can sit down and talk about your concerns, do a hair and scalp analysis and find the best solution to fit your hair loss situation and your budget.”
Other issues that can affect self-confidence are actual issues in a person’s structure, whether that is in the face or body.  They could have been born with these issues or they could happen later in life due to an accident or illness.  In these cases, someone may want to look into cosmetic surgery.  “By enhancing their physical assets, correcting an imbalance or setting right a cognitive defect, cosmetic surgery can make a big difference in someone’s looks and therefor their social and personal life.  Surgical alteration of the body part that causes them distress makes them more self-confident and satisfied with their appearance.  By projecting an image consistent with how they feel about themselves, they will feel generally more confident with themselves.”
If you’re considering cosmetic surgery, it’s most important to find the right surgeon to perform their procedure.  “The surgeon must have the expertise to perform the procedure you need,” explains Dr. Bryant. “The marketplace is filled with trendy procedures that are highly advertised by less competent providers, which may not produce the benefit desired.  Most procedures should be performed in an accredited surgery center or hospital in order to ensure safe and effective results.  Since an individual may not be the best judge of what specific procedure will give them the improvement they desire, talking with an experienced plastic surgeon may lead to choices they had not considered.”
Remember, cosmetic surgery should not be taken lightly and should not be done on a whim or because you heard someone make a comment about you that has suddenly made you self-conscious about something that has ever bothered you in the past.  If you have been considering it for years and truly believe it is the only option, now may be the time to have a consultation.
Self-confidence in your career may also be affected by feeling of insecurity or not feeling like you can do your job to the best of your ability.  Maybe you feel you don’t have enough education to do your job effectively (or compete with others in your field) or perhaps you suffer from a fear of getting on the phone or speaking in front of people.  It’s also possible that you might be in the complete wrong career for your strengths and skills.  Working with a business coach is a great way to address these issues and find out how you can excel in your career with confidence and happiness.  When you feel confident in your career, it will show in your image!
Clothing and Accessories
As our winners on the front cover show, clothing and accessories are often the biggest determining factor in portraying the right image, both for your career and for your personal life.
“The clothes you wear affect all your attitude and confidence levels,” Jane Powell with A Cause for Paws points out.  “Your appearance expresses motivation and professionalism.  When people take the time to dress for success, they tend to feel good about themselves. It is always best to have basics or staples in your closet such as a black and navy skirt and pants and then you can add your personal style such as something in an animal print or bright colors in a blouse, scarf, purse, shoe or even in jewelry to take your basic outfit and add your own flair to it.”
Kelly Merklein with Blu Velvet adds, “I think that no matter what your business is, you need to look like you care about yourself and your appearance.  If you want to gain respect, you have to look like you respect yourself.  The way you dress is a reflection of this.  Developing your own style is the hard part.  Style is something that some people come by easily and others struggle with.  Part of having a style is ‘owning what you are wearing’, meaning really taking what you put on as a reflection of you and being proud of that.  Trends can be confused with style, but style is actually learning how to take the trends and use the parts of them that fit into your own personal style.  I think someone should look up-to-date, but still stay within their style.  Developing a style that works for you is something we can help people with if they don’t know how to do it.  Some people are very flashy and like to take things that extra mile, and others may be more classic and subdued.  There is a way to look up-to-date no matter where you fall in between these two.  The way to start is to take some key pieces that fit into that style and add to them and change them up every season with the new trends.  There are always items that are available within each style, but the point is to make the look you choose work for you and reflect what you like.”
Gary Novotny with Gary Michaels Clothiers has had a lot of experience with helping enhance his clients’ images over the years.  “Success can be very deceiving,” he says.  “Many people are successful in their own way, but when looking at them you would not know that.  On the other side, the look of success makes one assume that person is successful.  The look of success means one’s appearance is pleasing to the eye.  The person is dressed crisp and clean and coordinated in such a manner it portrays power and confidence.  That is why young and up and coming individuals always dress better than their peers so they have a decisive advantage in the corporate ladder game.  Most of the time, it works.  If a person wishes to be a senior lending officer in a bank, they better dress better than the person who may have 20 years ahead of them.  You should always dress where you want to end up in your career and not where you are at present.”
“I have always enjoyed selling image,” Gary continues. “It is so persuasive if done in a sincere attitude. I have a client testimonial stating he was upgraded to first class when the flight attendants commented on his clothing at the ticket counter. Another was seated at a five star restaurant when overbooked and was seated at a table that was the best in the house.  I have sold suits to many who were in job interviews where the
competition is so great they were up against 200 others, but they were chosen for the job because they out-classed the competition.”
Working with local boutiques and clothiers who can assist you in making the right image decisions is key.  “At Cause for Paws, both Sue and I have extensive backgrounds in fashion and are available to help customers put outfits together that will look professional, but also add to their own sense of style,” Jane Powell says.  “We carry dress pants, suits, dresses, skirts, blouses, sweaters, scarves, jackets, shoes and jewelry that changes almost daily in our shop.  People can bring in their basics and we can help put several items together for them or if they don’t have the basics, we can get them started with those as well.  All of our clothes are high quality and brand names at a fraction of the cost of other stores with the unique twist that all of our proceeds support local and Nebraska animal charities and rescues.”
“We have a wide range of items that appeal to many different styles and body types,” explain Kelly Merklein with Blu Velvet.  “We love to help someone find that perfect look that suits their personal taste and makes them feel great.  We at the store have talked about how much we love it when a customer comes in and asks for help and gives us some guidelines to go by to help them find a style they will love. I think that we just really love to help women find the way to look their best, no matter how conservative or bold and daring they may be.  We love it when we help them feel great and create a look they love!  Style matters!  It makes you feel good about yourself and gives you confidence to do whatever else you want to in life.  It is a place to start and build yourself up and it should not get overlooked.  It is a part of who we are and it matters.”
Gary Novotny agrees that style matters.  “If anyone says dress is not important in our society, I beg to argue,” he says.  “When was the last time the President of the United States addressed the nation NOT in a suit and tie?  Or why is almost every news anchor delivering the daily news in a suit and tie?  Even showing the last respects at a funeral, I cannot remember the casket bearers not in a suit and tie (as well as the person in the casket).  The last ten years have shown a shift from casual to dressy evolve.  Young people (22-32) are dressing up like never before.  Everyone is fighting for the job they want, NOT the job they currently have.  They are stealing jobs from others who have fewer computer and tech skills and don’t dress as nice.  On the other side, we see middle aged clients (55-65) trying to hang on and save their job, so they are more apt to change and dress more aggressive to look younger.  I always tell clients to find a comfortable clothier who can give them knowledge and help them succeed.  They are the professionals and understand your needs, but will challenge you to become more successful in attire that will make you become for confident and businesslike.  In the end, your wardrobe investment is a small price to pay when your career is on the line.”

Accessories can be just as important as the actual clothes you wear.  Take a Rolex watch, for instance.  “Rolex watches are the most recognizable luxury brand of watch in the world,” says Rick Hamann with Sartor Hamann Jewelers.  “They are nearly indestructible and never go out of style.”  A Rolex can dress up nearly any outfit for women and men alike and it’s difficult NOT to make a statement when wearing a Rolex!  If you are planning on spending the money to invest in a Rolex, it’s important to buy from a local reputable retailer.  Not only will this ensure that you get an authentic product, but a professional can also help you choose the right watch for the image you want to portray.  Rolexes are not inexpensive purchases and you might only ever own one or two in your lifetime, so it’s important to make the right choice the first time!
Even if you can’t afford a Rolex, you can still accessorize with style.  One way to do this is with glasses.  “Eyeglasses have been transformed from a thing of necessity into an accessory with a variety of styles, shapes, colors and materials to choose from,” explains Bev Israelson with The Spec Shoppe.  “Once you find a pair of frames that look good, you automatically feel more confident.  A good pair of glasses gives you the opportunity to respect yourself.  Finding the right fit helps you feel sophisticated, polished, sexy, snazzy…you name it!”
Lori Ray with Malbar Vision Center adds, “Glasses can enhance your image because people tend to trust your opinion when you’re wearing a really professional pair of glasses.  Pick something that complements your face and have several pair for different outfits and you can’t go wrong!”
“I can help my patients to express themselves with their glasses,” Bev continues.  “Their personality and style is the first thing that people see.  The main thing is to wear glasses that fit you.  The perfect fit will show the uniqueness of everyone’s personalities!  Sometimes you want to blend in and other times you want to stand out.  Your style is what makes you feel comfortable and confident.”
If you simply can’t get comfortable wearing glasses and feel they are affecting your self-confidence, both The Spec Shoppe and Malbar Vision Center can help you choose contacts and eliminate glasses entirely!
Other accessories can also have a large effect on your image.  A quality, unique piece of jewelry can make any outfit pop and can be the perfect conversation piece–perfect for when you’re attending a work event where you don’t know anyone as it gives people the opportunity to meet you and comment on it.  One of the best ways to find a truly unique piece of jewelry is to have it specially made for you.  Consider visiting The Goldworks and talking with their designers on different options.  Why buy a piece of jewelry that you may see a number of different people wearing when you can have a piece that you know is yours and yours alone?

The ‘look of success’ is about being unique, being vibrant and, most of all, being YOU!  By working with local stores and developing your own sense of style, you can use your image and ‘look’ to further your career and brand yourself in the business world!