Let’s face it, clothing is marketing. Are your clothes attracting or repelling clients?
At the LIMRA (life insurance marketing and research association) conference in New York City in October I caught up with an exhibitor named Mr. Zianni, a tailor of custom Italian suits. Based in La Jolla, California, Mr. Zianni is proud of the fact he does not have a retail location or website, but exhibits at 30 business conferences a year to find clients.
I posed the question of “What are the new rules for dress for success?” to this 20-year fashion industry veteran.
Mr. Zianni works with men who need to wear suits to build trust. Obviously, he is not advising tech execs what t-shirts and hoodies to buy. His clientele tends to be executives, professionals and men in positions like financial advisor and wealth manager.
He admits the rules have changed over the past two decades, but some fundamentals still apply. Men who wear suits need suits in at least three shades.
“Everyone needs a solid black or dark navy suit,” says Mr. Zianni. “The colors of the next two depend on your age, skin color, eye color, hair color and the look you are going for.”
For those over 40, he typically recommends a charcoal gray and a medium gray. For younger men he recommends they add a lighter shade or go with a black or navy blazer or a patterned sports coat.
Suit cut is also important. There are three cuts: full cut, modern fit (or Italian V-cut), and a slim fit. Generally, he only recommends the slim fit for men in their 20s or men with a slight frame, like many of his clients who come from Asia. Most of his clients over 40 would choose a full cut.
Mr. Zianni stresses the importance of proper fit, and has made his living from people who don’t want to buy off the rack. He says to invest in the fabric, not a designer name.
I posed the same dress for success question to an executive who regularly makes presentations as part of his job. He also mentors men in their 20s and 30s.
“Men should still wear a dark suit; khaki pants and a jacket don’t cut it if you need to make an impression in an interview,” says Brian Trent, the CFO of the Los Angeles City Employees Association. In his four decades in the business world he has seen evolving dress for success rules.
“If you are presenting to a board with old fashioned guys, wear a white shirt and a red tie,” says Trent. “Look like President Trump, even if you disagree with his policies, because that is what they wear. And you better know how to tie a true Windsor knot, not some sloppy knot because it is unprofessional.”
Trent believes if you are presenting to a woman or mostly women, don’t underestimate the value of color. In his experience, sometimes the power blue suit/white shirt/red tie turns off women. He suggests a charcoal gray suit with a yellow or pink shirt with a coordinated tie, belt and shoes. “Generally, women dress well at work and dress color-coordinated, so as a man you need to project that,” says Trent.
“Also, before a first interview, get a haircut from a good barber or salon,” says Trent. “If you go in a week later, get another haircut, because haircuts matter. Many men underestimate that. If you have a mustache or goatee, it needs to be neatly trimmed. No matter what you think, they don’t want to see Cro-Magnon man. No matter what you think, there are biases out there.”
