There are some definite dos and donts when it comes to what to wear when you present. Ive found that its always good to go back to a BASIC look; your Believable Appearance is Simple and your Image is Conservative. Youll find that the more conservative you dress, the quicker the audience will accept your credibility. The bottom line when it comes to your dress, it shouldnt overshadow your message. Lets break your overall appearance into distinct sections; the face, accessories and the outfits.

Lets begin by focusing on your face. The face is responsible for delivering your message through the voice and facial expressions. When your audience looks at your face, they see three different elements: your skin, your hair and any eyewear.

Ladies: make sure that you put on make-up close to the same lighting that you will have in your presentation venue. If you present under bright lights, make sure that you use powder to eliminate facial glare.

Men: make sure that you are clean shaven. Unless your beard is extremely close shaved, your facial expressions effects and influence on your audience may be lost with a thick beard.

Your hair must be groomed and not interfere with your facial expressions. Any hair style that you have should not shift focus from your face to your hair.

Ladies: if you have long hair, pull it back. You dont want your hair inadvertently covering your face.

Men: keep your hair short and cut in a traditional style. Long hair on guys is not going to be received well in a business presentation.

If you have to wear correctives for your eyes, Id opt for contacts over glasses. When you wear glasses, you run the risk of the audience not being able to see any expressions that you make with your eyes. With contacts, the audience can see all the expressions that you make.

If you have to wear accessories, make sure that they dont distract from the presentation.

Ladies: collars and necklines shouldnt be revealing. Be more conservative. Make sure that any ear rings or bracelets you wear arent so reflective that they distract your audience. Remember to be professional.

Men: dont wear that cartoon tie that your kids (or mother-in-law) gave you for last Fathers Day. These take away from credibility (so do bow ties).

When it comes to our clothes, make sure that your presentation suit fits properly. If its too loose, youll be perceived as sloppy, if its too tight, it will be hard for you to move comfortably. Think conservative and stay with solid colors (dark blue to medium gray). It wasnt until my wife pointed it out, but complexion and clothes color can affect each other. Make sure that you match your presentation clothes to your complexion.

Shirts/blouses should fit for comfort, but make sure that you leave the short sleeves at home. When not wearing a suit (jackets/blazers), make sure that when you combine separates that you maintain a solid line of color from the floor to your face. This way, the attention is focused on your face.

Ladies: you can vary your colors a little more than the men and you have the option of leaving your jacket unbuttoned.

Men: your shirt should be lighter than your suit, the tie should be darker than the shirt (you can never go wrong with white). Remember to keep your jacket buttoned.

Clothes from the waist down must allow for comfortable movement. Stay away from separates since they give the perception of being less formal.

Ladies: wear stockings that minimize audience attention to your legs. Remember to keep that solid line of color to the floor. Make sure that you maintain a credible hemline.

Men: wear socks that match the pants of your suit and are long enough to cover your calf.

Any footwear that you use HAS to be comfortable (looking good doesnt hurt either). Believe it or not, people will make perceptions of individuals based upon their footwear. Keep your shoes cleaned and shined. Ladies In presentation circles, heels improve credibility. Id recommend that you wear shoes with one to two inch heels.

When determining what to wear for that next presentation, you might want to use the following method to determine exactly how formal you need to appear.

when it doubt, wear a suit

make sure to dress at least one notch above your audience. By wearing clothes that are one step above, you look the part of authority.

The bottom line make sure that whatever clothing you choose to wear to deliver your presentations doesnt detract from the overall effectiveness of your message delivery. Make sure that you check yourself out in a mirror prior to your next presentation. If youre still unsure, ask a friend or colleague chances are theyll tell you the truth.

John Fallon teaches Presentation Skills at Walhalla High School and hosts the free teacher PowerPoint resource site: http://www.PPT4Teachers.com

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