By Mandy Lehto
Disguising a thinning thatch? Or feigning holiday skin with mega-doses of self-tan? Think you look groomed and professional? Think again.
In my corporate work, I advise companies and individuals on keeping their image up to scratch. Part of that dialogue concerns grooming.
In feedback I’ve collected anonymously throughout my corporate image work, here’s a list of real examples – women commenting on male colleagues, and vice versa – about the 5 main ways in which our grooming lets us down at work.
What Women Notice About Men’s Grooming:
1. B.O. – the acronym nobody loves.
I begin with a quote from an unknown UPS man. Picture this: packed lift; hot day. Someone had clearly recycled yesterday’s shirt and hit the snooze button once too often, forfeiting his shower time. Everyone looked at their shoes, breathing as shallowly as possible.
At his stop, the UPS man, laden with envelopes and packages, said ‘Dudes, one of you is seriously ripe,’ before stepping off the lift to the freedom of fresh air.
A study from the Metro newspaper in 2007 found that one in four men did not shower daily. Don’t be that guy.
2. Don’t be a heel.
Ever stand on escalators? If you do, you know it’s a welcome lag time in our busy lives. You spend a moment assessing the person in front of you. We notice when the heels of your shoes are worn down to the wood, gents. Take a moment now – go on – and check that your shoes don’t need a spa-day at Timpsons.
3. B.B.
Even if you don’t have B.O., the other bodily odour to avoid is Bad Breath. Brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss nightly. Invest in a tongue scraper from Boots. While you’re there, pick up a handy Retardex breath spray to keep you fresh after spicy lunches, or before important meetings. But spray discreetly, and preferably in private – not as you’re entering a meeting room.
4. Follicular faux-pas
Most of us are switched on about the no-no called the comb-over. But they’re still around, as are the ‘comb-forwards’, another unfortunate variation.
If you’ve got a thinning thatch, do two things: admit it; and get the right haircut. A good hairdresser knows the drill.
One other thing: look out for the tufts of hair growing on the back of your neck. And ensure that you check your ears, nose and eyebrows regularly for straggly hairs. People notice.
5. Sartorial Savvy
French cuffs get noticed on shirts. If yours are frayed, yellowed or shabby, prepare to part ways with that shirt. Same goes for collars. I’ve had several women comment that cheap shirts make a poor impression.
Both men and women say that they notice stains on the suits, shirts and ties of their male colleagues. Ensure yours are pristine.
Other common grooming blunders to avoid, gents:
-flaky facial skin
-shaving foam in ear (or flaky skin in ears)
-dry skin on knuckles, cuticles and hands, in general
-bitten, dirty or ungroomed nails
What Men Notice About Women’s Grooming:
1. Too much slap
Wearing make up sends a clear and positive message that you’re serious and professional. But men in my corporate image workshops often note that wearing too much – or poorly-applied – make up is a grooming disaster for women.
So is wearing too much (or again, poorly-applied) self-tan. Pale beats orange any day.
2. Barely there office-wear
Save your camisoles, crop-tops and flip flops for the beach. Bare midriffs and the office don’t mix. Full stop.
3. Too-small clothes
Gents have also pointed out that sometimes women in their offices squeeze into clothes that seem too small. They’d look better, and probably slimmer, in a bigger size. Interesting…and true.
4. Nail it
It’s official: people notice hands. Both genders always comment on hands in corporate workshops. Bitten fingernails, or indeed chipped nail varnish make the top 5 grooming blunder list. So too do garish nail polish colours and too-long fake nails.
5. ‘Stripy’ hair
If you colour your hair, it’s a commitment, isn’t it? Grown-out highlights, especially very obvious ones, do you no favours in the grooming department, ladies. Pre-book your next appointment if that helps.
Other common grooming bloopers, ladies:
-too much jingly jewellery
-excessive perfume – you may love it….
-fallen hems on skirts (repair with cello-tape to get you through the day)
-scuffed, worn or dirty shoes and heels
-ladders in tights
What other grooming blunders do you notice in the corporate workplace?
With myself being sensitive to perfumes, I like your comment about excessive perfume. If you can smell it on yourself, then you have applied too much.
Hi Tanya – thanks for your comment! Some people, like you, are sensitive to perfume smells. Some are even hyper-sensitive. Sending your boss into a frenzy of coughing, sneezing or hives isn’t a good way to make an impression at work!
Hi Many,
You nailed this one. One thing that also turns me off is a poor hair color on a woman. I actually would prefer a woman to leave it grey, as my wife does. Grey roots are a huge turnoff if the rest of it isn’t.
Best,
Bob Bessette
Hi Bob. You’re so right. As I said, hair colour is a commitment. If one can’t keep it up, better to reassess. People do notice. Blokes especially notice this all the time on women, so thanks for reconfirming that! Ladies, take note! Thanks for your comment!
Hi Mandy, long time no speak! Excellent all round advice but I have to say that one thing I can’t stand seeing in the office is other chaps wearing really garish shirts or ties or (heaven forbid) a shirt/tie combo!!! If in doubt, you can never, ever go wrong with a plain white shirt and a subtle blue or red tie. A tad boring? Perhaps. But rather that than having people reaching for their sunglasses when you walk into a conference room….
Hi Dominic! There are plenty of ways for gents to show off their style and creativity with clothes, but one’s industry also has a bearing on what’s ‘garish’, doesn’t it? Edgy and bold in GQ magazine (if fashion is your industry) is different than something similar in the corporate boardroom. If in doubt, keep it understated – I agree. And quality counts. Nice to see you here – thanks for stopping by and commenting!
very nice article.
i know the nail problem
will read your next blog entries.
frederik