Dress like the boss you are

These grooming tips will enhance your outward appeal and send the message that you are on top of your game. Take care of yourself and others will take notice.

The perfect suit
A suit is perfect as a three piece. You can break it down and wear it differently within the week. Wear your jacket over the shirt and tie on Monday, let go of the tie on Tuesday and switch the jacket. The look without a tie is still as official, but you can do only a waistcoat and still maintain the smartness of the boss. “Keep the suit colour dark, such as navy blue, black and maybe grey. Avoid anything too bright because it instead makes you look like a circus performer,” says Yoyetta’s Ojok Felix. Suits can work any day of the week, how you change the look is what makes the difference. They ought to fit you perfectly.

Shoes

Find shoes that match your outfit. Do not wear sports shoes on a Monday. Spare them for a workout at the gym- after office hours, and go jogging with the rest of the employees as part of the office fitness programme. Sneakers match shorts on the beach or evening walks. Your suit and trousers ought to be paired with those classic sharp fore edge shoes, moccasins and loafers of good quality leather or herd.
Remember to match the colour of your shoes with that of the belt. And have them brushed to shine. Clunky lug-soles, square-toed slip-ons with a bicycle toe, and slippers or shoes with stitched seams run parallel down the front should not go to office.

Shirts

Find the perfect shirt colour to fit into that jacket. It should not be too bright and while you might wear a short-sleeved shirt in the week, spare the T-shirts for weekends. On those after work meetings, you can neatly roll up the sleeves but do not untuck, to appear smart and casual. Michael Pletscher, Regional Co-co-ordinator at Fontes Foundation says he rarely wears T-shirts to official meetings, he would rather spare the them for an evening at Squash with the boys.