Your Public Best - Lillian Brown [7]
Other well-known people or fictional characters have become famous for certain things they have adapted as part of their appearance—things that became their trademarks.
For example, think of Winston Churchill and his vest with the chain across it; the Sherlock Holmes character and his hat, coat-with-cape, and the shape of his pipe; Abraham Lincoln and his stovepipe hat; or Fred Astaire and his elegant tuxedo and top hat.
One man who has a very distinctive personal appearance is Gene Shalit, writer and longtime movie critic for the “Today” show. He is known for his curly hair; wide handlebar mustache; and his large, brightly printed, loosely tied bow ties. His look is unique, to say the least—so much so that he tells a story about how it once affected his career.
Mr. Shalit says that his movie reviews had been appearing mostly in the print media, when in the late 1960s he got a phone call from someone in the broadcasting industry inviting him to come in and talk about a possible on-air job. But when the interviewer saw Mr. Shalit, he said something like, “let’s talk about a job on radio”—as opposed to television. And sure enough, he went on radio for several years before finally appearing regularly on TV.
The point here is that what you look like and what you choose to wear can have a great effect on what others think of you and on what you think about yourself.
Whether you are a business executive, a lobbyist, or a salesperson, you set the tone for the entire day by your morning rituals and the wardrobe choices you make. That positive feeling can become an “upper,” which leads to better performance; and that negative feeling can become a “downer,” which starts a cycle of doubt and leads to an inferior performance.
The public person must be prepared to move with grace and dignity from one visual situation to another with total confidence. You must feel that you are “well turned out,” and that your advance preparations were adequate.
The classic look always reflects good taste. Your clothes should be graceful, restrained. Simple, understated clothes act as a proper support for you and allow the viewer to notice you rather than what you are wearing. You can express your individuality in many subtle ways that tell about your background, who you are, and what you would like to be.
For example, I often run into Senator Paul Simon of Illinois. He looks like a senator. He wears plain, well-cut suits in navy blue and similar colors. He has a good haircut that always seems to be the same length (i.e., he’s not one of those people to whom you say, “I see you just got a haircut”). His shoes are always polished. But Senator Simon almost always wears a bow tie. In fact, he seems to be one of the very few of our congressmen or senators who do. On him—a man known for his intellect and his individuality—it looks good; it has become a trademark, part of his persona.
Another senator I know is also always dressed like a senator ... except that if you examine his appearance closely, you’ll notice that he is wearing cowboy boots with his suit. This senator is from a Western state. He has told me that he wears the boots because (1) he’s always worn them and sees no reason to change just because he’s in Washington now, (2) they’re comfortable, (3) they’re sturdy and practical, and (4) he likes them. If you had the opportunity to inspect the feet of other members of the Senate and House of Representatives, you’d probably find other, similar types of nontraditional footwear paired with those congressional suits.
Women, too, can dress conservatively and simply but also wear something that expresses individuality in subtle ways. I know a woman who owns her own public relations firm. She often wears Gucci silk scarves wrapped around the neckline of her rather plain