We never get a second chance to make a first impression, says popular wisdom. People, as a rule, have no time to delve into your rich spiritual world - they would like to sort out their own. Therefore, casting a fleeting glance at you, they have already mentally made a conclusion about what kind of person you are: a success or a failure; self-confident or uptight; sociable or reserved, etc. There is actually not that much difference between “to be” and “to seem.”
Today the Stylish Thing website will tell you, how to create your own image in such a way as to convey to others exactly the information about yourself that you want to communicate.
English word image means “reflection”, “image”. This clears something up. Agree, no mirror, even the most flattering one, will reflect Angelina Jolie instead of you. Those. your outer reflection must correspond to your inner essence. And, thank God: each of us, including Angelina Jolie, is attractive, first of all, because of her uniqueness. Thus, the task of any image is to emphasize your brightest advantages - both internal and external, and carefully disguise your shortcomings.
So, you've decided to take your image seriously. A logical question arises: where to start? First of all, decide what caused this decision. Surely there is some kind of spiritual impulse that prompted you to think about this. Let's say you realized that your career is not moving - you are not being assigned serious tasks, despite the fact that you have already become a qualified professional and are internally ready for responsible work.
Now we need to analyze what is the reason. Perhaps the fact is that you sit quietly at meetings, and management is simply unable to see your zeal. Or maybe your plush backpacks and glamorous dresses with frills do not allow you to see a pro in you? Having realized what is preventing you from achieving your cherished goal, you can understand in which direction you should work.
So you decided that your task is to create the image of a serious, responsible, highly professional employee. Now decide what needs to be done to manifest yourself to others in this way. You need to start changing your image with clothes. Think about it when you look at yourself in the mirror: what does your clothing say about its owner? How does it characterize you in the eyes of other people? What would you like from her? And if you plan to make a career, then wear business suits, not sneakers and jeans. And if you dream of building a serious relationship, dress femininely, not vulgarly.
Clothes should be correctly emphasized with accessories and details. In the process of forming an image, you should not let yourself go: first you work for the image, then the image works for you. One small touch can sometimes ruin the entire look. Therefore, be attentive to the details. In this case, you should take into account who this information is addressed to, whether it will find recognition among the contingent you are interested in. For example, someone based on an expensive fountain pen will conclude that you are a respectable business person, while others will simply not pay attention to it.
Creating an image is not an easy task. It's hard work and constant self-control. After all, if you want to get a new result, you will have to do something that you never had to do before. After a person has taken a quick glance at you, taking in your overall image and forming an impression, he will be guided by what and how you say. Thus, the next point on how to create your image is working on your speech. If you want to become a leader, you most likely need public speaking skills. If you struggle with self-doubt, learn to speak slower, louder and more clearly. If you strive for femininity, maybe you should add some languor to your voice? In general, on this point, everything again depends on your goals and objectives.
What follows behavioral change. However, it began already at the stage of work on the appearance. You've already noticed how clothes, hairstyles, and makeup take over us and really force us to behave differently? As soon as you change from sneakers to high-heeled shoes, your gait is already more elegant, a touching instability appears in it, you feel more attractive. Putting on a business suit that fits you perfectly, you feel that your movements become more confident and your posture becomes more majestic. However, this will not be enough. You must constantly keep in mind the image that you want to live up to. It probably seems incredibly difficult to you to constantly control yourself: not to fuss, keep your back straight all the time, smile, etc. But in reality it is just a matter of habit.
In the process of forming your own image, there is a great temptation to follow the path of imitating authorities. On the one hand, it’s not bad at all to adopt the experience of some worthy people. However, there is nothing sadder than blindly copying and trying to follow someone else's path. Always remember: You have your own destiny and it is unique. Never stop listening to your intuition: its place in shaping our life scenario is difficult to overestimate. It is your heart that will tell you whether you have stumbled or veered off your path in an attempt to live up to the ideals imposed on you from the outside.
And one more thing - don't be afraid to be different. There is no stability in life. Priorities, circumstances, and values are constantly changing. So be flexible. Image is not a mask frozen for many years, but a reflection of your multifaceted personality. In different conditions you have to behave differently. And if at work you are a businesswoman, no one is stopping you from becoming a caring mother and a gentle wife at home, or having fun with friends until you drop on the weekends.
The moral is: every person (not just superstars who hire specially trained people to do this) should think about how to create your own image. Creating an image is, first of all, a process of continuous self-improvement, the goal of which is the formation of a harmonious personality, satisfied with oneself and one’s relationships with others.
It's easy to be stylish!— Website for women Stylish Thing
Concessions and failures are nothing. Image and reputation are everything.
Selected excerpts about reputation and image from Simon Vine's book “Success is not an accident. Laws of Career Growth,” which is published in February by Alpina Publisher.
Simon Vine is the Managing Director of Alfa Bank and heads the Debt and Derivatives Markets division. He is considered one of the leading specialists in Russia in financial consulting, trading and investment operations.
It is necessary to distinguish between reputation and image
Reputation is a meaningful part of the image, and it is “earned”. Image"create". Often people with bad reputations have the image of successful people. In such cases, the image is a wrapper without the candy. On the other hand, you may have a great reputation but not the image of someone who “they” should pay and promote, and therefore you do not feel fair recognition from your point of view.
The difference between these terms is explained by the observation that people do not buy chocolate truffles in torn wrappers. An exception is possible only if the buyer is hungry, or the candy is sold at a large discount.
Perhaps everyone will admit that you do a good job, but there is something wrong with the wrapper. You are kind of strange, with quirks. Or, it happens, you laugh out of place. Or quarrelsome - “negative energy.” That is, you have a good professional reputation, and, of course, you are essentially a truffle, but your wrapper is damaged.
The cost of promoting a product is often 70% of its cost. Of these, a significant part goes to maintaining that same image. In other words, the cost of inventing and creating products is 30-40% of their total cost. Why should this be any different for a product called labor?
If we generally agree with this logic, the reputation of a professional is not the main thing in success.
Admit it, how much time do you spend on developing your professional training compared to working on your image? Many times more, isn't it? Then another question: what image do you have now and what, in your opinion, should it be? People rarely ask themselves the first question, because they believe that others think about them the same way they think about themselves, which, as a rule, is not true. But even if they ask, it is difficult to get an answer. The easiest way is to ask others, but it also largely depends on their friendly attitude towards you.
In general, understanding how you look in the eyes of others is not an easy task. But you need it! So find a way.
But even if you are not yet able to grasp this important point, you still need to work on it. And one of the first rules for improving your image is
The first rule: do not show sadness and confusion.
In 2008, we had the opportunity to observe on television the behavior of senior executives of companies that began to have problems. Lloyd Blenkfine, the head of the American Goldman Sachs, and Tony Hayward, the head of the English oil company BP, seemed especially expressive. Both were under extreme stress, but Goldman's man did not look depressed.
It is difficult to say what influence image had on their careers in those days, but for the average person in the moment of failure, a demonstration of confidence and goodwill is decisive: no one wants to own or hold damaged goods, and this is exactly how a person in a bad mood is perceived.
Second rule: you should control the tone of your communication
Think critically about the text of your email messages and guess in what tone the recipient might read them. Using words with double meanings can cause conflict or confusion. Your messages represent you and help build your image. Make sure that the letter sounds polite and demonstrates the qualities you want to convey to people.
Third rule: don’t forget to talk about your achievements
Don't assume that anyone will remember them or rightly attribute them to your account.
For example, it was not Columbus who created a legend about himself, but Amerigo Vespucci: he put his name under the maps and actually introduced himself as a discoverer, since, in the absence of the Internet, his contemporaries decided that he was the discoverer of strange lands. He died rich and famous, while Columbus died poor and much less known to his contemporaries. So remember Golda Meir's advice: "Don't be so humble: you are not so great."
Fourth rule: present your image favorably
Figure out how to write an interesting message that highlights your strengths.
Fifth rule: your own opinion, but not your own facts
When you argue, you need to remember the words of politician Daniel Moynihan: “You are entitled to your own views, but not to your own facts.” People notice and appreciate that you don't twist the truth to make your point. The expectation that you will behave honestly in difficult situations is an important trait that opens up many opportunities.
How to control external factors
Above we talked about meaningful work on your image. But that's only half the story. The second half is controlling the influence of others on your image.
Acute situations at work often resemble advanced versions of the game of “broken telephone”, which you have probably ever watched with a laugh.
“Broken phone” is omnipresent. To avoid this effect, double-check how your potential critics (that is, everyone involved in the project) understand what you said.
Given this effect, your ideas must be presented simply and clearly read, otherwise they will be distorted.
If someone begins to criticize your ideas that he heard in someone else’s presentation, ask him to repeat what exactly, in his opinion, you said and in what context.
Most likely, it will turn out that the thought is distorted.
In addition to controlling attempts to actively and passively misrepresent your words, you should make efforts to avoid getting into situations that end badly, even if it is not your fault. And you need to do this constantly.
For example, after analyzing a failed situation in which it was not your fault, you should tell everyone that your fault was not found, and not rely on the correct presentation of information by third parties. You have to “cleanse” the consciousness of others from distorted ideas about you and your ideas. But this should not be done spontaneously, not immediately after detecting a distortion, but at a convenient moment after some time.
To be 5% wrong is to be 50% guilty.
This rule contradicts any idea of justice, and therefore is perceived extremely painfully. Consider one of the investigations into organizational failure. Usually these "exercises" are officially called "analysis of how to avoid similar problems in the future", but they often turn into witch hunts. Reports rarely note who was right. But from the very beginning they suspect that everyone was to blame to some extent!
Try to understand this situation: you were deceived, but it was not someone who deceived you, but a member of your own team, thus the whole team risks not reaching the finish line. People around you see that your partner is generally to blame, but the team hasn’t arrived! Thus you become an accomplice to failure. And period!
You, of course, will immediately point your finger at him, but your boss will say something like this: “Learn to find a compromise,” “You’re out of luck,” “You’re always right and everyone else is wrong,” or “You turn people against you, so next to they do stupid things with you.” That is, the partner is to blame, but the task was disrupted with your participation. It turns out that you are dirty too...
That's why, even if you have emails confirming the fact that you are not guilty, someone will find words in them that will question your alibi. Even without this, you may be accused of inaccuracies. That is, there will always be a way to attribute 5% of the blame to you, but because of them you will end up on the list of culprits.
Because such reports most often do not mention the proportion of fault, and only know that you are also to blame. This kind of social cruelty, where lack of guilt is confused with actual guilt, is one of the main reasons why it is better to find a mediocre solution to a conflict than to later explain that you did everything possible to avoid failure and thereby allow your image to be tarnished.
Don't forget how important openness is
In the memoirs of Schellenberg, head of foreign intelligence of Nazi Germany, there is the following episode. Soviet experts invited to the exhibition of the latest weapons of the Reich were not particularly interested in the latest developments in German tank building. Because of their sluggish reaction, the Nazi intelligence officers observing them concluded that the USSR had more advanced developments. They were not mistaken: the USSR was about to begin production of the T-34, the best tank of World War II.
In their careers, many strive to develop the image of an “open person”, seeking promotion, someone’s love or respect.
There are also those who think that by demonstrating their friendliness at a certain moment, they will thereby neutralize any wrongdoing. Some believe in the generally accepted advice that in order to advance successfully, you must constantly be “yourself” - both on and off the job. Therefore, while the military does its best to hide its secret developments, while at the same time trying to unravel the enemy’s plans through hints, in the career field people are striving with all their might to show their “true self.”
Is it right to fully reveal your essence in order to appear “one of us” or “principled”? The beginning of the chapter suggests the answer. However, this “no” is forgotten when the desire for recognition or regret suddenly arises.
“Seductive” situations often arise during training sessions or corporate games, when people are relaxed. Behavior in such situations has a disproportionate impact on the image, since the participants themselves raise their visors, expecting to see the naked soul of others. And perhaps because of this, expectations make more important conclusions based on observations than the situation actually allows.
In all circumstances, try to maintain the image in which you want to be remembered.
For example, according to In the coach's scenario, you have the role of violating some order. You instantly got used to the character and came up with ten ways to evade responsibility for an offense. At the same time, you wanted to show off your ingenuity or ability to transform, entertain others and earn praise. As a result, you received praise, and everyone discovered the actor in you... However, now everyone is convinced that you are capable of duplicity and hiding facts!
Another option: As an exercise in self-flagellation, the boss invited you to express everything you think about him.
And “Ostap got carried away.” But the five minutes of openness is over, and then you will have to live with your boss for the rest of your life.
In other words, at the moment when everyone expects others to behave openly, it’s time to enter the image of the “ideal hero” and surprise with your integrity, devotion to corporate values, and so on, and not get completely drunk and court colleagues of the opposite sex and tell vulgar jokes in order to present yourself as a “shirt guy.”
To improve your image, avoid conflicts
The epigraph to this chapter can serve as the people's advice on this topic: “if you see a drunk, move away, if you see a fight, go around.”
Straightforwardness as a means of achieving goals in our time is valued only in a peaceful context.
Those who resort to “military” actions risk being branded as quarrelsome or undiplomatic people. Then, even after achieving the goal of a particular project, they move away from success.
Recall that our perception of our own actions may differ sharply from the perception of the same by others because, in part, our views may “offend” the ideas of others.
In some cases, people achieve success by being principled and, from their point of view, “knights,” but more often they find that, despite their best efforts to lay railroad tracks into a new future, achievements are attributed to other employees or the team as a whole. And when management, often not privy to all the details, notes that these “knights” irritate the “community”, they are paid less for the most important achievements for the organization.
Tactics of someone who achieves goals while remaining pleasant to collaborate with.
"Give up half a slice" technique
The simplest algorithm for avoiding conflict for the sake of maintaining an image is the rule “give half a slice,” that is, retreat from an uncompromising position. This rule means that you should not assume that everything will happen according to your scenario, since your partner or opponent may expect the same on their part.
Following this logic, it is better to avoid conflict situations and seek a compromise, even conceding part of what is personally due to you - your “half a slice”.
As already mentioned, in the world of constant quality control of teamwork, in tactical terms, it is better to ignore the unprofessionalism or insufficient level of responsibility of a partner and give in to him in something than to run into joint failure.
"Swap Shoes" Technique
Put yourself in the shoes of someone whose function might put them in an awkward position, or invite your partner to imagine themselves in your place.
The recommendation to put yourself in others' shoes is crucial in understanding how you will feel in someone else's shoes. The effect of different sensations from one situation is most often reduced with the help, as already mentioned, of direct communication. A simple conversation with others about how they understand a common problem clearly shows a difference in perception of the problem, not a lack of desire to cooperate.
Technique “Don’t demand loyalty from others”
There are people who do not show hostility towards you personally, but are at enmity with your friends. In such situations, you should not succumb to the emotions of your friends, but you need to maintain your image as a mature person who knows how to maintain smooth relationships.
To build an image you have to make a lot of concessions. But it is important not to perceive them as losses, but to remember why you are doing them.
This is what Stalin did when he gained power over the more popular Trotsky because Trotsky divided those around him into those who were “for” and “against” him. Acting on the principle “those who are not with me are against me,” he made himself many more opponents than Stalin, who in the early stages “fought” only with direct rivals. One of the key reasons for Trotsky’s loss in the political struggle was his excessive demands on the loyalty of others.
"Don't fight on two fronts" technique
If conflicts do break out, don't fight on two fronts. When delays in work or mistakes of others are repeated or accumulated, your “internal fuse” can give out, and the accumulated irritation can escalate into conflict with several people at the same time. If this happens, at best there will be no one who will reconcile you with the antagonist; at worst, your enemies will unite against you.
In this case, even if your arguments are justified, you will create an image of a neurotic. “Something happened to him,” people will say, forgetting to mention the essence of the problem. There will be no one to explain the episode to you, because everyone will be against you, and management will tell you that “everyone can’t be wrong at the same time, you’re probably the cause of the problem.” Do you need such an image?
Hello, dear readers!
In this article, I decided to address such an important topic as a person’s personal image.
The fact is that a properly built and effective image -
this is one of the main aspects that determines her success and self-esteem.
Recently this topic has become very popular.
After all, managing your image allows you to present yourself favorably in society, become an attractive and significant person, while remaining yourself.
Let's decide that
Image is a purposefully created, stable, individual, emotionally charged image of a person, which is formed in the minds of people around him and affects their thinking, behavior, feelings, emotions and experiences.
The main task of creating a personal image is to smooth out, hide or completely eradicate the shortcomings of one’s appearance and/or character and bring advantages and advantages to the fore.
Some virtuosos even manage to forge traits that are attractive to those around them from their shortcomings.
A correctly built image of a business person allows you to establish positive and productive relationships with your environment.
By emphasizing advantages and hiding shortcomings, the image allows you to demonstrate your personal, professional and business qualities and attract the attention of clients, business partners and the general public to them.
In this context, image can be understood as a set of attractive patterns of behavior and thinking.
Accordingly, the key to a successful image is to reproduce in one’s image and behavior such qualities and traits that please and attract the attention of those at whom image communication is aimed.
The image of a successful person must necessarily include an aura of attractiveness. This allows it to be a very useful tool of influence that does not leave indifferent those around you.
In imageology (from the Latin imago - “image” and logos - “teaching”, “science”) it is customary to highlight personal image, i.e. the image of a specific person, and the corporate image or image of an organization (business).
This article will only talk about individual image; I will write about corporate image later.
From my point of view, personal image has three key components. They are shown in the diagram below.
The basis of any image is confidence, self-esteem and self-trust. It is difficult to imagine that a person who lacks self-confidence will be able to successfully present himself in society.
Without confidence in your abilities, in your competence and in your actions, it is almost impossible to do this (you can lament how self-doubt is formed, and how to resist it in the article “”).
Personal attractiveness and charm come from self-confidence (however, sometimes self-doubt can be charming). Charm is often called “the invisible part of beauty.” Charm is a certain charm, the ability to please, attract attention and charm.
As a rule, charm is the result of a harmonious combination of visual and mental images. But, in any case, real charm is sincerity and the absence of pretense.
And finally, the third component of the image is functional attractiveness. This is when the image absorbs elements of the image of a person who is necessary and useful for his environment.
He has something that the people around him don't have. This is its effectiveness. Such a person is the creator of some socially significant (ideally unique) product or service.
It is very important to understand that the ability to be useful to one’s environment, the ability to bring something significant into the world is a central life value for such a person. If so, then image of a business person becomes incredibly effective.
Having briefly examined what a successful image is and identified its key components, let's turn to the main aspects of creating an image.
fundamentals of construction and development
It must be said right away that the image of a successful person is always connected with his internal state, with his mood and speculation. It is difficult for a person prone to pessimism to create a positive image, since his negative thinking will always spoil his image.
And one more very important note. The famous Russian psychologist A. Yu. Panasyuk recommends applying the following principle when building a productive image:
A little better than everyone else, but no more
“Your car should be a little better than most people in the same circle; your office should be a little nicer than most of your colleagues. As A.Yu. Panasyuk notes, “better than others, it should be so much that an outsider would notice it, but not so much that the mind would form (albeit involuntarily) the question “Where from?”
In other words, the attractiveness of your image in the eyes of others should be based on harmony, and not on pretentiousness and excesses, on a slight advance in the attractiveness of the images of your rivals.
If you go out of your way in an effort to demonstrate some better quality, then this will only cause rejection, but not a positive response.
Such tactics will very quickly turn your best qualities and achievements into unnecessary trash and ruin your personal image.
Hence, one of the main principles of creating a productive image is its harmony. It includes harmony and a coordinated combination of external and internal aspects of your image.
Another principle is positivity and goodwill of the created image. Compliance with this principle is the basis for the effectiveness of image communication, which creates positive relationships with others.
Another principle is image effectiveness. The image must be created for a specific purpose and aimed at achieving specific goals. Otherwise, image formation process will become uncontrollable, and the image itself will become ineffective.
And the last key principle of image building is image controllability. You should constantly monitor the effects of your image on the environment and identify the impression it makes on the target audience. And, based on this, adjust and develop your image behavior.
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that working on one’s image includes both transformation of one’s external image (visual image) and internal self-changes (creation of a new self-image or self-concept). But we will discuss this in future articles.
And also, as a post scriptum.
From my point of view, the most effective image is the image of a person who knows how to change, but at the same time always remains himself. This is the image of a sincere person who knows the value of his uniqueness and individuality.
That's all. See you soon!
© Denis Kryukov
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I would be very grateful if you leave your
A person's image is everything! How confident and flawless you are in appearance determines your future. A correctly chosen image of a business person can decide in advance the outcome of your affairs: success or failure.
Image includes a set of details of a person’s external image. The perception of the world around you depends only on how you look, what you wear and how you feel. Simply put, if you want to be successful, create a successful image!
Presentation has a lot of meaning for a modern person, so clothes, accessories and even fragrance can change the outcome of any situation: a date, a job, an important event.
It’s safe to say that the following factors influence the impression of a successful person:
- well-chosen suit
- expensive accessories
- well-groomed appearance
The clothes of a successful person are made of high-quality material and always fit the figure. It does not cause discomfort to the owner and is always designed in strict shades. Accessories complement the image, for example, the watch should be a well-known brand of the manufacturer and not pretentious in design. Well-groomed hair, minimal makeup and glowing skin are signs of neatness and taste. You always want to reach out to such a person and you always want to look up to him.
Human image factors
The external image of a modern successful business woman requires a number of important conditions to be met. For example, compliance with the dress code is necessary for those who want to look presentable and stylish every day. Possession of education and professional qualities are always integral for those who strive to climb the career ladder and be the ideal of a successful person.
Image is the ability to manage your external image, which means you can regulate the impression of others about you, you can do it yourself. As you know, the first five seconds can create the first impression and therefore, it is worth paying due attention to how you look to others.
There are two main factors in your image:
- external
- interior
External - a set of details that catch the eye, internal - details that we are aware of: a person’s lifestyle, culture, his interests and education.
External image of a business person
Everyone knows the saying: “You are greeted by your clothes, but seen off by your mind.” This saying is more relevant than ever in creating a person’s business image. Only an image can determine the flow of a conversation in any situation and save time on creating the desired impression.
There is one little secret that business people use at various presentations, speeches and negotiations. This secret goes like this: “The speaker should always look a little better than his listeners” and this is the whole truth. Only by feeling your superiority can you achieve attention and due respect for your person.
The image of a business person consists of such details as:
- Good branded wardrobe
- Excellent physical shape
- Well-groomed hair, hands, feet, nails
- Flawless cosmetics
- Low-key hairstyle
- Expensive accessories
Agree, an expensive suit can be recognized and distinguished from hundreds of others. Branded clothing is distinguished by strict lines, high-quality materials and modernity. A well-groomed body and collected hair indicate your external and internal emotional restraint, good physical shape indicates enormous willpower and desire to strive for the best.
Methods for forming a manager’s own image
- Business etiquette is a form of communication. It includes some rules to build a basis for behavior. Each manager, in order to form his image, must be externally presentable and have internal qualities. For example, following the rules of communication and greeting. The point is that by replacing the word “you” with “you” you already create a positive impression of yourself as a well-mannered and educated person
- The manager's image is also created through a collected appearance. If we talk about the color of clothing, then in the daytime it should correspond to light shades, and in the evening - dark. A man's prestige is judged by the presence of a tie. Knowing how to choose the right tie is an art. This is because this detail must coexist harmoniously with both the shirt and trousers. A plain tie matches a patterned shirt, while a bright tie is usually worn with a light suit
- If we talk about a woman’s clothing, then her blouse decides a lot. It should be a light shade, without frills and accessories. The ideal option is a snow-white shirt, buttoned with all buttons except the top one. A strict pencil skirt can convey that you are a serious person, unlike a skirt with ruffles and frills.
- A classic design watch looks good on a woman’s hand, as if asserting that you are a business woman and always do everything on time. And the most important detail is the shoes! Here you need to be very careful and be able to choose classic, non-vulgar pumps with comfortable low heels and a closed toe.
Every manager should be able to present himself:
Etiquette and image of a modern person
- A person is always ready to give his preference to someone who evokes positive emotional feelings in him. So, a successful person must have all the qualities that can win him over. Of course, nature initially endowed some with charm, but in most cases you still have to do a lot of work on the way to achieving your image
- Etiquette is a set of rules of generally accepted behavior in society. We can distinguish such a concept as “official etiquette”. It includes the ability to communicate with people, treat others, adherence to rules of conduct in public places, and compliance with greeting standards. official official etiquette - a person’s ability to comply with and fulfill all the requirements of his superiors, as well as fulfill his duties
- “Informal etiquette” is distinguished by its direction. It is rather a form of behavior in society. Ways to present yourself, such as badges or business cards, play an important role here. Badge - usually worn on the left side of the chest and only indoors or at an event. It displays detailed information about you: name, position, place of work
- A business card is a special element of modern image and etiquette. So a piece of high-quality thick cardboard can tell a lot about you and not only in printed text. The attitude towards you depends on how much attention and money you pay to your personalized business card. A cheap business card will show that you are frugal and pay little attention to details. Dear - about the fact that you always devote a lot of effort to work and external impressions
Formation of one’s own image as a condition for achieving success in activities
Image can completely decide your reputation, and it already determines what you achieve: success or failure in any business. People around you always pay attention to a person’s manner of dress, competent communication and demeanor. Therefore, when creating yours, always pay attention to all the details of your image.
Stand in front of the mirror and ask yourself a few questions: “Do I look good?”, “Am I presenting myself favorably?”, “Do people trust me?”, “Can they rely on me?” If, looking at your reflection, you confidently give positive answers, then be sure that you have chosen the right path to achieving a successful image.
Video: " Creating an image from scratch!”
How to create an image?
“Image” implies a certain image of someone or something (for example, a person, an object, a phenomenon). You can’t do without an image in the modern world. The image is formed in the public or individual consciousness by means of mass communication and psychological influence. Those. he is influenced to a certain extent by the public, acquaintances, relatives, etc.
A person’s image is his “calling card”; it creates the impression that we hope to make on others.
In a properly created image, everything is harmonious: external details (clothing style, shoes, hairstyle, accessories, jewelry, etc.) are thought out and selected, as well as voice and demeanor.
The image must correspond to the person’s internal qualities, character, temperament and lifestyle.
What does an image consist of?
Literally everything affects the image, including words, actions, clothes, hairstyle, shoes, facial expressions (how we smile, how we are sad), gait, gestures, posture, vocabulary, manner of speaking, etc.
Let us note that “individual style” and “image” are different concepts, although very close. Image is a specific role, image, and style is a broader concept that reflects the essence of a person, his inner self. You can always guess your preferred style by the hairstyle, cut or color of clothing.
Stylish man not only dressed with taste and thought through all the details of the wardrobe to the smallest detail. Everything he wears suits him perfectly. This is the correspondence of image to style, and style to image. The innate sense of beauty that is in every woman will help to form a harmonious image, as well as knowledge of the basic laws of stylistics, the basics of colorism and the definition of color type, and of course the study of one’s appearance and inner world.
7 rules for creating your image
Creating any image begins with appearance. Therefore, we decided to introduce the reader to some universal rules that can help you in this interesting activity.
Rule 1: “Avoid sudden contrasts in your image”
If you strive for a clear and fairly simple image, you should use the principle of unity.
For example, you want to look like a nice, defenseless woman whom everyone will pity and look after.
The implementation of the principle of unity assumes that you choose a solution that clearly conveys this impression through clothing. The image dictates the unity of stylistic choice (romantic, models for young people), one or another color scheme (only pastel colors), the choice of fabric (soft, delicate, plastic), accessories and additions (cute and touching-sentimental). Everything in the image should fit one another. This image must match your behavior. Your speech, the construction of phrases and the set of words used, intonation and facial expressions along with the plasticity of movement - everything should work for him.
If the image matches your nature, then in such a situation it is easiest. If you want to appear like this, but in fact are very independent and strong in spirit, be careful that another principle does not work.
The principle of contrast presupposes such a construction of the image when an element (detail) is deliberately introduced that is inadequate to the entire image as a whole. It is this “inadequate detail” by contrast that attracts attention in the first place.
A contrasting detail objectively attracts our attention and can take first place when interpreting your image. It necessarily causes judgments that contradict the rest of the information (which is carried by the other components of the image).
Therefore, if you want to look like a rich woman who does not hide her price, dress in prestigious, expensive things, but do not forget to make sure that any detail does not make you doubt this (for example, a cheap fountain pen or unbranded lipstick).
If you want to leave only a hint of your material well-being and have the appearance of a person who does not seek to demonstrate it, wear one very expensive ring (but it should be readable) in combination with ordinary modest clothing. Attention! The principle of contrast works in the following situations:
- a detail does not match the main style of the image (thick warm stockings with an elegant silk scarf;
- the prestige and high cost of the element against the backdrop of modest clothing (expensive jewelry in combination with a chintz dress);
- the modesty of the element against the background of the overall rich and prestigious image (a smartly dressed lady with a shopping bag;
— various functionality (evening dress in combination with house shoes);
- various neatness and cleanliness (ironed, clean dress and torn stockings).
It is easy to guess that the proposed list can be continued, since the principle of contrast will work for any other reason.
The principle of contrast also manifests itself in the violation of the proportionality of the figure and volume of the product, the scale of the body and the pattern of the textiles from which the clothes are made. Failure to comply with the rule leads to the emergence of various unwanted illusions of visual perception that distort the figure. The principle must be observed when selecting fabric density to suit the body composition. Overweight women should avoid airy, transparent veils and fabrics. Fragile - it is not recommended to wear very hard, thick and rough fabrics.
The contrast between style and things of different functional purposes leads to the emergence of negative judgments about taste and, in general, about the level of human culture. Similar judgments can arise when there is a contrast in a person’s behavior, gestures, speech and clothing. At the same time, clothing not only does not mask this discrepancy, but, on the contrary, emphasizes and reveals it. (For example, slang expressions from the mouth of a luxuriously dressed lady only increase the dissonance between her material and spiritual life).
Remember the famous film “Pretty Woman” with the participation of magnificent actors Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. Remember how, in the process of transforming her appearance, a new woman was born in the heroine. A gorgeous cocktail dress minus the necessary manners - we are looking at a prostitute in disguise. Clothes plus good manners - a society lady. Here's an image and the principle of contrast!
If the characteristics of the color type of appearance conflict with the characteristics of the clothing style, the principle of contrast comes into play. It will probably be interesting for readers to know that the color of clothing, according to the results of our research, plays a more important role in shaping our image than the color type of appearance! That is, the correctly chosen color of clothing corrects the impression of a hair color that is not very successful (from an image point of view).
It is known that each color type of appearance makes a significant contribution to the formation of the image. This impact can be measured in several ways.
The “Winter” type is bright, spectacular, coldly inaccessible, and in certain combinations - a femme fatale who knows her worth.
The “Autumn” type is a luxurious, bright, energetic, insidious and cunning woman.
Type “Spring” - tender, feminine, weak.
The “Summer” type is businesslike, confident, smart.
Each style also in its own way reflects the personality qualities attributed to clothing. We talked about this in “The Origins of Image.”
It would not be superfluous to remind you that the following combinations of color types are harmonious with the style of clothing:
“Winter” - with a classic style;
"Spring" - with romance,
“Autumn” - with avant-garde and fantasy styles;
“Summer” - with business and sports.
In any case, the statement (postulate) that the image effect caused by color is stronger than the shape effect, and the effect of clothing color in the image is more important than hair color (with the exception of fiery red hair), can be considered proven.
It is important to learn how to correctly use the principle of contrast when creating an image.
Rule 2: “Tell yourself what others need to know about you”
How much you can reveal your soul to others is up to you to decide.
Of course, if in some situation only the current impression is important to you, you should build an image in accordance only with your demonstrated “I”.
People around you should only think about you what you allow them to think about. Therefore, you should choose the appropriate option to impress you. Do you want everyone around to see you as a “businesswoman” or “mother of the family”? “Blue stocking” or “sexy beauty”? “Successful specialist” or “loser”?
Here we should focus only on the patterns of image perception in our society. In different situations, clothing should match them as best as possible. The more stereotyped and precise you are in this expression, the less your individuality is visible, the better.
If you are interested in the task of self-improvement, you want to bring yourself closer to achieving your ideal self, then in this case, clothes should speak about it more accurately. In this case, the task changes; what is important is not what is needed in the situation, but what you personally need in order to achieve the necessary internal change and convince others of this.
Therefore, here, when choosing a style, silhouette and color in clothing, we must be guided by the knowledge of the connection between their features and the character and other psychological characteristics of the individual, and imagine the possibilities of correcting our own soul with the help of clothing (for more details, see our book “The Language of Clothes”). In this case, the red thread in our appearance should be those traits that we want to develop in ourselves. Therefore, the image cannot be very different, it must always work for a super task!
But clothes can also express our real self. Then we shouldn’t think about the effects of social perception of our appearance at all. Is their opinion so important to you if a completely different task comes first? Even if those around you understand that this is the self-expression of people spitting on other individuals. Is this bad if this is exactly what you wanted?
Rule 3: “Clothing should be appropriate for your profession only in the workplace”
The biggest mistake is wearing a uniform outside of work, or, even worse, dressing in all situations as if you were going to work. This is especially common among teachers who, even at home in their clothes, remain strict teachers.
According to role theory, we play 3 roles in life: ascribed (the behavior expected of us), subjective (we ourselves expect from ourselves) and real.
Numerous foreign studies show that professional clothing prepares a person for work, thereby facilitating the performance of the assigned role. But she also interferes in the performance of the real role. By remaining in professional clothes outside of work, we seem to continue to be at the workplace after leaving it. At the same time, we unconsciously transfer the same communication technique, the same manner of speaking from the professional sphere to another place.
Therefore, it is necessary to change clothes in different situations not only for hygiene reasons, but also for purely psychological reasons!
Anyone who goes to the theater in casual clothes is not just “acting badly”, but simply depriving himself of a small, but still, edge of celebration.
What to do when there is absolutely no time and you have to go from the “ship to the ball”. Practice shows that there are simple ways to change the appearance using improvised means. A light thin scarf (hidden in a handbag), jewelry, other shoes, elegant overlays (capes, vests, transparent tunics and furs), worn over an ordinary business dress, can transform us beyond recognition. It's not difficult to learn this at all! Just don't be lazy!
Rule 4: “The image should give the information about age that you need”
In certain cases, clothing can make a woman grow up (more often this need arises for young women in the professional sphere of communication), or make her younger (for example, older women in communication with men).
Only those who are convinced that “his years are his wealth” should dress strictly according to their age.
Most women want to look younger as they age. In this endeavor, the following principle should be adhered to: dress according to your appearance! If you can’t look like a girl, then it’s better to dress in clothes of an age group much younger than yourself.
For example, a thirty-year-old woman can wear youth clothing (for twenty-year-olds). The use of clothing that is two orders of magnitude inappropriate for your age will not only not rejuvenate you, but may, on the contrary, emphasize your lack of youth. For example, imagine “girly dresses” on a fifty-year-old woman.
It is very important to consider the influence of hairstyle on the perception of a woman’s age. In the perception of the external appearance of any person, hairstyle is the first thing the eye falls on. It is by the hairstyle that we immediately recognize who is in front of us: a man or a woman, and what age. Therefore, you should wear hairstyles that modern young women wear and avoid very short haircuts!
It's hardly worth dressing like an old woman. This outfit is only good if you need to convince others that you will soon play the game! Or to make you feel sorry when making any request. During the war, it was precisely this manner of dressing that saved the life of one young woman who wore her grandmother’s clothes and avoided being sent to work in Germany because a German officer could not determine her age.
There is no war now, but if you have to return late in the evening alone, you should remember that it is the overtly erotic or simply very feminine appearance of the victim that can provoke the rapist. In this case, it won’t hurt to look older here either.
Rule 5: “Consciously change your color image”
To do this, first of all, evaluate what you want to achieve with your appearance. The general pattern of perception of the color type of appearance is as follows: the darker the hair color, the stricter the attributed characteristics. The lighter the hair, the more the perceived image shifts towards traditionally feminine characteristics.
Men have liked blondes since ancient Greece. The fact that they still gravitate towards them is, in principle, quite scientifically justified.
Therefore, when deciding whether to lighten your hair or not, think about what impression is most important to you. Well, it’s really impossible to be blonde when dealing with men, to have light brown hair with your boss, and to have brown hair with children. After all, this is not a dress that is easy to change into - it’s our hair!
If you are artistic and would like to make a different impression everywhere, then in this case you can simply change the wigs. Come to one society as a blonde, to another as a light blond, and in a third appear with multi-colored strands. But the method is not universal!
Red-haired women have the most problems. Since childhood, “being red-haired” is bad according to the stereotypes of social perception. In adults there is no obvious discrimination, but at the level of interpretation the result is worse than all other types. Therefore, only a strong enough nature can afford to be a redhead, capable of resisting the negative aspects of how others perceive their hair! If the “Autumn” color type has bright red hair, then this is assessed as an additional minus.
When creating a color scheme for your image, pay attention to the following.
No matter how you feel about the idea of dividing people into four color types by analogy with the seasons, determine your appearance according to this system. Who are you - “Autumn”, “Winter”, “Spring” or “Summer”? Perhaps you belong to an intermediate or mixed color type (for example, the skin in some places may be yellowish, in others - with a blue tint, hair of an indefinite tint), then in any case, only you must decide which color type is subjectively yours, and how you look!
If you don’t like the natural type that your appearance belongs to, no one will stop you in your quest for change. Whatever you choose, advice on forming a color type can be taken as recommendations for finding a harmonious color scheme for your appearance, and in which there may be nothing left of the natural one.
But in any case, when wearing clothes of a certain color, use makeup of the same color type and make sure that your hair color matches it! No one here has the right to contradict you!
If you want to always look like “Spring” - please, if you want to be “Winter” - no problem! If you want to be in harmony with nature, great; If you think that nature has made a mistake, correct it. People undergo gender reassignment operations, and there should be no problems at all with decorative changes in appearance.
A wardrobe that is not your natural type will require appropriate makeup and hair coloring. It’s troublesome, but, as they say, beauty requires sacrifice.
It is necessary to determine whether it is worth changing your appearance to such an extent, although if you are convinced, and especially if it corresponds to the goals of life, do what your soul calls you to do!
There are women who dye their hair all their lives and generally do not perceive themselves in their natural color type, and there is no escape from this!
It is important that when deciding on an image, color harmony of appearance, clothing and image is achieved!
Rule 6: “Don’t forget about the obsolescence of things!”
Remember that the moral wear and tear of clothing may not correspond to its material wear and tear. Certain feelings about the obsolescence of any toilet may arise not only from the person wearing it.
The time of obsolescence of a thing varies greatly in different social strata and situations. Thus, a wedding dress should not be worn a second time if you have already been married in it, and a mourning dress can be used for many years (therefore it is better to choose it in a classic style).
For the bulk of things, obsolescence corresponds to a phase of a sharp change in fashion. In our country, cinema, pop and theater stars are treated especially strictly in this regard. One journalist, describing the latest film festival, noted with a note of indignation that one of the famous actresses has been appearing “with the same arctic fox on her shoulders” for the third year now. This attitude is similar to the widespread American belief that items should be worn until the first wash and generally for no more than a season.
It is no coincidence that disposable inexpensive things are widespread in America.
In Europe, women's clothing has a different obsolescence period. European women prefer to have a few things and always of good quality.
We in Russia have not developed a European attitude to things, but we are not yet on par with the Americans. And then there are continuous perestroikas, crises, reforms.
As a result, our consumer demand (as an indicator of mass attitudes towards fashion) fluctuates much more than in stable countries. But we already have temporary differences in the obsolescence of things in different strata of society. Thus, according to the etiquette of high society, women should not appear in the same toilet in society more than three times. And this is already being monitored, for example, by the wives of the “new Russians”.
The season should be considered the universal period of obsolescence. This is literally genetically embedded in us, the change of season leads to a renewal of nature, weather conditions, mood and energy balance of the body change. The soul longs for change. That's why most women happily buy things for the new season.
If an item has been in use for several years, then you should use the simplest ways to update it. New accessories and additions often change it beyond recognition. Indeed, the same simple, classic cut, plain dress without a collar can have a lot of transformation options using just a variety of scarves. If you don’t have Weber-Lorkowski’s book “Scarf. Scarf: Style and Fashion" (1998), which describes 24 techniques on how to do this - we highly recommend getting to know it.
Rule 7: “Clothes must look impeccable!”
All the tricks in building an image can come to naught due to the slightest deviations in the appearance of the product from its impeccable condition. The same principle of contrast works. Therefore, take care of your clothes and maintain them in good condition. The suit should always look like new!
Wear only clean and ironed clothes and make sure they are free of stains. Remember: “Coffee on a dress is no longer coffee, but dirt!”
So, for you, here are seven magnificent rules for designing your appearance.
Avoid unplanned contrasts in your image.
Say things about yourself that others need to know about you.
Clothing should be appropriate for your profession only in the workplace.
The image should give the information about age that you need.
Consciously change your color image.
Don't forget about the obsolescence of things!
Clothes must look impeccable!
