on May 5th, 2009Personal Appearance of a public speaker
Your clothing and grooming affect how you are perceived. These factors also influence how you see yourself and how you behave. A police officer out of uniform may not act as authoritatively as when dressed in blue. A doctor without a white jacket may behave like just another person. You may have a certain type of clothing that makes you feel comfortable and relaxed. You may even have a special “good luck” outfit that raises your confidence. When you are scheduled to speak, you should dress in a way that puts you at ease and makes you feel good about yourself. Since your speech is a special occasion, you should treat it as such. By dressing a little more formally than you usually do, you emphasize both to yourself and to the audience that your message is important. Your appearance can serve as a presentation aid that complements your message. Like any other aid, it should never compete with your words for attention or be distracting. Always dress in good taste for the situation you anticipate.