5 Dressing Mistakes as a Public Speaker
One of the things that are within your control is how you dress for your speech.
This is where a lot of speakers blow it.
They focus so much on their talk that they completely neglect their outfit.
They wear a wrinkled shirt, throw on a pair of musty pants, and forget to shine their shoes.
After they “dress up,” they ask:
‘Why don’t I feel confident?’
It’s because you are dressed like a bum!
Remember:
- How you dress influences your psychology.
Your wardrobe is like body language.
If you have sloppy body language, then you will feel less confident.
And if you dress sloppy, then you will feel less confident.
In this post, I’m going to share some dressing mistakes that I see a lot of public speakers making.
If you resonate with any of the items, fix it ASAP!
Mistake #1: Tight Collar and Small Tie
Public speaking requires effort.
It’s not easy to project your voice to an audience for 7-10 minutes.
For you to do that, you need to have a tension-free neck.
A tiny collar and/or a small tie will add tension.
Many public speakers don’t take their fashion seriously.
So, on the day of their talk, they go into their closet and find any dress shirt that’s not dirty.
They put on this dress shirt.
It’s hard to button the button on the top.
The one right across the neck.
This is a red flag.
They think about whether or not they should switch shirts.
But this is the only clean shirt they have at the moment.
So, they force themselves to button it.
Once they do, they feel like the problem is resolved.
Nope!
The problem is just beginning.
Mistake #2: Not Ironing Your Clothes
There was one time I was delayed and ended up pulling out a semi-wrinkly shirt and putting it on for a speech.
Uh oh!
In the car ride, I noticed the wrinkles.
I tried to use my hands to stretch out the wrinkles, but it didn’t work.
When I got on stage, I felt small.
I didn’t feel comfortable using my arms on stage.
I just tried to cover the wrinkles.
Wrinkles will hurt your confidence.
Best to iron all your clothes the day before.
A pro tip is to take a picture of your outfit once you’re done ironing.
The camera will bring wrinkles to light that your eyes missed.
Mistake #3: Slippery Shoes
An annoying thing about dress shoes is that the soles fade very quickly.
Some dress shoes are flat as heck on the bottom.
This leads to a slippery motion.
Sort of like you’re always trying to balance yourself.
Quickly worn-out soles are the #1 sign of CHEAP dress shoes.
I’m looking at you…
The people who buy their dress shoes for cheap at Ross.
It’s best if you can get dress shoes that are high quality.
When you touch the soles, you fear it.
You’re like:
‘Wow, this is so sturdy and hard. I’d be terrified to ever get hit by one of these.’
That’s when you know that these shoes have a nice grip on them!
When you’re on stage, you will walk with confidence rather than feel like you’re on the verge of slipping.
Mistake #4: Not Combing Your Hair or Styling it
Some people naturally have a messy look, that’s fine.
If that’s not your style, then listen up.
Work on your hair.
I recommend preparing for this moment way before your speech.
Your hairstyle says a lot about you.
There are these Tik Toks going viral recently with before and after transformations.
The before clip is of an ugly guy with an awful haircut.
The after clip is of the same guy who looks amazing with a new haircut.
These videos highlight how much a haircut will change your overall appearance.
Prepare for this moment, my friend.
What is your hairstyle of choice?
And how do you effectively style it?
My steps are simple:
- I get out of the shower, let my hair semi-dry, apply a product called Bryl-Cream, and comb it sideways.
This ritual is personal to me.
If you have a ritual for your hair already, then you’re in luck.
Just execute the same moves on speech day.
If you don’t have a ritual, find one.
Don’t go on stage like you just woke up from a nap.
Mistake #5: No Cologne
Cologne is a part of your outfit.
Scent has a powerful role in your psychology.
I’ll give you a public speaking hack right now:
- Wear the same cologne you plan to wear on speech day during your practice sessions.
Let’s say you plan to wear the Hugo Boss cologne on speech day.
Practice your speech in the same cologne.
Give it you’re all in practice.
No one is looking at you.
Experiment, recalibrate, and keep getting better.
On speech day, when you spray that cologne, you’ll automatically activate memories of comfort.
The same comfort that you exercised into your existence during the practice sessions.
Put on cologne or perfume.
Scent has a massive impact on your psyche.
Dress Sharp, Dress Like a Winner
How we dress says a lot about us.
For men, it’s not that difficult.
You just need to:
- Be in shape.
- Wear clothes that fit.
Most men neglect one or the other.
Very few do both.
If you can do both, then you’re already ahead of the herd.
Now it’s just a matter of focusing on the little details.
Like styling your hair, wearing nice shoes, ironing your clothes.
These small tweaks add up.
And these small tweaks lead to additional confidence.
You can’t always control how you feel.
But you can ALWAYS control how you dress.
Don’t sleep on this advice.
Dress up and dominate your talk.
Afterward, when you see upcoming speakers, tell them about the importance of dressing up for their talk.
You learn what you teach, buddy.
Teach away once you have lived it.
For more insights into public speaking, check out the Speaking Wizard
– ArmaniTalks 
