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element of personal appearance, and certainly the easiest one to change, is what you wear and
how well-groomed you look. Nobody is likely to be able to tell you what exactly appropriate attire

in any given situation is. There will, however, be plenty of people to tell either you or someone
else if you get it wrong.

It is important to be suitably dressed within expected limits. You should also ensure that
you are appropriately groomed. This does not mean that women have to spend two hours

putting on make-up before attending an event. It does, however, mean that you should be clean,
your clothes should be clean and ironed, and that your hair should be tidy.

Nobody expects you to be packaged into something you are not. However, your
appearance is a reflection of your own self-esteem. You should aim to present yourself to your

best possible advantage. Whilst you might be casually dressed when working within your
organisation, a more formal attire may well be preferable when representing your organisation
at an external meeting. Adequate grooming and a tidy appearance are always preferable,

whether casually or formally dressed. It provides a much more professional appearance. It also
suggests that you think that you are relatively important; that you matter.

3.2.4. ARTIFACTS, HAIR STYLE AND JEWELLERY

Personal presentation involves two components: our physical characteristics and the
artifacts with which we adorn and surround ourselves. Physical characteristics include body

shape, height, weight, attractiveness, and other physical features of our bodies. We do not have
as much control over our physical characteristics. (But some people do control. Eg. Weight
gain/loss activities, plastic surgery etc.). Artifacts are forms of decorative ornamentation that are

chosen to represent self-concept. They can include rings and tattoos. In the United States, body
piercings and tattoos have been shifting from subcultural to mainstream over the past few

decades. The physical location, size, and number of tattoos and piercings play a large role in
determining whether they are deemed appropriate for professional contexts or not, and many
people with tattoos and/or piercings make conscious choices about when and where they

display their body art. From clothes to cars, watches, briefcases, purses, and even eyeglasses,
what we choose to accessorize ourselves will communicate something about our sense of self.

Apart from artifacts, hairstyle also communicates. Men with short hair are generally

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