The Everyday Icon Style Podcast
Welcome to the Everyday Icon Style Podcast, the ultimate resource for executive assistants and corporate professionals looking to elevate their personal style and career. Hosted by a seasoned style coach specializing in executive presence, this podcast is your go-to guide for breaking out of style ruts and curating a wardrobe that reflects confidence, authority, and ambition.
Discover actionable tips on wardrobe edits, corporate capsule wardrobes, and styling secrets tailored to administrative assistants, executive assistants, and mid-career professionals. Whether you're preparing for a big meeting, looking to refresh your workwear, or simply want to feel your best every day, this podcast has you covered.
Tune in for practical advice, insider strategies, and inspiring conversations designed to help you look the part and achieve your professional goals. Let’s elevate your style and your career—one outfit at a time!"
The Everyday Icon Style Podcast
Episode 163: The Power of Grooming for Career Success
Ever wondered how a refined grooming routine can elevate your professional image and career?
I am providing the secrets to harnessing the power of meticulous grooming to enhance your role as an administrative or executive assistant. We discuss the pivotal role appearance plays in corporate settings and how it shapes perceptions from everyone around you.
Learn how small, thoughtful adjustments to your grooming can make a significant impact, helping you project authority, build trust, and boost your confidence across various industries.
For those in leadership roles, grooming goes beyond just looking good—it’s about building an executive presence that commands respect and embodies excellence.
Discover how integrating simple enhancements like a new moisturizer or a chic accessory can redefine your personal brand over time. Remember, this transformation is a marathon, not a sprint.
Follow me on Instagram or LinkedIn for ongoing tips. Tune in to elevate your grooming game and watch how it revolutionizes your career!
Resources Mentioned In This Episode
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Ignite your style with the Everyday Icon Style Podcast. I'm Tiffany, your style navigator and confidant here to lead women in corporate America on the quest to discover their timeless style. Let's revolutionize your wardrobe, empower your confidence and embrace your inner icon. Are you ready to redefine your corporate chic? Then let's get started. Hi everyone and welcome back to the Everyday Icon Style Podcast. I am your host, tiffany, and today we're talking about grooming and how grooming can elevate your style In this space your executive assistant style.
Speaker 1:Now, with this, I've come up on this and decided to go in this direction a little bit because of two things One, because I am now on an administrative assistant for a bank here in North Carolina and because I am now realizing and understanding a little bit how it could actually help me with my career path, as I want to go on to become an executive assistant and hope, maybe one day even a chief of staff. So our appearance is crucial and probably the most important thing. But before I dive into today's episode, I want to just say one thing when you're doing and working on your grooming and some of the things I'm going to touch on, like manicures and makeup and things like that nature I want you to be mindful of where in the space that you work, because tech is going to be different than banking, a law office is going to be different from a construction company or real estate company. So you want to be mindful and you want to kind of figure out what and how people dress in your space and then kind of go from there If you're still not quite sure. You want to create something that is going to go across all lines and some of the rules I feel today are outdated from, say, 15, 20 years ago are outdated because we now have fully remote, we have hybrid, we have in office and I'm in office five days a week now. So we want to be just mindful of all of that. It sounds like a lot, but hopefully it's not, and you wanna start with there first when of that. It sounds like a lot, but hopefully it's not, and you want to start with there first when doing that.
Speaker 1:So, as an executive assistant or an administrative assistant or I'll just say any type of administrative administrator, your appearance is one of the most powerful tools. Actually, it's not the, it is the most powerful tool that you have tools. Actually, it's not the, it is the most powerful tool that you have, the way that you present yourself visually. It can have a major impact on how you're perceived, not only by your boss, but by your customers, by your clients. And are you maximizing your personal brand through strategic grooming?
Speaker 1:Now, when it comes to grooming, I think that we forget that that's part of our brand and it's part of our visual brand because it's so repetitive. We get up in the morning, we get dressed, we iron our clothes. Well, I hope you're ironing your clothes in the morning or the night before or for the week. We have to be. It becomes so routine, but is it helping us, hurting us, or is it just keeping us stagnant like in the middle? And we want to use it as a way to elevate us. And even if you don't necessarily want to go to the next level, we do want raises, we do want projects, we do want raises, we do want projects, we do want to maybe be on different boards and things of that nature. So we always want to just kind of keep that in mind, so kind of maybe breaking up maybe not breaking up your routine, but enhancing. You know your grooming routine a little bit, because I know your routine for grooming is probably already like intact, but it can always use some tweaks and things like that.
Speaker 1:So, with the importance of grooming, especially if you're an AA or an EA or a COF, a chief of staff, our roles require us to be the face of the executive that we support. So you're often the first point of contact for important clients' stakeholders, so your appearance sets the tone for the entire organization. I also feel that if you are an administrative assistant, an executive assistant, I think we're underestimated. We run our executives or our department heads, life at work and we are the first person, we are the gatekeepers. So we are the first person, we are the gatekeepers, so we are very important and I think we underestimate that and people underestimate how important and how valuable we are, and sometimes we do too. So I don't ever want I'm saying and doing this because I want us to be seen as and remember and mindful that we support executives and department heads. That's a powerful position to be in. So our appearance again, it sets the tone for the entire organization.
Speaker 1:Now I've researched and studies have shown that visual cues like grooming account up to 55% of how we're initially evaluated by others. So this means small details like our hair, our nails, makeup. They can make a big difference in how capable, trustworthy and professional that we are perceived to be. And beyond just making a strong first impression, which I talked about in the last episode, meticulous grooming also helps you embody the employees and authority that's expected of high level support staff. So when you look put together or elevated I don't like put together either and well, don't like polished either, so I won't use that You'll carry yourself with greater confidence. This projects an image of competence and confidence that will inspire confidence in those you interact with on a daily basis. So, how we interact with others, we are at a level and at a function where we are seen and we are very visible. So we want to keep in mind that we have to. By doing all these small detailed things, it's going to give us that confidence we need, and then, because confidence is contagious, we will spread it around to others. So we want to keep that all in mind. So I'm going to give you some few key grooming musts for us in our roles, so that we are. These are, I'd like to say, the essential grooming elements that will help you elevate your executive assistant style.
Speaker 1:So let's start from the top down. So, first, your hair Is it neat? Is it professional? There's no such thing to me anymore as professional hairstyles. Is it neat? Is it done? Is it brushed? Is it washed? Are the curls popping? That's what we're looking for. We don't want to do anything too trendy. I'm still not wowed about having like bright colors. You know what I mean by bright colors, like a blue or a purple, like very brash, harsh in your face. I've seen highlights of people that have it. That look great. But just making sure is your hair moisturized, that's what we want to make sure of. Do you have a regular schedule, whether you do your hair yourself or you have someone do it for you, are you keeping those appointments? Do you have your regular wash day, your weekly or bi-weekly wash days that you do? If you do your hair yourself, if you don't't, like myself, are you on somebody's schedule every week, every two weeks, once a month? However that schedule is, that will help you with doing, of course, your hair.
Speaker 1:Next up, your nails it's probably my favorite one. Are they neat? Are they clean? Are they not, you know, dirty? For me, like, what is the length? All of us work with different lengths, so for me, I work with a mid length nail? Um, are my fill-ins done every week, and not every week, but once a month, every two weeks? Do I keep that appointment like clockwork to go in sure they're done? What type of nail color do I have? Is it light? Is it going to depend on the season?
Speaker 1:If I get embellishments, what do they look like? Are they drawing? Are you, when it comes to nails? You don't want to draw attention to your nails, you want to draw attention to yourself, so it's part of your cohesiveness. For me, my nails are who I am and they're part of me, so it's just a blended. They kind of people will say, oh, they look nice depending on what color I have or, um, the length that they have. If I may, every now and again, have an embellishment, but not too much, I keep my um, very classic square for my nails. So you want to keep all of that in mind when you're doing your nails. Are they cut? Do you have any hangnails? Things of that nature. That's, when it comes to nails, to keep in mind.
Speaker 1:When it comes to makeup, does the foundation match you? Does the foundation match you? Um, is it? How do you do makeup? You know? Is it neat. Is it clean? Are the colors? Do they match you? Um, you don't have to be beat. You don't have to be contoured and have a full face. What do you wear, you know. Do you just do mascara? Do you do lip gloss and a lip liner or lipstick? Do you do foundation? Is it liquid? Is it powder? How do you do all that? Is it blotchy? You know things of that nature. But the biggest thing is, if you wear makeup, does it match, like? Does the foundation match your skin tone and your hue? You know, you might be a little darker in the summertime than you are in the wintertime, so you want to be very mindful of that as well. If you have a favorite lip color or eye, you know, eyeliner or eyeshadow or blush that gives you that pop that you need, make sure that you utilize that and that it's just in a tone level. We have to remember when we get to certain levels and spaces, we can't always be in your face with your makeup. That's pretty much what I'll say about makeup, but you still want to make it complement you. So does your makeup complement who you are?
Speaker 1:Another one of my favorites is fragrances. It's a nice finishing touch and when you do this, are you going to choose one that's clean and fresh? Are you a floral girl? Are you a gourmand girl? Do you want to have a signature scent? Do you like layering? We don't want to be offensive, but we still want to smell good, like you want to be able to. That can be like the way that people know sometimes that you're in the office or when you're leaving, that they remember like, ooh, she smells so good, like she smells good. It's more than just soap and water. Or if you don't use fragrances at all, does your lotion smell good? Does your soap you know the body wash that you wear use? Does that smell good? So finishing it all off with a nice touch, that's always a great way, I think, for me, as I'm getting and building my little collection, I like to do things different every day.
Speaker 1:I'm more. I'm not an in-your-face girl, you know. When it comes to my scents, I'm very light. I'm clean, fresh, doesn't have, doesn't give you a punch in your face or anything like that, it's just very I try to. It's the word mindful is coming to mind when I say that, but I just like nice, elegant, elevated, rich scents that make me feel good. So when you're thinking about fragrances, keep that in mind.
Speaker 1:Accessories, jewelry, scarves we tend to forget we can have a lot of fun with this Our tote bags. They can take our shoes. They can make or break an outfit like that. So always take into account. You know a tote bag, you have several tote bags that you can keep in rotation. You know, every quarter you might change out your tote bag, your umbrella, your scarf when you're in the office. I know it gets cold in the office, but do you have cute, like nice little sweaters that you can put on, because I know everybody has an office sweater when need be. So do you have a nice office sweater that you have, that you keep at your desk? Scarves that you can wear whether you're wearing it with your coat or you're wearing it with the outfit you have on your trench coats, your wool long coats, especially if you're somewhere where it's like real, you get a real winter, snow, cold and everything. These small pieces, these pieces can elevate a whole look without doing, without much effort.
Speaker 1:Everyday jewelry what does that look like? You may have to spend a little bit of money, but this is stuff you're going to be wearing every single day. Spend a little bit of money, but this is stuff you're going to be wearing every single day, so you want it to be good and long lasting and something that doesn't break after five or six wears and you're out buying something else. If you want here's a note if you want to spend money in a certain area, this is the area to spend it in. If you're starting out with creating your visual brand, this is the area I highly suggest you start, because it's something easy to ease your way into. You might be able to find your style through there, but overall, we want the key is to strike a balance between looking good but still conveying that you're approachable. You're in all those areas.
Speaker 1:So your grooming should enhance and not overpower your professional presence, so it should enhance it. This, to me, is a great place to start when you're trying to figure out your visual brand, because it's the easiest place to start. So it's easy to do the grooming. You know the hair, the nails, the makeup. For me, I would have to add my waxing. So my eyebrows, and I always feel that your eyebrows are your. It's almost like a mini facelift that you get. That I get every like six to eight weeks.
Speaker 1:I would even go in to add your skincare routine as part of your grooming. Are you moisturized, you know. Are you hydrated? Are you drinking water? What does your skin look like? Is it popping? Is it glowing? You know you want to look at that, and not just your face, but your butt like. Is it glowing? Do you have that? You know, soft skin. All of that plays part into your grooming habits.
Speaker 1:So if you really, I think, and I believe that this is a great place to start and it's an easy place to start when building your visual brand, because all of that's going to come together in time and remember, please, that this is a marathon and not a sprint when it comes to this, because things will change along the way a sprint when it comes to this, because things will change along the way. So I want you to remember this most importantly your grooming is an extension of your executive brand you're representing, so take the time to establish a thoughtful and refined personal style that complements your leadership image that you're projecting, because don't let anybody tell you that you're not in a place of leadership, whether you're an administrative assistant, a senior admin, an executive assistant, chief of staff, that you are in a position of leadership and that you have to project this image of such when you're in these roles. We are in powerful roles, we are in visible roles, crucial, critical roles, and how we look should always reflect that. Should always reflect that, because when we look and get our visual brand together, you will carry yourself with a greater confidence and command more respect from everybody around you. So I want you to take a close look at your current grooming routine. Are there areas that need to be leveled up or needed to be added to project the image that we want to project?
Speaker 1:Start today by making those tweaks today. If there's something you've been dying to try a new moisturizer, a new face wash, any of that starting a new lotion, a new scent, a new accessory, a new bag Start there. These small tweaks today will help you and watch how it transforms you along the way, how you're perceived at work, how it helps you with building your style and trust, and believe everybody will begin to take notice. So I hope you enjoyed today's episode. Today. To continue the conversation, please follow me on either Instagram or LinkedIn. I will have everything in the description box below for you. And let's continue the conversation, because I'm always in for new grooming tips, new moisturizers, where to get accessories, the whole nine yards, because I'm on this journey of beginning to become there, build my executive presence, so to speak, in this new life, new job, new era of me. To say so, I hope you guys have an amazing rest of your day, stay healthy, stay safe and, of course, I will talk to you guys in the next episode.