5 Accessories That Subconsciously Communicate Good Things About You

Accessories make or break your whole outfit. They are powerful because they are not easy to choose: anyone can go into a store and pick up a Hugo Boss suit, but you need style to choose a nice watch. They also impress because they communicate things about the wearer, good things if chosen right. Here are five you can get and impress.

1. The watch. That’s a no-brainer. People might have all sort of technology attached to them nowadays, and the need for a wristwatch might no longer be there. However, an elegant and simple watch or chronograph tends to impress and that’s just what you want to do. Pick an analog one, preferably in a dark color. The watch will communicate you are a reliable person. It could also get you a compliment, to which you should always respond with a “Thank you” and a smile.
2. Reading glasses. Do you remember the smart kids in middle school? Chances are, they wore glasses. I don’t know why this happens, it just does. And especially for the younger folks, I would encourage you to keep your contacts in their case and bring out your glasses. Your glasses should be simple with an almost inexistent frame. The right reading glasses will communicate calmness, and, you guessed it, intelligence. This rule doesn’t apply for any job that require any kind of physical activity, or simply being in good shape. Obviously, it doesn’t apply to the lucky folks who don’t need glasses either.
3. Pen. Whatever the occasion, you never want to ask for a pen. And you want your pen to impress. It doesn’t have to be expensive (although you’d want to spend at least $50 on it), but it needs to be elegant and write smoothly. The ink should be black gel (unless you can pull off a fountain pen, which I don’t encourage), and the diameter should be at least 1 mm. The point is, you want whatever your write to stand out. You’ll look professional from having a pen, and bold for having one that writes thick.
4. The briefcase. The briefcase, unless you are bringing along government secrets, should be in leather. For a more professional look, the attaché is the way to go, but you’ll look pretentious if it only contains your résumé. For job seekers I’d recommend a nice leather portfolio with notepad. Bring everything you need, and nothing more. A nice attaché or portfolio will show your sense of taste, and demonstrate you are well prepared.
5. Your wallet. Most men have a little brick instead of a wallet. This not only demonstrates little care and poor organization, but also causes tons of back problems. Your wallet should contain the following essentials, and nothing more: paper money (european folks are allowed coins), some credit cards, your business cards, the insurance card, essential badges, and a picture of your kids. That’s it. When you take out your business card you want to look organized. A neat wallet will make this easy.

Do you have any accessory you like to bring with you on important occasions? Let us know in the comments below! You don’t have any interview planned out? Check out my article about where you should look for the perfect job.