How Advisors Can Dress to Gain Confidence and Clients

“You can sabotage yourself if you’re not dressing in a way that makes you feel confident,” she argues in the interview.

Be intentional, Bruhn advises, about how you present yourself because it immediately reveals the message you want to send prospects and clients.

She also discusses beards, neckties and men’s ponytails and explains what business casual really means (nix the tennis shoes!).

Bruhn is a style contributor to “Wake-Up Call,” Katie Couric’s daily newsletter, and a speaker to women’s groups at firms such as Blackstone.

She also hosts events for wealth advisors’ top clients.

Related: Wardrobe Do's and Don'ts for Looking Successful and Trustworthy

Here are excerpts from our conversation:

THINKADVISOR: What exactly is personal style?

ALISON BRUHN: Number 1, it’s about focusing on the message that you want to send: When someone sees me, what words do I want to come to their mind? What do I want the client to know about me when they start interacting with me?

You’re telling your story by creating your look and the message it sends.

THINKADVISOR: Are financial executives, especially financial advisors, paying more attention to personal style nowadays? If so, why is that important?

BRUHN: They are; and if they aren’t, they should because personal style is a differentiator in the incredibly competitive arena they’re in.

THINKADVISOR: What can financial advisors do to project credibility and trustworthiness through their style?

BRUHN: It’s seriously about knowing your audience and making sure that if you’re meeting with, say, an old-money client in Boston, you’re going to dress a little differently than you might when meeting with a client in the music industry in Miami.

It's all about the reaction you want.

Grooming is important; so is wardrobe fit and tailoring.

THINKADVISOR: What else is critical for advisors to realize about personal style?

BRUHN: A lot of people come to us because they can’t figure out why they’re being passed over: They’re not getting the clients they want; they’re not retaining clients.

But now they’re starting to understand that personal style is a very important tool in their toolbox. It lets you stand apart and look the part.

The more commanding presence that you have, the more people are drawn to you. When they look across [a crowded] room and [observe you], they should think, “I want to work with [them]!”

THINKADVISOR: To what extent are men aware of the importance of having a personal style?

BRUHN: A lot of men understand it and seek it out. Others don’t think it matters until they wear something that someone has recommended, and the reaction they got was completely different [from their usual one]. Then they’re, “Wow! I’m in.”

THINKADVISOR: Are younger financial executives into personal styling?

A lot of people, especially younger ones, aren’t there yet. Financial institutions come to us to speak to their younger people because they don’t understand how you need to look in order to get to be client-facing, to go to the big meetings and come across as someone that [managers] want to represent their firm.

The younger ones — perhaps moving into [family or managerial] leadership roles — are told by their older male mentors: “You need to zip it up a little.”

THINKADVISOR: Please explain that.

BRUHN: A lot of younger people come in [to the office] with their hair still wet and wearing tennis shoes. They think that’s what business casual is. But business casual isn’t the same as not caring or being sloppy.

THINKADVISOR: How did firms move to business casual as the accepted way to dress?

BRUHN: [For years] until the Great Recession [2007-mid-2009], companies like Amex and Coca-Cola gave you a personal stylist and a stipend for purchasing some clothes because the companies wanted to control the message that would have you look like an Amex or Coca-Cola executive when they sent you into the world.

But then it became politically incorrect to have dress codes. It changed to business casual; and many people would [conclude], “It doesn’t matter what I wear because it’s business casual.”

THINKADVISOR: Does personal style mean a great deal to family offices?

BRUHN: Sometimes. They’re attending board meetings [and the like with other top-level folks]. Also, younger people coming up need to be trained in what their responsibilities will be and [at the same time] to elevate their look as they’re coming of age.

THINKADVISOR: What about advisors and others working with family offices? Do they need personal styling too?

BRUHN: They might not have the same level of wealth as the family, but they want to be seen in that world. So they might wear quiet wealth signifiers, like a certain watch.

THINKADVISOR: So is personal style mainly about what you wear?

Oh, no. It’s definitely about your posture and looking people in the eye too. But it’s also feeling comfortable in the clothes you’re wearing. It’s about fabrics and fit and color — so many different things.

It’s about what kind of clients you have: Who are the people you’re interacting with that need to feel comfortable with you and believe you look like you know what you’re doing?

THINKADVISOR: What are folks seeking when they come to you for personal styling?

BRUHN: Men might say, “I want to dress like James Bond.” A woman may tell me, “I want to come across as Robin Wright’s character, Claire Underwood, in “House of Cards” [TV show].

The woman is really saying that she wants to come across as powerful and strong — also a little dangerous — sexy and fit, and is a minimalist dresser.

THINKADVISOR: What’s the difference between a personal brand and a personal style?

BRUHN: Nothing. But when you say “personal brand,” it sounds almost like you’re creating a fake persona.

The main thing is being intentional about how you present yourself and taking a little time to get it right.

THINKADVISOR: Can the appropriate wardrobe make you feel more confident?

BRUHN: Most definitely. You can sabotage yourself if you’re not dressing in a way that makes you feel confident.

If you’re at an important meeting and think, “Ooh, I’m underdressed! There are people here with a super-high level of wealth. I don’t have that [wealth].

“But I want to look the part and feel comfortable [conveying] that I understand their life.”

THINKADVISOR: Turning to the burning issue of men wearing ties: Should they, or shouldn’t they?

BRUHN: Ties have, kind of, gone by the wayside. But young guys are fascinated by them because their dads didn’t wear them. Now they’re thinking they’re bringing a new trend by wearing ties. So maybe they’re on the way back.

And the last two seasons female models came down fashion show runways wearing a sexy [slim] pencil skirt, high heels, button-down shirt and a man’s tie. Maybe that [tie] trend [of the 1970s] is coming back too.

THINKADVISOR: What about beards? Lots of men have them again. Does that enhance a professional male’s personal style?

BRUHN: If you want to look organized, powerful, intelligent, sharp and also have lots of facial hair, sometimes that comes across as trying to look cool — but you just look messy. So make sure your beard is groomed and neat.

But facial hair may also be on the way out. It comes and goes. We’ve been in a period of scruffiness.

THINKADVISOR: What about men’s hair length?

BRUHN: If you see a lawyer or a financial advisor with a ponytail, that’s personal preference. It’s OK unless it looks dirty and unkempt and doesn’t go with the rest of the person — that makes it distracting.

THINKADVISOR: What’s your advice about women wearing makeup?

BRUHN: Makeup is a tool. Take a little time to refresh it before you go into a meeting halfway through the day.

And ask yourself: Does your foundation still work with your skin tone? Pigment changes as we get older.

If you’re speaking on a panel or on-screen with the media, get your makeup done professionally. Tell them you want it to be understated and elegant because it’s a relatively serious conversation when you’re talking about finances.

THINKADVISOR: How much jewelry is enough for women to wear to reflect their personal style? 

You don’t want anything that’s a distraction. If your personal style is lots and lots of jewelry, that’s fine.

But if you’re wearing multiple bangles that are making noise, you don’t want the client preoccupied with how many bracelets you’re wearing instead of listening to what you’re saying.

Credit: Tracy Dungo/Uno Dos Trae