The 4 don’ts of cell phones

Today’s world – surrounded now in the digital universe – finds many of its inhabitants owning, carrying, and using mobile devices. Smart phones, flip phones, iPhones, and Bluetooth headsets fill the pockets and bags of most every man. In fact, more and more we discover our dependence on them growing.

While a helpful addition to life, a cell phone should never overplay its role. Moreover, learn to keep your digital devices in the background of your wardrobe. Here are 4 cell phone actions to avoid:

1. Don’t walk around with a Bluetooth headpiece on your ear at all times. I come across this all the time, almost every day. It tells the people around you, “hey, I’m too occupied with calls and other stuff to devote my attention to you.” Keep it simple – wear the device when talking on the phone. Take it off when the phone is off.

2. Don’t wear a “cell phone holster.” Your phone should not be attached to your belt. It distracts from the overall appearance and looks tacky. My first cell phone, bulky and red so as not to miss it, sat on my belt for all to see. At the time, I think I saw it as portraying importance. I was wrong.

3. Don’t sport bulging pockets. Keep from carrying 10 items in your pockets. This means staying away from a single pocket filled with a phone and keys and wallet and … and … and …

If it looks like you are carrying the entire contents of your desk with you, its time to unload the cargo ship. I am waiting for the day when cell phones literally shrink down to the actual size and thinness of a credit card. Some day.

This point constantly fights with me. Women have their purses. What do men have? Hands and pockets? In order to decrease the swollen look of full pockets, I have done everything I know to do. I removed ninety percent of the cards and papers from my wallet. I jettisoned all but an essential four keys from my key chain. I avoid stuffing my pockets with change, receipts – anything I pick up throughout the day. And, I am constantly surveying the marketplace for a thin phone.

4. Don’t cover your cell phone with crazy colors or themes. Believe it or not, people make judgments based on your phone – just like your car and clothes. So if you want to display a more professional or classic phone, avoid the Spiderman cover. However, if you operate outside of the business world or comparable sphere of influence, you may interpret this differently – it’s up to you.

Overall, you should see your phone as a tool. Keep it out of the spotlight. When someone walks up to greet you, a cell phone should not capture their first glimpse of you. Think about it – they will notice the Bluetooth or the flamboyant cover or the holster or the weighted down pockets. Make a few corrections and let them notice YOU overlooking your phone.

© Copyright 2012 Fashion for the average man.