Nonverbal communication is inevitable. The phrase "We cannot NOT communicate" (Watzlawick, Bavelas, & Jackson, 1967) captures the essence of this characteristic. If a person is in the presence of someone else, then the person’s nonverbal messages (whether intentional or not) are communicating. Meanwhile, the person may be oblivious to all of the messages his or her behavior is sending. Nonverbal communication is the primary conveyer of emotions. People interpret how others feel about what they are communicating based almost entirely on their nonverbal messages. Nonverbal communication is multi-channeled. People perceive meaning from postures, gestures, facial expressions, vocal pitch and rate, and appearance. The fact that nonverbal communication is multi-channeled is one reason people

are more likely to believe nonverbal communication when nonverbal behaviors contradict the verbal message. Nonverbal communication is ambiguous. Very few nonverbal messages mean the same thing to everyone. The meaning of one nonverbal behavior can vary based on culture, sex, gender, and even context or situation. Not only can the meaning of nonverbal messages vary among different cultures, but the meaning of the same nonverbal message also can differ based on the situation.

What will be an ideal response?

Physical appearance is how people look to others and is one of the first things others notice and judge. American society places so much emphasis on physical appearance that entire industries are devoted to it. Options for changing our physical appearance range from surgical procedures to weight loss programs and products to cosmetics and clothing lines.
Today more than ever, people use clothing choices, body art, and other personal grooming to communicate who they are and what they stand for. Likewise when we meet new people, we are likely to form our first impression of them based on how they are dressed and groomed. Thus, we can influence how others are likely to perceive us by our clothing and grooming choices. For example, Marcus, a successful sales representative, typically wears slacks and a collared shirt to the office, a suit and tie when giving a formal presentation, and a graphic T-shirt and jeans when hanging out with friends.
Body art (such as piercings and tattoos) has become quite popular in the United States today. Although body art can be an important means of self-expression, we often make choices about how much of it to display based on the situation and how others are likely to judge us based on it.