What does “dress for success” mean? Does it mean wearing that pinstripe power suit that you bought with the intention to impress? Does it mean wearing an expensive Gucci T-shirt and flip-flops or is it all in the basics? Honestly, it can mean entirely different things to different people. For example – wearing a business suit works when you’re climbing up the corporate ladder and want to impress your colleagues, wearing a t-shirt and flip-flops on the other hand can help to communicate that you’re part of the nouveau riche, the type of people that don’t report to a boss, and run their own company. In reality dressing for success means that the clothes look great, are fitted to perfection and you’re comfortable wearing them. We’ll explore these elements in this article.
Dressing for success can also mean customization. You will find that many creatives in the creative industry are very well dressed but don’t conform to the norm and wear apparel that traditionalists would shy away from. For example, unfinished seams are a great way to communicate that you know about fashion and aren’t afraid to break the rules a little. Check out unfinished seams for some great apparel.
So why should you care about dressing for success? Well simply put, dressing well makes people like you. Simple as that. Of course, if you have a terrible personality, it doesn’t make a difference what you wear, but all other things being equal, we would rather talk to a good-looking person than one who looks bad. This is because people make snap judgments about who you are based on the types of clothes you wear. This means that people will often think that a well-dressed man is more business-oriented and conscientious, whereas a more casually dressed man is more relaxed and laidback. All things considered, if you want to leave a great impression, you better be dressing the part.
In addition to that, you will find that you believe in yourself more. By dressing like a business hotshot, you are more likely to think like a business hotshot, dress like a creative, you will think like a creative etc. Your clothes will never solve your problems but you’re a hell of a lot more inclined to solve them in an expensive suit. There have been studies done in the past where random people were put in lab coats and asked to perform cognitive tests. The study found that in all instances, wearing a lab coat produced more intense concentration and increased cognitive ability. What does this mean? Dress for success, be successful.
In addition to all this, you will find that wearing nice clothes will ensure that you receive attention from the people that you want to be around you. Similarly, you will find that by dressing well, you will attract hard-working, ambitious people. By impressing these people with your style, you will be able to stay in their company and have them as your friends.
