You may have heard the advice that to get the kind of job that you want, you have to dress for success.
While it’s certainly true your skill level does play a huge role in whatever job you have, your image is equally as important. It’s important you feel great about yourself when you’re at the office and at home.
The Psychology Behind Dressing for Success.
Many people have an outfit that makes them feel better as soon as they put it on. The clothes you wear can instantly change your mood and how you view the day. If you dress like a slob chances are you’ll feel like a slob.
That’s because there’s a psychological reason or a connection between dressing for success and your thoughts, your attitude and even your motivation. You want your clothing to reflect that. You need to carry that same line of thinking with you no matter where you work or what you d0. Imagine how confident you’d feel if you dressed for success every day and how that could impact your ability to get things done.
And when it comes time for a promotion or getting ahead at the office, the more successful you look, the more successful others will perceive you and the more successful you’ll be. It’s also important to dress for success even when you’re not in the office or at work.
If you put on a pair of sweats and a torn T-shirt just to head out to the store and bump into your boss there, you’re going to wish you’d dressed in something a little nicer. You’ll feel more confident in meetings and interviews and you’ll also carry yourself better. You should also have a dress code for yourself at home.
Your Appearance Impacts Your Life.
Your image is how others see you. This is in both your private and your professional life.
If you constantly wear old or improperly fitting clothes and your hair is always a wreck, people are going to start associating you with a disheveled appearance.
You’ll give the impression that you either don’t have the time to dress nicely or you just don’t care about it. You want people to remember you as “that professional looking guy” rather than “that beach bum.”
Of course, there are always some dos and don’ts when it comes to dressing professionally. You want the attention you get to be focused on how nice you look and how professional your appearance is.
You won’t want to dress up to the point that your appearance is distracting. That means that if the outfit is flashy, loud, or shows off too much skin, you don’t want to wear that when you’re representing yourself professionally.
While it’s important to be yourself, you have to remember that what matters in your professional life is how someone else views you.
Basic Clothing Pieces Everyone Needs for Home and Office.
You always want to build your wardrobe by starting with a few basic pieces. Black is a basic color that can do with any accessory and can look classy at the office as well as being comfortable to wear at home. If you’re a woman, you should always have a little black dress ready to wear. Wrap dresses are also great too, from office to a client meeting.
Plus, they also work well for use at a home office, too. You can wear either dress with heels or flat shoes, depending on the circumstance. Every woman should have a pair of black pumps and it’s best to have these in both open toe and closed toe styles.
A pair of black slacks is a must. With a pair of slacks, you can choose a top that’s very dressy for the office, yet you can still be able to pair them with a nice, casual top for home wear. Along with a pair of black slacks, you always want to invest in some blazers. Choose solid colors over ones with designs on them. You’ll also want to make sure that you have a plain cardigan.
While you can find these in plenty of different colors, always make sure that you also have a black one. Your closet should have all the basic skirt colors. You need a gray one, a black one, a brown one and blue one. Choose the right style for your body type. While pencil skirts can look professional, they aren’t good for jobs that are move physically active.
You also need several button up shirts in basic colors as well as white button up shirts. Men need a variety of slacks in basic colors of black, gray, brown and blue. You also need khaki pants. These pants look professional on days when a suit may be too overdressed. You also need blazers that can be mixed and matched. Every man needs a tailored suit or two in black or gray.
Make sure you keep up to date with the latest suit styles.
If you’re a man, you’ll also need a black, a gray and a blue blazer. Dress shirts are a must have. Choose neutral colors over loud ones and make sure you have a ready supply of white shirts. While there has been some doubt as to whether or not blue jeans are considered professional work attire, the answer is no. They’re not. Even when you pair them with a dress shirt and a blazer, jeans don’t look professional.
Men need to invest in Oxford shoes because these can be worn with a suit as well as slacks or khakis. You’ll need both a black and a brown pair. Choose a variety of ties, but leave the flashy ones on the sales rack. Stick with ties in basic or muted colors. Both men and women need to avoid brightly colored patterns. Those Hawaiian shirts just aren’t office material. Sweaters can be a handy accessory for a man or a woman and you can find plenty of them that look professional enough to wear to the office. Jewelry is a good bet, as long as it’s not so big or so colorful that it stands out as gaudy.
Dress for Success on a Budget
When you set out to create a professional wardrobe, the cost can quickly add up. Clothes are simply not cheap. But you might have a good start to building a wardrobe already in your own closet. Begin by going through everything and separating what’s too casual from what could pass for professional wear.
Toss out anything that’s out of fashion, torn or that doesn’t flatter your body type. When you wear clothes that are too big or too small it can make you look unprofessional. Once you’ve gone through everything in your closet, take the basic pieces and put them together as an outfit. Put things like black pants, a nice jacket of a solid color, a white dress shirt, and black shoes together. This can help give you a visual for a readymade outfit.
You may discover that you don’t have enough basic pieces to build a good wardrobe foundation. If that’s the case, you’ll need to do some shopping. If you’re short on clothing funds, there are plenty of ways that you can dress for success without spending a fortune. Don’t go shopping without a list. Make a note of what you need and only buy items that can be used as part of more than one outfit.
You get more when you make sure an item of clothing can serve at least three purposes. Some people prefer to hit the retail stores. Others like online shopping. Regardless of which one you choose, do your research first and find the sales. Check discount retailers and outlet malls.
The downside of shopping online is that you don’t get to try the clothing on before the purchase. There are plenty of online stores that offer returns if the piece doesn’t fit, but some won’t so be sure to check before buying from an online store. As with shopping in an actual store, do a little checking around to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible
You’ll also want to check their shipping costs if you shop online. Always steer clear of trends. Trends don’t last for long, but basic and classic pieces never go out of style. Look for shirts that will go with a lot of your jackets or blazers. If you’re a woman, look for purses and bags in basic colors that will match with most of your outfits. You should also do the same with your shoes.
Have a basic color in a few different styles like pumps, heels, sandals, and flats. Scarves are also a great way to add a splash of color to your outfit. Don’t purchase pieces or outfits because they’re popular. If you don’t like the style or you don’t feel comfortable in it, don’t waste your money on it.
Make sure you buy clothing you feel comfortable in to boost your confidence.
