Your Appearance Can Impact Your Achievements
Everyone makes fashion choices every day. Whether we fill our closets with Gucci or grunge, neutral or vivid colors, bohemian or bold styles, when we choose what clothes to wear on a given day, we’re sending a message to others about how we want to be perceived and how we feel about ourselves.
In our personal lives, these choices affect the relationships we make. Generally speaking, friendships are formed when people have similar interests and, certainly, fashion is one of those common points. (Think about the lunch room scene in every movie about high school…the people sitting at the brain/geek/jock tables are all dressed like their companions, right?)
Moving into the boardroom, fashion is an undeniable factor in our success. When you’re interviewing for a job, how you present yourself says everything about how you’ll represent the prospective employer. If you’re already employed, your appearance can affect how your colleagues feel about the quality of your work.
Now, we know what you’re thinking…“what if I don’t have an unlimited budget for designer duds, or to keep up with the latest trends?” Fear not, frugal fashionista! Dressing the part is possible without breaking the bank. Pants and shirts are sold at every price point.
The single most important thing is to be realistic about what works on your body type – and, just as importantly, what doesn’t. Sure, not everyone is blessed with impeccable personal style. But we all have the ability to tell if something is too tight, too revealing, makes us look washed out and so on.
Know the office dress code. When you’re interviewing, even if the company is business casual, it’s always best to wear a suit. No matter how relaxed or creative an environment it is, jeans should never be worn unless you’re specifically told to do so. Once you land the job, take your wardrobe cues from the senior staff. These are the people who’ve achieved great success and should be setting the tone for everyone else.
What exactly is business casual anyway? It’s defined as a style of clothing less formal than traditional business wear, but still intended to give a professional impression. Clearly there’s much room for interpretation in the extremely wide range of options in between suit and sweatpants. Polo shirts, button downs and khakis are good choices for men; pencil skirts, sweater sets and slacks are just a few of the possibilities for women.
The devil is in the details. Wrinkles, stains, fraying hems, unkempt hair might seem like no-brainers but you’d be surprised how often they’re disregarded by employees (or potential employees), yet how much weight they carry with employers. As small as they may seem, they’re so easy to avoid.
Pull it all together. Accessories go a long way. Belts and loafers for men are great. For women, scarves, a colorful necklace and ballet flats are options.
Dress for success isn’t just a catchy phrase or an incredible non-profit. We all know in business it’s about dressing for the job you want, not the one you have. So why not make sure you always look the part.