Millennials Hate This Idea
“What a strange power there is in clothing.” ~Isaac Bashevis Singer
Dressing for success can basically be defined as choosing your wardrobe and adjusting your appearance for the purpose of making a good impression.
Nearly 30 years ago, author John T. Molloy created a book called “Dress for Success.” It was a primer on how clothes contribute — or hurt — a person’s efforts to be successful in the workplace and in social settings. It wasn’t just a fashion book; it included research on how clothes affect not only self-image, but others’ perceptions of us and our strengths and capabilities.
Remember this: Just as you judge other people, people will judge YOU. First impressions are important in business because as the old saying goes, “You only get one chance to make a first impression.” So, dress for success. If you are a sales person trying to make important contacts, representing your organization and meeting business leaders or networking then you must work on developing a winning image. Image is important.
Human capital is the most valuable asset for you and your organization. Whether you wear professional attire, business casual, or uniforms, your image and behavior significantly affect your brand and therefore your bottom line. Enhancing your professionalism gives your organization the competitive edge.
What you and/or your employees wear reveals many things about your company. Here is what I consider the eight most important aspects of dressing for success.
1. Self-esteem. How you dress is your “love-of-self” made tangible to the world. When you wear ill-fitting, soiled, torn, tattered clothing, it can make others aware of a poor sense of self-worth. What people see on the outside lets them know how you feel about yourself on the inside. Image is the tip of the iceberg, yet it adds immeasurably to helping people understand what’s going on inside you.
2. Self-respect. How you wear your clothes and what you choose to wear show others how much you respect yourself. Few people come even close to naturally having a “perfect” shape or size. Those who respect themselves know how to dress to emphasize strengths and minimize body flaws. Respect for self is lacking in women who, in the workplace, wear skirts that are too short, necklines that are too low, pants that are too tight; for men who wear long pants that are too “short,” ties with spots, jeans with holes; and with anyone who gains weight and then wears clothes that used to fit. Self-respect plays a big part in knowing and wearing the acceptable thing socially and professionally.
3. Confidence. The way you carry yourself contributes greatly to the air of confidence others perceive. What you wear also contributes to that look of confidence. When I wear a shirt with French cuffs and cufflinks, inevitably men and women will say to me they love the confidence I portray. Some men say they would love to wear cufflinks but are afraid they can’t carry it off. Your goal is to create an aura of confidence and unwaveringness when you walk into a room. Make sure your clothing plays its part!
4. Organizational skills. Even people who don’t like to file or plan the details of an event need to appear organized in their clothing color and style choices. You want to create a unified look from head to foot, without calling attention to any one item or color. Frequently during training workshops, I will ask trainees up front to describe what they think our time together will be like, knowing they have been sizing me up, even though I have only said a few words.
I remember the woman who said, “Organized, because everything from your suit to your shoes is coordinated and looks as if it came together.”
When interviewing potential sales people I often use appearance to judge organizational skills. If I know where the potential employee parked, I send someone to walk around the car to see if it looks clean and orderly or if it resembles the garbage can for a fast-food restaurant.
5. Good judgment. Knowing and wearing the right outfit for the right occasion is an important indicator of whether you can make the right decisions at work, too. Know when to wear a suit, business casual or formal attire to blend in appropriately.
6. Attention to detail. About 90 percent of your body is clothed in business and the remaining 10 percent of your impression is made through your grooming and that includes manicured nails, trimmed mustache and beard, lack of a 5 o’clock shadow, neat and attractive hair style and the right amount of makeup and jewelry that can be seen and not heard.
7. Creativity. While some jobs allow more creative expression than others, most of them permit you to individualize at least a bit. Express your uniqueness through a special tie, a scarf or an exquisite piece of jewelry. Maybe your mark will become the special way you tie a scarf or how you find just the right one to complement or coordinate with your suit and blouse.
8. Reliability. The sum of the above adds up to how reliable you are; from the big picture to the details. Can you be counted on to look and behave in a professional manner wherever your job takes you?
Many people discount the importance of dress these days thinking that anything goes. Underestimating the importance of not only your first impression but of any impression is a fatal flaw in your thinking and will cause you to lose business that you might have otherwise been successful at acquiring. Is it worth losing money to try to prove a point? I have always said “Nope, it isn’t worth the chance.”
Many times in my career I have had to enforce a dress code with my commissioned sales staff. Believe me when I tell you that in the beginning it is almost always a fight. However, my philosophy has always been to show respect to our potential clients no matter who they are or what their economic standing may be. As in-home closers we have gone into many neighborhoods that had seen better times but the people we saw were so appreciative that we dressed for them as if they were the CEO of IBM that we almost always won their business. These were people who may have looked like they didn’t have a dime but we sold them our products or services and keep in mind that our average sale was $5,000. Don’t tell me it doesn’t matter. It’s that respect that wins business.
There is proper etiquette for just about every situation, including how to dress professionally. Proper attire varies depending on the job you do and the workplace culture, but there are certain rules that apply to virtually any professional situation. It is not difficult to follow proper dress etiquette in the workplace because the guidelines are based on a neat, low-key appearance that presents you in a positive way.
The purpose of following proper etiquette for professional dress is to make a good impression on others. You are judged by your performance in the workplace, but your appearance counts too. Dressing professionally shows others that you pay attention to details and respect yourself and others. It can lead to your supervisor, co-workers and potential clients thinking more highly of you, making you appear competent and confident.
In general, men who work in a formal atmosphere should wear a suit and tie. Otherwise, dress pants and a dress shirt or golf shirt is acceptable. Women can wear dresses, skirts or pant suits in a formal environment and dress pants and blouses or shirts otherwise. Both sexes should wear polished shoes and a heel height of 1.5 inches is most often appropriate for women.
Accessories should be understated. The workplace is not the right environment for big-hoop earrings or ostentatious bracelets, necklaces, rings and other jewelry, or stiletto heels. Piercings and tattoos should be kept hidden if possible while you are at work, especially if you are working directly with potential clients in a conservative business. Do not to wear strong scents, which can bother others.
You should make a conservative impression when you are following proper professional dress etiquette. Clothing should not be too loud or revealing. A good rule of thumb is that your clothes should present an attractive picture, but they should not draw attention to you.
Certain considerations influence proper professional dress etiquette. You may work in a casual workplace, but there are certain times when you may need to dress more formally. For example, you will want to make a good impression when prospects are visiting. You may also want to dress more formally for a meeting that will be attended by upper management.
Some workplaces use casual Fridays or an overall casual dress code as an excuse to totally disregard professional dress etiquette. Certain guidelines should be followed, even when you work in a casual atmosphere. Clothing must always be neat, clean and in good shape, without visible tears, fraying, stains or signs of wear. Dress a bit better than expected. For example, stick to khakis and a golf shirt instead of a T-shirt and blue jeans.
In summary, keep this in mind, when at work always dress professionally, showing your pride in the work you do. When you leave work you can dress down to your heart’s desire. Follow this advice and you will always be dressing for success.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Shultz is the author of the book, Hey, Your Puzzle is Missing a Piece and a founder and partner of Market Share Consultants and The Online Kitchen Designer. With over 25 years of sales and marketing experience in the home improvement industry he has learned hundreds of training techniques and created thousands of successful advertising and marketing campaigns.
If you enjoyed this article you might also want to read:
Make Your First Impression Your Best
Cat Training: A Lesson for Everyone in Sales
10 Tips for Maintaining Balance in Your Busy Life
He also shares many thoughts and ideas in the In-Home & Direct Sales Professionals, Home Improvement Owners, Executives, General Contractors and Professionals and Marketing for Remodeling, Home Improvement and General Contracting Businesses groups on LinkedIn.
For more information about how Market Share Consultants or The Online Kitchen Designer can help you please check out our LinkedIn Company pages.
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