You may be wondering how clothing affects your ability to communicate. It all starts with that
first impression. First impressions
mean a lot.Think about how often we judge people almost immediately based on their appearance. Clothing is a tool that can help you take control of how people see you and manipulate their viewpoint. Do you want to appear as a strong, knowledgeable, and confident individual? Your clothing can help with that!
In Jennifer J. Baumgartner’s book, “
You Are What You Wear: What Your Clothes Reveal About You,” she explains that, “Our closets are windows into our internal selves. Every one of us attempts to say or hide something in the way we wear our clothes.” Use your clothing to positively affect how you communicate by taking the opportunity to show people who you are and what kind of person you want to be.
Below are some tips to help you dress in a way that communicates authority and demands respect.
Dress for the job you want, not the job you have
You’ve probably heard this before, but there’s a reason it keeps coming up. Work hard, be respectful of others, and dress as if you’re the boss. There’s something empowering about dressing “up.” It changes your demeanor and
studies have shown that it influences the way we think. We’re often able to think more clearly and efficiently when dressed in workwear because it differentiates us from a more laid–back and social environment in which one would wear casual clothing.
You will be judged on your appearance, so take advantage of it
Whether or not it’s right, it’s human nature to judge others based on their clothing and appearance. Since this is a known fact (people with straight teeth
are considered more successful), take advantage of
what you can and dress to impress. This doesn’t mean that you need to spend a lot of money on designer clothing, however, you should be dressing in clothing that is flattering and appropriate.
If you’re going to a meeting, opt for a pair of fitted slacks instead of jeans. It’s a simple switch that will immediately make you appear more professional and more authoritative. Similarly, by switching out a sweater for a blazer, you will make your look more polished and command more respect.
When you’re wondering how clothing affects your ability to communicate, think about how you want people to see you, how you want to portray yourself to the world, and how efficient you want to be. If you want to be successful, dressing in a polished and professional manner will help you achieve your goal and communicate this objective to others.
— Michele Lando
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A native San Franciscan, Michele Lando is a certified professional résumé writer and founder of writestylesonline.com. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves, both on paper and in person, and works to polish an individual’s application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles presents tips to enhance your résumé, style, and boost your confidence. This article first appeared on Create and Cultivate, then on Ladders.