What you wear can affect how you feel about yourself. Dressing for the job you want, not necessarily the job that you have, can show your supervisors your drive to move up the corporate ladder.
When you dress professionally, you tend to feel more confident about yourself. This confidence usually shows in your productivity. Some studies have shown that how you dress at work has a direct correlation with performance and attendance at work.
There are many upscale designers and clothing companies that specialize in corporate and professional attire for almost any industry. A few online searches should reveal information about the Helly Hansen range and other clothing lines that may suit you perfectly. Take some time to read about different product specifications, sizes and pricing. You can also peruse a wide variety of suits, dress coats, ties, jackets, shoes and other apparel at your local clothing store or specialty retailer.
Here are a few interesting facts about the correlation between your gear and your productivity:
1. Wearing formal attire can affect your mind
A 2015 paper in the Social Psychology and Personality Science reported on the effects that clothing can have on our thinking processes. Test subjects were asked to take cognitive tests. One group wore formal clothing, and the other group wore casual clothing. The test results showed that the participants wearing formal clothing exhibited more abstract thinking, which is usually linked to increased creativity. The experiment posed the conclusion that such an effect is also related to feelings of power and prestige.
2. Dressing professionally can improve your negotiating skills
A 2014 study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General described another experiment. In this study, participants were brought to the negotiating table. One group wore professional clothing, and the other group wore sweatpants and other casual clothing. The group that dressed professionally exhibited greater negotiation skills and success than the group that did not. The more successful group also experienced higher levels of testosterone.
3. Dressing too casually can be seen as unprofessional
Depending on the type of business, most companies enforce a formal or business casual dress code in the workplace. According to a 2015 survey by the Society for Human Resources Management, over 60 percent of companies allow casual dress at least one day a week. Certain companies allow their workers to take the meaning of the word “casual” a few steps further. Employees in those business environments are allowed to wear jeans, T-shirts, hoodies, shorts and flip-flops. While it can make such companies more appealing to younger employees, it can also be seen as a distraction. Some feel that dressing too casual allows employees to lose focus. It can also be seen as unprofessional by visitors and clients.
It really depends on the type of company that you work for, but if you want to put your best foot forward, you should dress professionally when you are at the office. It’s okay to dress better than your clients, or even your competitors. It can give you a psychological edge, and it can be a great confidence boost too. When you look good, you feel good. You know that you can take on any challenges that the day will throw your way. When you feel good, you’re also more focused and can get more done. Higher morale tends to lead to higher productivity. You don’t have to break the bank to look and feel good.
