Dress To Impress
Let me tell you a little-known secret – what you’re wearing could be more important than anything that you say or do. Your appearance sets the tone for nearly every type of social interaction in your life. So, why leave it up to chance?
Your clothes tell the story of who you are and what you’re all about. It’s not all about fashion. Fashion trends come and go. You can follow the trends or go your own way. It’s really up to you, but it’s important to always dress to impress.
Here’s are 5 Reasons Why.
People Are Fixated on Visual Impressions
There’s no overstating how important first impressions can be. We live in a world that is dominated by visual fixation. In other words, what people see is one of the most influential factors in how they perceive the world around them.
How you represent yourself visually dictates how people will engage with you. If you play close attention to your style and appearance, then you can engineer those visual perceptions in your favor. Speak volumes without saying a word by allowing your style to make the first impression.
“I can go all over the world with just three outfits: a blue blazer and grey flannel pants, a grey flannel suit, and black tie.” — Pierre Cardin
How You Dress Conveys Social Messages
We are social animals. Society depends on how we live and work together. When you dress well, you are more likely to make high quality social connections. Now, this is true for personal connections and business relationships, too.
Think about when you meet a stranger. How they dress sets the tone for your interactions. Now, put the shoe on the other foot so to speak. When you dress well, you are sending a direct message to future customers, clients, friends, lovers, etc. You’re telling them that your personal appearance is important.
If that is important, then other things might be important to you, as well. You can even use your personal style to tell others what you believe in. You can use fabric choice to tell your personal stance on social issues like politics, ethical sourcing, and more. That’s an incredibly powerful tool.
“People say, ‘What do you mean you want to help the world, but you’re so concerned about fashion?’ It’s illegal to be naked. It is something that is extremely important.” — Kanye West
Related: How to Dress Like an Ivy League Elite Prep Style
What You Wear Often Represents How You Feel.
Never overestimate the power of a good outfit on a bad day. When you look nice, you increase the chances that you will feel nice, as well. You’re clean and well-represented. That makes you more comfortable in social situations and gives your confidence a boost.
However, you need to feel comfortable in the clothes that you’re wearing. There’s nothing worse than seeing someone wearing a formal suit, who actually looks like they’ve never worn a suit before. It has the opposite effect. So, make sure that you are comfortable in that attire, and then let that attire increase your comfort with your surroundings.
“Putting on a beautifully designed suit elevates my spirit, extols my sense of self, and helps define me as a man to whom details matter.” — Gay Talese
Dressing Well Gets More Positive Attention
Dressing well helps you to stand out in a world that is over-crowded with visual stimulation. People have shorter attention spans than ever before. As they scan a crowd, they might completely overlook people who are dressed in sloppy or dirty clothes.
When you step foot outside of your home, you’re on display. You should always assume that you are being watched or observed. Think about it. Have you ever glanced out the window at someone walking on the street and they had no idea that you were watching them?
You’re always on. With that in mind, you should present yourself in the most positive way. When you enter a room, people will take notice regardless of what you look like. So, why not shape that impression with clean, comfortable, stylish attire?
“People will stare. Make it worth their while.” — Harry Winston
Related: How to Style Like Ryan Gosling and Look Like a Movie Star
What You Wear is a Part of Who You Are
Style is a form of communication. What you choose to wear is deciphered according to what people can assume about your personality. Do you look wealthy? Do you look confident? Do you look professional?
Your clothes tell a story about who you are. When you understand this principle, you can craft stories based on whatever mood or feeling you want to project. It’s always best to dress appropriately to the occasion.
When you wear formal attire to the gym, you’re giving off the wrong vibe. The opposite is also true. So, it’s important to dress for the occasion because your style is a representation of who you are and what you’ve come to do.
“Dressing well is a form of good manners.” — Tom Ford
Related: How Men Build Their Fashion Style
The Takeaway
It’s quite easy to fall into the same old routine when it comes to your own dress code. You’ve got your go-to sweatpants, your power suit and tie, but think about the messages that you’re conveying. Yes, your clothes are speaking.
You might feel that putting too much effort into your appearance means that you’re not manly or you might just not care, but you should. People are visually oriented. That means that how you look is way more important than what you do or say.
You should always put some effort into your appearance. If you don’t feel like you’re up to the challenge, then check out more of the style content here on Men’s Variety. We take pride in our appearance and we’ve created lots of guides to help you do the same.
Good luck, friends.
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Mail Photo by Oleg Magni from Pexels
