6 ways to dress to impress to lead to more success

You might agree with me that we live in a judgmental world. The minute we meet someone, we make an assumption based on what we see. In the professional context, your success begins the moment someone looks at you, and makes that initial judgment call.

This is particularly true for job interviews. Good first impressions are crucial. Many non-verbal cues, such as the style, fit, colour and cleanliness of your clothes; your choice of accessories; the firmness of your handshake and your posture help determine the level of your success.
In today’s competitive, winner-take-all situations, wearing more professional attire can send a signal about who you are. Here are six few dress-for-success tips to master the art of creating a positive, professional image, and making a great first impression.

1. Dress to reflect your job company or industry. Since the advent of the dot-com era, dressing for the job has become a little more relaxed in certain professions, but others remain highly conservative. The safest option is to wear clothes for the job you wish to have. Carefully consider your industry’s dress code policy — whether it is casual or conservative, dress appropriately for your company and clients.

2. Consider colour. Did you know each colour communicates a message and contains an impact of its own? How well you are able to put them together will convey your message. Dark colours like black, navy and dark grey imply power, knowledge, responsibility and success. White denotes cleanliness, formality and sophistication. Light and pastel colours suggest creativity and softness.

3. Reflect your age. Dress your age. When you pick the right attire and it fits you well, it appears as if the clothes were tailored for you. Be comfortable in your attire and let it reflect your wisdom and worldliness.

4. Look put together. How you pull your look together can reveal something about your organizational skills. Make sure you have a cohesive look from head to toe. And no matter how casual your clothes are, make sure they are ironed and wrinkle-free. Plus, keep your shoes clean, as dirty shoes can throw off an otherwise polished appearance.

5. Demonstrate attention to detail. By putting time and effort into dressing well and matching your accessories, you reveal to current and potential employers your attention to detail. When you take pride in how you look, it suggests that you will also take pride in the work you do.

6. Wear your self-esteem. Sharply dressed men and women radiate a sense of worth. Your goal is to create an aura of confidence when you walk into a room, and you can do so by how you carry yourself and what you wear.
Dressing to impress gives you a competitive edge. When you dress well, it shows that you are taking care of yourself and you are ready to take care of your customers.

Murali Murthy is an acclaimed public speaker, life coach and best-selling author of The ACE Principle, The ACE Awakening, The ACE Abundance and You Are HIRED!. He is also chairperson of CAMP Networking Canada. Learn more at aceworldfoundation.com.