Dress The Part-"But I Don't Want To"

"Dressing the part" what does that even mean anymore and is it even relevant today?

As a former published fashion stylist and a former Public Accountant in New York City, I may have some insight that could be helpful. First, the social media plug of course: follow me on LinkedIn, Youtube and Instagram for Style tips to help you, "Dress the Part" whether you're the CFO or the intern--whether you're actively interviewing or you love your job so much you over decorate your cubicle (YES, we see you Carol and we love you and the 20 pictures of your cat "Leo.") you should still be "dressing the part."

Here Are the Benefits:

1. You Perform Better at Work

Let's look at the WFH culture really quick because, well, that's the norm these days. Like all of you, I too, have been stuck working from home (some of you are like "Yesssss, I never wanna go back, sweatpants= life) for the past year. Now, if I'm being honest, I wore sweatpants every single day. I would do the dress shirt on top and sweatpants on the bottom, that's how bad it got--DO NOT JUDGE ME!

I mean, there was no incentive to wear makeup or style my hair, wear dress pants or suits--toward the 2nd week of WFH, Zoom meetings turned into Zoom calls--no one had their camera on anymore or their mic but that's a different story.

According to the Businesswire, only "6% of Americans said that Business attire, was their daily attire while working from home during the Pandemic."

I can't speak for every American but working from home and wearing sweats or "comfy clothes," coupled with working from my couch, did not contribute whatsoever to a more productive work day. I noticed on the days that I wore "normal" work attire, I was more focused and more productive during my day.

A recent study conducted by GQ, at Yale University, "revealed that men who wear suits are better at negotiating than those wearing street clothes or sweats. In the study, the more casually dressed participants backed down more quickly and weren’t taken as seriously as their suited-up counterparts.

In another study, published last year, men wearing more formal office clothes tended to exhibit stronger leadership skills than those who were dressed casually. The formally dressed participants were better at abstract thinking and focusing on the big picture while the less dressed-up folks tended to sweat the small stuff”

So there's a little bit of science to it as well--hmmmmmm **insert thinking emoji here!

2. It says "you're willing to go the "Extra Mile""

Remember your first day of work--you probably showed up 15 minutes early, you were probably dressed in heels (for my ladies) and a nice dress or skirt most likely, paired with a nice briefcase or purse--topped off with that perfect statement necklace.

Why?

Well, you were excited about your new role, you wanted to make a great first impression to your coworkers and your boss--so you dressed up.

....Fast forward 5 months into the new job and you got a little comfortable--am I right?

Now, I totally understand that each company has a different "dress code" and for my accountants, public and private industry folks--this is, its own world, in and of itself. I'm also not saying that you absolutely need to wear a 3 piece suit or a skirt suit to work every single day--there's a balance to this life, trust me--I know!

However, when you go to your client's office or you go into work, and it looks like you put effort into your appearance, trust me it goes a long way--more than you think.

I remember working in accounting--private industry at the time, and the company I worked for had a really relaxed dress code. You could literally wear whatever you wanted with the exception of pajama pants.

Now, coming from Big 4, this was the best thing ever--I wore business professional attire almost every day--yes, even during busy season! So I'm not knocking a "relaxed" dress code at all.

Even with the lenient dress code however, I made it a point to come into work polished every single day. There were days where I felt like being "comfortable" so I would throw on a pair of jeans and comfortable, CLEAN sneakers (Dirty sneakers at work should be illegal, I'm just saying!!), paired with a clean shirt and a nice blazer, for example.

I dressed up because it made me feel better during the day but I also knew it brightened the day of people around me--my boss and the owner of the company ALWAYS took notice.

Why?

Because I went beyond the "norm" which also transcended into the work I delivered (which I touched upon in the first point). This is important--you want to get on the good side of your bosses, so do a good job at work and "dress to impress!"

I also noticed over time, the ladies in the office, started coming into work a little more stylish and more polished as well (sometimes work would turn into a compliment circle among the ladies and I loved it).

Styling Tip: If you're dressing down your outfit, make sure the other end is dressed up.

Ex: You wanna wear a chunky sweater or a tee on top: Make sure to wear a nice patent leather heel, a nice dress loafer or a kitten heel on your feet.

And my rule: ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS accessorize!

**Stay tuned for my next article that will feature styling tips on how to combine comfy and business casual, so you can slay in the workplace**

3. You Are More Confident

When I look good, I feel good--FACTS!

According a recent study conducted by Style Rail, "what you wear has more of an impact on your behavior and self-confidence than the clothes themselves. These studies show that when you wear an outfit that you associate with intelligence and power, you're likely to do better and feel better."

Think about a time you wore an outfit to work, that you felt was "on point." You were more positive and you carried yourself with more confidence than ever--AKA, you were "feelin' yourself."

How do you find confidence through your outfits:

1. Find clothes that fit--not too tight, not too loose
2. Find your personal style--style outfits that fit YOU, not ones that mimic your boss or "Steve, with the duck socks."

I hope my top 3 tips for "Dress the Part" were helpful to you. If you still don't know how to "Dress the Part," hit that follow button. I will show you how to slay your workplace looks.

Sharing some of my favorite style inspo for both men and women in the workplace!

Stay tuned and happy styling!