Do the clothes make the man or man makes the clothes? Quite a cliche saying, isn’t it? It’s quite interesting how the little things in the business world make the largest difference. While business casual or casual dress code in some work environments has become the norm, it does not necessarily classify it as a standard. Many business professionals have more or less adapted the inheritance of business casual or casual dress code in their respective work environments.
When I first started my professional career circa 2006, the firs gig was more or less a paid internship. You’ve got to start from somewhere, right? Naturally being a novice to the business world, I was yet to learn the ropes of the trade. However, if there’s one thing I knew for certain while attempting to master my skills in the digital marketing world was that dress code stood of importance to me. Some will go as far as arguing that perhaps business casual dress code practice or even sometimes formalwear was perhaps a bit of an overkill. Well, maybe. Or, was it a cultural outlook that brought out the inner me? In all honesty, to this day I wonder that very same question.
The clothes do make the man. Along with his posture and charisma as some would say. As my career progressed over the years, so did the the dress code. Personally, I became even more selective about the type of clothing and dress code I adhered to in the individual work environments. As I transitioned from a small business work environment to the corporate rat race and then the agency world, it became quite evident to me that impressions mattered. For example, if you were to show up for a job interview with a hideous outfit, chances are that your intentions and genuine interest in the position may be easily misconstrued. Particularly for these specific instances, dress for the role you want to pursue. Serious employers who spend valiant amount of time scouting reputable talent will recognize the initiative and take serious consideration.
Do you see significance in business attire and dressing for the occasion/role? I’d love to hear your thoughts.