Dress to Impress: Investing in the Right Wardrobe Pieces to Boost Your Confidence

There! I said it, at the cost of sounding politically incorrect!

Yes, in my experience. It doesn’t matter how skilled, kind, and responsible you are if you don’t look the part.

But even more importantly, the way you dress impacts how you perceive yourself. When you set your mind up to dress for success, you inherently take a huge step in building your confidence. 

Any career-oriented person knows to invest time and effort into their goals, so why shouldn’t you include your clothes in the process?

Because, let’s be honest, we human beings are visual creatures, who make snap judgement about people within nanoseconds of seeing them.

So, when you invest in the right pieces of clothing, you are striving to become your best self and move forward in your career. Here are some unconventional tips that I have seen work with men and women in corporate life.

Picking the appropriate eye wear

You will never see me without a pair of sunglasses during the day in the sun.

Sunglasses are a critical part of looking polished and professional, while not squinting your eyes as you speak to your client or boss.

But, there’s a common misconception that glasses aren’t as flattering. I’ve, however, found that it is all about the fit and context. People only scoff at eye wear (or sunglasses, in particular) if you look particularly gawky or turn up with a neon pair of glasses while working with the more formal corporate sector. So, it is best to consider how the glasses work with the rest of your outfit. 

Integrating your glasses well with the rest of your look makes you seem more stylish, reliable, and even more intelligent. Yes, my husband automatically considers people with glasses to be sharper! And I cannot deny the attractiveness of the nerdiness that a pair of glasses bring.

But if you are finding it hard to identify a pair for yourself, you can find the best glasses for face shape using Sunglass Hut’s platform, which uses facial analytics to match you with a frame that complements your features, face size, eye color, and even skin undertones. There are five main face shapes, with different frame styles working for each one. You don’t have to memorize all that since the advisor automatically checks the characteristics of your face and curates a selection of different styles that would look most flattering on you. 

It’s much easier to impress when you have eye wear that positively frames your face. If you’re in an outdoor event, sunglasses are perfectly acceptable. You can even get lenses that react to light so you can still keep them indoors without looking out of place.

Confidence comes not only from style but also from the comfort of the right frame. If your glasses don’t fit, I for sure spend more time fidgeting with them than exuding grace and socializing.

Investing in a tailored suit 

Whether you’re vying for a leadership position or want to establish the authority of your role, you should consider the concept of power dressing. Unwritten rules exist everywhere, even in workplaces that don’t necessarily establish a dress code. Most people respond more to formal dress codes or clothes that fall under “business attire.” 

Business attire has so many layers to uncover, but you only need to think about one thing: the tailored suit. Regardless of your general style, any closet set to impress should have at least one or two tailored suits. It’s a good investment that immediately makes you feel more confident when you wear it. After all, few things are as contradictory as an ill-fitting, amateurish ‘suit.’

People can perceive your confidence through the superior craftsmanship of the suit alone. A well tailored and fit piece of clothing helps with highlighting your best features, while flattering the parts you might want to hide.The secret here is to get accurate measurements for your body. As brands have different sizing charts, it’s helpful to have everything measured well. Some brands even offer Zoom calls with their tailors so they can guide you through the measurement process and help you select the best style, so try to look for shops that offer this level of service.

Embracing style and comfort in your shoes

Walking a mile in someone else’s shoes may be good advice for building empathy, but it’s undoubtedly the worst thing you can do literally for your feet and power stance. The easy route is to accept it when a shoe doesn’t fit you that well, even if you can make adjustments. I’ve always found that it’s worth taking extra time and money to find shoes that are not just the right length but also offer good soles, strong arch support, and an excellent fit around the sides of your feet. 

A study from the Journal of Foot and Ankle Research found that up to 72% of people wear the wrong shoe size. Not only does this open you up to a bevy of foot-related health issues, but it also doesn’t look and feel that great when you wear it. If you’re dressing to impress, you shouldn’t sacrifice comfort for style (and vice versa.) Go ahead and take some papers out and whip out a pen to measure your feet on the floor. Make sure you have the pen straight down as you outline your foot on the paper, and do both feet! Or even easier, visit one of your local shoe stores!

And don’t be worried when your feet don’t be exactly match- apparently mot of ours

Once you’ve got your pair of shoes on, there should be enough space between your longest toe and the front of the shoe to fit a thumb’s width. The shoe should also hug around your foot snugly, but not so much that it feels restrictive. Finally, your heel shouldn’t be rubbing or slipping whenever you walk. 

Fellow women, this one is for you! During my time at PwC, I was enchanted by a female Partner. Yes, she was funny, witty and brilliant. But the moment she walked into a room, she was the centre of attention. I studied her for a while and realised that they kept her basics quite neutral and formal (read black and navy!) but then threw around a fun accessory, whether that was a scarf, a bag or some eye-catching jewelry.

Accessories can accentuate presence, something mid-career women typically struggle with.

Will you get it right the first time? Probably not. But don’t let that deter you from experimenting, because when you find your style, your not only find the right accessory, but also your confidence.

So, you’ve picked up all the crisp tips on fashion that you can apply to your personal style. How does it all tie together? At the end of the day, it’s about clarity. I’ve written about how to be confident at work before, with the reality going beyond hard skills. Once you’ve invested in yourself, you need to be clear about your path, values, and the ultimate goal for your role. You gain the final piece to build your confidence when you unlock this clarity.