When I was starting and interviewing for my first job, wearing a suit was a must: coat, tie, white shirt, pressed pants, and polished shoes. I even read a book on "Dressing for Success," the men's version. Recently, I ran across a White Paper by Chase Career Center, Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, Dressing for Success: Men. It starts with a line that spoke to me about personal and company branding and how we dress.
"What you wear reflects you and sets the tone for how you will be perceived in business and professional settings."
It goes on to say your attire should communicate that you are a confident professional who:
- Respect yourself and your employer
- "Fits" the company culture
- Understands employer expectations
- Represents your company
- Exudes the confidence necessary to succeed in business
I think about when wearing a coat and tie was the norm and how the dress code was upended with casual Fridays. Later, technology companies allowed employees to walk around in shorts and no shoes. What started with just "Casual Fridays" turned into casual every day. Jeans began to become the norm with shoes unless you had a client meeting, then you dressed in "nice jeans" or slacks with a button-down shirt.
During the pandemic, we only worried about people seeing us from the waist up. In our online meetings (Zoom, Teams, etc.), seeing people in T-shirts, sweatshirts, and clothes we wouldn't normally wear to work became commonplace.
We must find our way back to understanding how our clothing affects our personal and professional brands.