Does Anyone Still Dress Up For Work? These People Do. Here’s Why.

I used to sell phones for T-Mobile from mall kiosks. Like most sales positions, we had a quota to hit. But being trapped in a 5 foot by 6 foot kiosk with three other people all going after the same customers, I needed every advantage.

So one day, I wore a full suit to work instead of the usual polo. The effect was magical. The ever-elusive “walk ups” (people who know they want a phone already instead of needing to be pitched as they walked by) all came to me. They assumed I was the manager of the store, and wanted to deal with the most senior person. With a constant flow of easy-to-close walk ups, I never missed quota again.

I have since taken a more relaxed view on dress. Working in Boston tech for five years, I’ve gradually downgraded from a full suit to t-shirt and jeans. This was part fitting in and part laziness. Since moving from sales to customer consulting and finally to marketing, I now interact with customers face-to-face more rarely, so they (like you right now) have no idea what I’m wearing. However, as I’ve found myself giving public talks more and more frequently, I felt compelled to upgrade my dress — which started me thinking again about the impact of dress in the workplace.

So I asked 11 professionals in very different industries why they dress up for work, even when they don’t have to:

Natalie Fredette, Post Doctoral Fellow at the University of Florida Department of Pathology

“I like to look as clean and crisp as my data.”

“A majority of communication is nonverbal. People very much judge your appearance whether they consciously want to or not.

When you dress with confidence you inflate your confidence — you really do increase your level of professionalism. More people walk up and ask me questions when I dress well versus when I wore jeans and a hoodie.

“I like to look as good as my data” is a joke I used to tell my classmates when I dressed for a poster competition or committee meeting. It was a sense of pride for me. It drove me to make sure my data and presentation was just as polished as my appearance. It still motivates now. Are these data replicates worthy of a suit and tie or torn jeans and hoodie? The idea of DNA graphs wearing a blazer versus hoodie sounds absurd but really it motivates me.”

Mike Jeffs, Client Services Director Branded3

“Dressing smart offends no one and can impress the discerning.

Somehow a t-shirt and trainers doesn’t put me in work mode. I’d rather be dressed appropriately for an unexpected meeting. I find it helps me focus and generally dressing smart sends a better message to others.”

Leslie Salas, Associate Course Director at Full Sail University

“I dress a bit nicer at work because I’m the “baby.”

I’m the youngest in my department by at least half a decade. Many of my students are the same age or older than me. Dressing a certain way gives them an impression about my competency.

Dressing professionally helps with some colleagues from other departments that may not know me personally. It’s about being taken seriously and not being blown off or mistaken as a student (and yes, that happens).”

Baz Hiralal, Online Editor at TheDeal.com.

“Newsrooms normally have a boorish look, but being in New York calls for a different status quo. People in this city are fashionable.

Here, it says something about motivation and general persona. Dressing in a casual manner suggests something different — a ho-hum workplace where one can do the bare minimum.

I was taught not to judge a book by its cover but the reality is most people do. That’s numbers. That’s people.

You have to look the part on the corporate scene — at least we do here. It’s not PC for people to admit they judge, but they do, if even on a subliminal level. Want to be in charge or be taken seriously? You can be a serious producer, but look like a shlub and that says something about you … even while you’re hard at work.”

Michelle Joy, Librarian and Assistant Professor at Saint Leo University

“I dress up because I feel more professional and more focused/work minded. I think it can help in that whole “dress for the job you want” thing. Although it can have the opposite effect if you dress so differently that coworkers think you’re weird.

It’s like when you make your bed you start your day off productively. It sets the tone for your whole day. Your brain says ‘okay it’s work time now’.”

Brent Hinson, National Sales & Marketing Program Manager at Medtronic

“A big part of my job is interviewing candidates for sales positions, and appearances are important in sales. A candidate needs to look professional and therefore so should I. As it stands, a suit and tie for men is the gold standard for professional dress.

Part of our final round of interviews is a group dinner with all of the candidates and interviewers. I wouldn’t mind more casual dress there as long as it’s sharp. But a big part of sales is reading a room, so to extend that casual dress code to final interviews the next day would be a mistake.”

Reading the room during interviews tells me if they can do it in the field.

Robyn Showers, Content Marketing Manager at Brazen

“My outfit sends a visual cue that I take myself seriously. I work in tech, and at my current job I’m the only woman on my team. I’m also the most junior of the people I work most closely with. I find myself in meetings where it could be easy to feel intimidated about sharing my ideas. Dressing up in “corporate” clothes helps me feel armed and confident, which helps me express myself better.

I’m not sure I’ve definitively noticed those around me treating me differently when I dressed down, but I would say I hold myself differently. I have a tendency to downplay my own work and assume that everyone in the room knows more than I do. Dressing up and physically looking like I know my shit helps me remind myself that 9 times out of 10, I actually do.”

Kevin Godbee, Co-Founder of ImmaculateStyle.com — Image & Style Consultants for Men & Women

“I dress up because I love to do it.

I am the boss, so I can wear whatever I want.

Dressing better gives you more confidence and energy. People will think you make good money, and perception often becomes reality. So, even if you don’t make good money, having an image of being successful will help make it happen.

When they dress up, many people will stand taller and talk with a deeper voice and project their voice more. They act strong and in control.

I dressed down once. I didn’t like it. I missed the special treatment, extra respect, and compliments.”

Billy D. Schmidt, Social Media Consultant at Lucid Logo LLC and former Florida GOP Field Director

“I’ve always felt ‘empowered’ and much more confident wearing a suit.

I felt like I belonged at political events and never had a problem asserting myself when needed. It adds to the atmosphere when everyone looks sharp. It obviously tends to be more professional and adds a level of respect for the event that you are attending.

Since I have a strong background in direct sales, part of my work experience was based on gaining confidence in every situation.

A confident sales person closes more deals.

I believe it certainly makes an impact when meeting clients, even in a “hip” industry like social media. A professional appearance helps communicate that you actually are a professional.”

Eric Huffman, Manager of New Restaurant Openings at Steak ‘n Shake

“Dressing well helped tremendously in my going from a server to the job I have now. Although servers usually don’t need to dress formally, I wanted to grow in my career to work more with the franchisees that power our business. When you’re meeting with franchisees you represent the company.

By dressing professionally in all of my workplace interactions, I proved even before I got the job that I was serious about this work and could represent the company well. I got the promotion.”

Amanda Sibley, Manager of Demand Generation at HubSpot

“Put on something you look good in, and your confidence increases. Humans are vain, we want to be our best. Dressing for that part makes you feel like you have that part.

“Fake it ’til you make it” is as much about how you feel as how others perceive you.

Regardless of what people say, outward appearances matter, we do judge books by their cover, and first impressions are important. You see someone well dressed, and you assume they know what they’re talking about.

If you’re involved in any kind of in-person sales in any industry or department, you’re likely to gain more trust if you care about the way you look. Why should someone trust that you can take care of their needs if you don’t take care of yourself?”

Science!

What does science have to say about the matter? Much research has been done on how people’s self-perceptions affect their performance, and Robert Cialdini talks about dress in his famous work, Influence.

Turns out, we’re conditioned to treat someone in their Sunday best with more respect, and we act differently when we are in our Sunday best. People might just dress up because of the way it impacts how others perceive them, as well as their perceptions of themselves.

Do you dress up or dress down for work? Write a response and tell us why.

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