Okee-dokee, you are on your way to creating a joyful workspace with wonderful sights, sounds, temperatures, and perhaps aromas. Your voicemail and email make you – and others – happy. There’s just one more basic frontier for us to conquer – our work wardrobes.
Dressing for success not only helps us move up the ladder in our companies, but it makes us feel positive. The Wall Street Journal stated in February 2016 that research says when workers wear nicer clothes, they achieve more.
I must admit, I failed in this category miserably years ago when I worked from home after my first son was born. Perhaps it was a combination of being a new mother and dealing with the occasional lack of sleep, along with juggling work with a new baby, but I dressed terribly.
And forget about makeup or doing my hair. When I look back at photos from that time, I see that my “uniform” was a ponytail, no make-up, a T-shirt, and shorts or sweatpants. And, God forbid, Mom Jeans, the subject of Saturday Night Live skits and other satirical scenarios. If you don’t know what Mom Jeans are, let’s just say they are less than flattering.
Sadly, things didn’t change much after the birth of my second son, especially when I ran a home daycare for a couple of years. Somehow, I pulled myself together and dressed well for my interview for the City of Noblesville and returned to the typical office setting in early 2007.
A combination of an illness and fate lead me to binge watch the former popular TLC show What Not to Wear soon after I started. This show opened my eyes to how a person’s dress can affect his or her performance on the job.
Perhaps you are required to wear a uniform for work, so this is not an issue for you. Love it or hate it, a uniform simplifies the whole “what to wear?” dilemma and gives everyone a unified appearance.
I created my own uniform when I worked for our county’s Soil and Water Conservation District. We were allowed to wear casual to business casual attire, so I bought different colored polo shirts and the office paid to have a logo embroidered on each one. It was nice to not think about what to wear each morning, as I typically would put on one of the polo shirts and either jeans or khakis.
Some people create a uniform in more formal office settings. In 2015, an art director shared in Harper’s Bazaar how she bought numerous white silk blouses and black pants for her own day to day uniform. She added a blazer and accessories to change up the look.
This art director’s idea is nothing new. Men have essentially been wearing a uniform for decades – a suit. With more relaxed dress codes, both men and women are often wearing what I did at soil and water – polo shirts and khakis or pants.
Creating our own uniform frees up time to focus on more important issues each day vs. thinking about what to wear. For some, however, a uniform is boring and stifling. No matter what, dressing thoughtfully and with care affects your attitude and performance at work.
I’m working from home once again, but this time I make certain to wear at least a bit of makeup, have my hair in an actual style, and put on real clothes.
Remember, dressing well doesn’t have to mean spending a lot of money. My dear friend Cara, the former public affairs director for the City of Noblesville, does an amazing job of dressing well but has an eye for being frugal.
Obviously, it was of upmost importance for her to look polished and professional in this position, as she was representing the city and its employees every day. Cara pays attention to what fits her well and to what colors bring out her best features. Her favorite shops? TJ Maxx and garage sales!
You might be thinking, “I have no idea how to do that.” Frankly, neither did I. But if I can change and dress better, anyone can. What Not to Wear helped me and countless other men and women, but the show is off the air now. You can probably stream old episodes.
There are plenty of resources out there to help you dress your best, including YouTube videos, department store ads, and personal stylists. Or just pick a well-dressed friend like Cara and see if they can give you some free advice!
Whether you wear a uniform, choose to create one, or embark on a journey to wear a variety of professional apparel, dressing well is an easy way to ensure you start your shift with the right attitude.
Amy Shankland is a writer and fundraising professional living in Noblesville with her husband John, two sons, two dogs and a cat. You can reach her via email at amys@greenavenue.info.