Clothes in Your Closet Make Your Career

Marketing

Clothes in Your Closet Make Your Career
by Dawn Wilson



As you look back this past year at your career, now is a good time to re-evaluate your direction. Are you aspiring for a promotion? Do you have the desire to make more money? Will your job create more opportunities for you to be visible to the public? Are you or will you be in any sales or presentation situation?

Now, step into your closet and do a serious evaluation of your professional attire. Is seventy percent of your closet clothes you only wear to work? If not, it should be, if you work full time.  For this is where we are the majority of our days – at work.

First: Remove any clothes or accessories you have not worn in a year. No excuses like “I’ll lose weight” or “I paid a lot of money for that outfit”.

These two things happen when you remove items you do not wear. You can see:

What you have to wear.

What you need to buy.

For example: You have ten shirts or blouses hanging in the closet. You only wear three. By removing the ones you do not wear, you can see you need to buy shirts or blouses.

Second:  If something needs to be cleaned put it in the cleaning pile. Set a day to take these items to the dry cleaner.

Third: If something needs a repair put it in the repair pile.

A pin holding a button to the jacket means it needs to be fixed properly. Set time aside to fix these items or take them to the tailor.

Fourth: If a piece of clothing does not fit properly have it tailored. If it cannot be tailored then put on your shopping list to replace it. For example: your shirtsleeves have shrunk over time, you wear the shirt but it drives you crazy. Throw out the shirt and buy a couple of new shirts. Quit washing and wearing something that does not fit properly, you feel uncomfortable in and looks unprofessional.

Now seriously look at the type of clothes you wear to work. Ask yourself this question, “How do I want to be perceived?”  If you say ‘professional’ – look at your attire. Do your clothes communicate that message?  You may say ‘casual’ because you are in a very casual business environment.  Ask yourself this question, “Has my closet gotten too casual?” For this reason promotional or income opportunities tend not to come our way.

Most professionals need business suits in their closet. How many is determined by the industry you are in, your position level and levels of people you interact with daily. Business suits can be a jacket same color or a different color as pants or skirt.

If in a very casual environment give consideration to upgrading your casual attire. Most importantly build this wardrobe separate from your weekend casual clothes. Long sleeves create a higher level of professionalism vs. short sleeves. Does your company have company logo t-shirts, sweatshirts or sweaters you can wear on casual day? If so, choose the sweater if in a leadership position or you deal face-to-face with clients. Beware of the logo t-shirt. Give serious consideration if you want to be perceived that casual.

Re-evaluating your attire to meet your career goals is quite an eye-opener. All of a sudden you become aware that your clothes may not be communicating how you desire others to perceive you. Most of you will find you need to build your professional wardrobe to the seventy percent. Others of you will find you have too many clothes you never wear. By removing them you eliminate the clutter, create more room and you will feel more organized.

This experience will create a powerful awareness for you. You will find yourself choosing your attire to meet your goals.  Others will notice the subtle yet powerful difference in your professional presence.


-----------------
Dawn Waldrop motivates sales professionals how to present their best image for financial success. Keynote/half/full day programs. Author: Best Impressions How To Gain Professionalism, Promotion and Profit. Articles: Sales & Marketing, Wall Street Journal,