Life Lesson #14: Show respect for yourself by dressing nicely. 

Today’s lesson was inspired by poet Richard Eberhart who said, “Style is the perfection of a point of view.”

 

What Do You Think?

There’s a famous saying that goes ‘the clothes make the man.’ Perhaps this is true, perhaps not. To be honest with you I don’t believe this to be true. Instead I think the clothes make the man better. If you are not a very good person then all the best clothes in the world won’t help you. That said, if you are a good person, the right clothes could do you a world of good. I also think that opening quote from Eberhart speaks volume about what you can do with your clothes to portray your own personal point of view to the world – read that quote again and ponder what it means to you. After you’ve done that, consider the following…

What This Means to YOU…

You’re going for your first job interview — it’s at a grocery store. You know the employees that work they don’t have to dress up nice for work, therefore you decide to simply dress like them (polo shirt and khaki pants) for the interview. Not smart, my friend — whenever you go to an interview, you need to dress at least one level above how the workers dress if you want to stand out from the crowd. In this case, you should at the very least wear a button-down shirt and a tie — although I would suggest a dress coat or perhaps a full-on suit. The fact is that the job market in this day and age is tough — you have to find a way to separate yourself. Dressing for success says a lot about you — including the fact that you care enough about yourself and the job opportunity to take the time to look nice. That will impress your potential employer and will make for a good first impression. Then if you use some of the interviewing tips we’ve discussed elsewhere you’ll elevate yourself into one of the top candidates for the position.

How about for your dates? This one is a bit more flexible – but even still I do think you should still dress for success here too  — at least the first couple dates. Don’t show up in ripped jeans and a crummy t-shirt if you are going to pick up a date at her house — especially if you meet her parents. Now you don’t necessarily need to wear a suit — although if you did the father would probably love you for it — but you should take the time to look nice. Be well groomed. Wear nice clothes. Take some pride in your appearance and show your date that you respect yourself and her. Trust me, it will not go unnoticed and you will be rewarded for your efforts.

 

Don’t Wait, Use This Wisdom Today…

The next time you are out, start to notice how people are dressed. I’ll bet you find that the better-dressed people carry themselves in such a way that it commands your respect. By the same token, I’ll venture to say that if you see people dressed in dumpy ways, you probably won’t give them a second look. Now whether this is right or wrong is beside the point. The fact is that if you dress nicely, you’ll be setting yourself up for success. Try it and let me know how it works.

 

But Wait, There’s More…

As a bonus let me give you another tip that applies here – when you are talking with someone, be sure that you look them in the eyes. People won’t respect you if you are poorly dressed, mumble, and/or don’t look at them when you talk to them. Looking at people in the eyes when you talk shows that you have confidence in yourself and that you are (most likely) being honest with them. It also communicates to that person that you respect and value them enough to look at them. Seriously, I know it’s sometimes hard, especially if you are shy, but please remember this lesson – if you are going for a job, trying to ask someone out on a date, or whatever, always look people in the eyes. Trust me on these two tips and you’ll be Mr. or Mrs. Cool in no time at all.

 

Did You Know?

Today’s lesson was adapted from a book Jax and I wrote called Diary of a Minecraft Dad