Dress for Success: The Benefits of Having a Business Uniform

About 2 years ago I had one of those frantic mornings many professional women have experienced in their career. Being tasked to present a project to some very important clients that day, I turned my whole closet inside out trying to come up with the perfect outfit. Working in a marketing agency, I have the complete freedom to wear what I want to the office. But in that instance, this freedom became a burden. “Is this too formal? Will I feel stuffy in this sweater? Is this dress too short?”.

As the time ran out, I finally put on something that I regretted as soon as I got in the car. And when I arrived at work, not only was I late, but I was already feeling drained and too stressed out for my presentation. Trying to calm my nerves, I swore that I will never subject myself to such an unnecessary panic again. And so, I came up with my personal work uniform – a collection of business attire for women that is comfortable, presentable and stylish at the same time.

Even if you have an office job, wearing a sort of uniform to work can make a lot of sense. After all, not only will you be expected to look nice and professional, but you’re also going to have to make a lot of decisions. And although you might not be aware of it, pondering over what to wear to work every day is also a decision-making process that drains some of your brainpower. And this is something that you’d want to preserve for more complex work-related concerns.

Instead of struggling to find matching tops and bottoms, and musing over your outfit in general, you can take a smart approach and invest in a collection of professional pieces that you’ll wear only to work. Some of the most successful people have been doing it for some time, from Mark Zuckerberg to Steve Jobs, Karl Lagerfeld and Barack Obama. While their self-imposed “uniforms” have helped them create a recognizable image, there’s a lot more to it. Dressing in a pre-determined way in a corporate setting can have many benefits, both for the individual and the company as a whole. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest ones.

It Boosts Confidence

The saying “dress for success” is all about psychology. The clothes you wear do affect how you feel. A pair of clean and modern trainers put you in the mood to exercise, comfy and cute pyjamas make you feel ready to hit the bed, high heels make you feel glamorous and crisp business attire for women can put you into professional mode. When you feel comfortable and confident in the clothes you wear, then you will also exude confidence in your tasks and interactions with co-workers and managers.

On the other hand, even if your workplace has no strict dress code, putting on something that doesn’t flatter you or isn’t quite suitable for an office setting can make you feel self-conscious and worried about how others perceive you. I’m sure you have already experienced a bad day when you didn’t have time to come up with a good outfit. On such days, instead of speaking up at a team meeting or asking for a reaise, many stay silent as to not bring any attention to themselves. Don’t let the clothes you wear make you feel bad about yourself. By having a good collection of business attire for women or men, office workers can eliminate the risk of making a fashion blunder and make sure that they always look sharp and put-together.

It Preserves Brainpower

We only have a limited amount of mental power to get through the day, which means we need to be smart about what we spend it on. When you have a demanding office job, it’s increadibly important to reduce making trivial decisions as much as possible. Small decisions such as what to have for breakfast, what music to listen to, and what to wear can exhaust us mentally. So, when the time comes to make a crucial decision, our brainpower is diminished. As a result, we may be more likely to make bad or hasty judgements. With that being said, having a predetermined work uniform reduces the number of decisions we need to make. You can also try this with other daily decisions – like what route to take to work or what kind of lunch to pack.

It Sends a Good Message to Clients

When a client shows up at the company unannounced and is greeted by staff in sharp business attire for women and men, it sends a really good message. Seeing that employees are serious about the way they dress instills a sense of trust in current and potential clients. It gives them the impression that the company cares about image, and thus is more likely to provide quality service and products.