Business attire is a hot topic. Business casual attire is the new norm, and looking good in your suit has become more of a challenge than ever before. There are so many brands offering generic and unappealing suits now that it’s almost become a daunting task finding one that fits you, your personality, and your career goals. Thankfully, there are still options out there for those who want to wear their suit with confidence. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of looking good in your professional wardrobe—from self-confidence to increased productivity. We’ll also talk about the tradeoffs between business casual, dress codes at work, and how investing time in grooming yourself can make or break an outfit.
Invest Time in Looking Good, Feel Confident
Newsflash: You don’t have to buy a suit, but you do need to find a tailor. It’s the most important thing to do before you wear a suit. Buying a suit is a big investment that many men aren’t willing to make. Instead, they settle for a shirt, blazer, and slacks, which might be perfectly fine for some jobs, but will never be as “formidable” as a suit. Professional men need to wear suits to work. If they don’t, they’re missing out on a huge opportunity. Now, wearing a suit doesn’t mean that you have to own an expensive, custom-made suit. In fact, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to get a professional look. What you do need is to invest time in finding a tailor who can help you pick out an appropriate suit that fits your body type and style. Investing time in finding a tailor can be one of the most important things you do for yourself. It will result in a much higher level of confidence and self-assuredness in your professional life.
Self-Confidence Boost
Another reason why you should wear a suit is that it’s an extremely powerful confidence booster. If you feel confident in your professional attire, you’ll walk into a room with the air of someone who’s important. You won’t have to slouch or worry about looking like a fool; you’ll simply be a leader in your field. When you feel confident, your body language changes completely. Your shoulders relax, and your head becomes more upright; you stop walking with your eyes down at your feet and look up at the people you’re around. You walk with more conviction, and you become more focused on the task at hand. If you want to feel confident, you need to look confident. Wearing a suit is a great way to boost your confidence.
Reduces Stress and Boosts Productivity
It might feel silly to you, but wearing a suit actually reduces your stress level and boosts your productivity. First of all, let’s talk about productivity: Wearing a suit will instantly increase your productivity because you’ll no longer be scrambling to find clean clothes when you get to work. No more wrinkled, slovenly clothing. You’ll also no longer have to take the time to find a place to change. You’ll simply have time to focus on the tasks at hand without having to think about those pesky small details. Now, let’s talk about stress and how wearing a suit can reduce it. Wearing a suit triggers several stress-reducing hormones in the body, including cortisol, which helps regulate your sleep cycle and wakefulness, and epinephrine, which helps you escape from danger. Research suggests that wearing a suit for an extended period of time can help reduce stress because it triggers these hormones in your body. This is a great benefit for those of you who wear suits to work on a regular basis. When you look good, you feel better about yourself. Wearing a suit to work can help you escape from stress and enter an “awake” state of mind that’s more focused and productive.
A Bit of Both
You can’t really choose one over the other. While you can wear a suit on special occasions in which business casual attire is expected, you can also wear a shirt and tie on those same days. However, if you’re wearing a suit to work every day, you’d do well to invest in a tailor-made suit that’s better tailored for your body type. What’s more, you can always wear a blazer and tie with jeans on days when business casual attire is expected. This way, you’re still establishing a professional image, yet you’re not wearing a suit.
Wrap Up
The best way to look good and feel confident in your professional attire is to invest in a tailored suit from a reputable tailor. This will help you strike a balance between looking professional (and intimidating) and looking comfortable. The suit should be made from well-placed shoulders, sleeve length, and arm locations. It should then be pressed, cleaned, and worn for the entirety of your day. By doing so, you’ll be able to wear a suit in a way that makes you feel confident and relaxed. This is the best way to look good in your suit.