A great lady once told me (aka my mom- don’t judge she actually is the best) “Dress the way you want the world to see you”. This might be one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received because it’s changed the way I carry myself.
We’ve always gotten the advice: Don’t judge a book by its cover. I wholeheartedly agree with that, but sadly we live in a world where people are quick to judge your “cover”. Presenting your self professionally changes that way people will perceive you: and even the way you perceive yourself.
I decided to change the way I dressed starting in high school. Prior to this change I was a big believer in sneakers and sweatpants. Soon, I started investing in pieces such as blazers, nicely fitted jeans, and cute dresses: it changed my world. People take you more seriously if you take yourself more seriously. Allowing myself the benefit of dressing well, made my confidence go up because I felt good in the clothes I dressed in. With this confidence, my life took a 180. The better you feel in your skin, the happier you’ll be and it’s as easy as that.
Now, I would like to clarify that when I say to dress nicely, it doesn’t mean that you have to spend 500 dollars on a dress. Most of my clothes, apart from a couple, I find at Marshalls or Target. It depends what kind of person you are: I enjoy having a lot of pieces, which means I buy for cheaper but other people enjoy having few, more quality pieces but at a higher price.
It also doesn’t mean that you have to go dressed to class every day in nice blazers and dresses, you can still stick to athletic clothes for the time being. But, if you’re going out to dinner: people will appreciate the fact that you didn’t show up in jeans and a T-shirt. Believe me. Putting in that effort doesn’t only benefit you but it benefits those around you as well.