Clothes Make the Man

One of my daily morning dilemmas during the work week is what to wear to the office. I am fortunate in that our office is not one that requires us to don a shirt and tie every day; but neither is it the type of office that allows jeans, flip-flops or shorts either. So, most days I am to be found dressed in slacks, khakis and a shirt. Now the dilemma that comes in is that you have to change it up and mix things up so that you don't feel stale. What I mean is that you can only wear that combination of navy blue Dockers with sky blue polo shirt only so many times before you yourself get sick of it. Don't get me wrong. It's not like I have a total of five shirts and pants and I alternate those throughout the day but figuring out clothes that match when you're half asleep and getting ready to rush out to the door to the office is a major problem. Especially for us guys.

Our typical stigma as guys is that we generally grab whatever clean shirt we see in front of us and throw on any pair of pants before walking out the door. Now I can do that too, but I know enough to say that complimentary colors work better than non-complimentary colors. I mean after all, who wants to look like a painters pallette? So okay, we examine the clothes hanging in the closet (or laying around the floor... whatever your particular case may be). Khaki colored pants? Okay, in that case most any solid colored shirt should go okay. Next question. Did I wear this shirt already this week? Did I wear this color this week? What day of the week is it?

Okay, so now that's done. That's a major hurdle out of the way. So now do we dress in our chosen attire and rush out the door? Do a last minute check. Are the clothes pressed and ironed? No? Does it matter? Well... it should. I believe that clothes make the man (or the woman... we're typically politically correct around here... though I should have said 'clothes make the person'). If you show up with your pants and shirt all wrinkley, your hair mussed, your shoes untied, you then portray an image that may not be anything like you in reality. But if you take a bit of time to press your shirt and pants, tie those laces (or cheat and get slip ons) and use a comb every so often, the difference will be astounding.

Studies have shown that most managers will get an impression of someone based on their manner of dress and their looks. If you show up for a job interview in corporate America wearing jeans and a t-shirt, chances are you won't get the job unless you are a certified genius or going for head of the IT department. It may not be the best way to take an impression of someone, but our natural human tendency is toward visual appeal. If you show up with mustard stains on your shirt you will give a different impression than you would if you show up with a clean shirt. Who knows? You may luck out and have an office full of people who enjoy mustard! Hmm, that's something to ponder the next time you start thinking, "Out damn spot out!"