If you think fashion is a frivolous topic, think again. How we dress makes a huge statement concerning how we feel about ourselves.
For example, if you dress well for a job interview, you'll come across as someone who is taking the opportunity seriously. Looking appropriate for a job interview or a date means you have one less thing to worry about. You can stop thinking so much about yourself.
"I used to fidget in front of my class and wonder if I looked okay," says a college professor we'll call Terri. "So, I went to a consultant at a clothing store event. Now that I have a better hair style and clothes that look great on me, I can concentrate on my teaching!"
Giving a lot of attention to your clothing and grooming can land you a date, a mate, or a job.
Your clothes and grooming tell other people whether you want to come across in a respectful, serious way or if you feel little concern about how you are perceived.
Consider a minister we know at a Southern Christian church. His congregation is itching to get rid of him. Why? He dresses in torn jeans and a ripped T-shirt to deliver the Sunday message.
"This new minister preached on Easter Sunday looking like he'd rolled out of bed," a member of his congregation told us. "Nothing we say has any effect on him. He will not dress up."
While most of us like to dress down for casual activities and hanging out with friends, it usually pays to ramp up for really important meetings with others.
"As a single mother on a tight budget, I used to go to the Goodwill to buy a lot of outfits," says a woman we'll call Brianna. "It's not easy to sort through clothing at the Goodwill, but I was determined to present myself well even wearing used clothing. I knew that finding some nice blouses, skirts, and pants would make me look more professional at work."
Brianna has had several promotions in the past two years. "I really think my appearance has helped. Some of my co-workers dress very casually because we're hidden away in an office setting. But, when a manager recently needed someone to take a client to lunch, he chose me. The client ended up signing a lucrative contract with our firm, and our manager gave me a lot of the credit."
If you've ever had to give a speech, you know that it can be pretty nerve-wracking. One of our friends who joined a Toastmasters Club said her jitters went down as she improved her appearance.
"When you feel fine about the way you look, you can focus on your audience," she told us. "Your confidence soars. Keeping your mind on your bad haircut, mismatched outfit, or worn shoes can make you forget all the important things you meant to say."
A friend of ours recently bought a regional franchise for a drive-through restaurant. We'll call our friend Mike. The first order of business was to hire new people.
"I swear to you, the employees already working at some of the restaurants looked like they had not taken a shower in a year," Mike told us. "I nearly fainted when I met some of the existing staff. I stopped to question everything about my own appearance, too. We now have a strict dress code."
