Could You Dress More Professionally? Learn What Studies Show
Wearing business casual seems to be the norm in certain business sectors and individual offices. However, many employers believe that their employees dress “too causally.,” according to a 2016 survey with senior managers. While being interviewed, 47% of these senior managers stated that this was their perception of how people dressed within their offices.
It’s interesting to note that psychology studies demonstrate that first impressions are formed within the first 7 to 17 seconds upon meeting someone. This impression is based more than half on the other person’s physical appearance, and these studies revealed that physical appearance accounts for 55% of that first impression. Due to being aware of these results, many men may choose to dress more professionally.
Another workplace study showed that 75% of people in the United States perceive well-dressed men to be more successful than their casually-dressed counterparts. Furthermore, 22% of men believe that they would be able to experience more earning power if they improved the way they dressed.
American survey participants shared the following information about fashion in general and their personal wardrobes:
- Fashion is important to them: 63%
- Their current wardrobe needs a makeover: 77%
Men, in particular, shared how they felt when wearing a suit:
- They felt more confident: 66%
- They felt more successful: 62%
- They felt more intelligent: 43%
When it comes to spending on menswear, IBIS World provided annual sales data for the years between 2010 and 2015. They discovered that annual sales increased by 17.5% during those years. A 2016 study showed that on average, men 18 and over spent about $85.00 a month on menswear. This was roughly $10.00 more than women spent during an average month throughout that year.
Some men may not have experience with wearing tailored suits. In order for formal attire to fit well, it’s recommended to purchase made to measure mens custom suits rather than purchase them off of the rack. In addition to purchasing mens custom suits, having custom tailored shirts made is also a good idea so that these are also a good fit.
When men purchase and wear their first designer suit, it’s important to pay attention to specific details. The shirt’s collar, for example, should extend approximately 2 centimeters above the suit jacket’s collar. The shirt’s cuffs can be a bit looser than a watch, and they should fall about 2 centimeters from the wrist bone.
Since a large percentage of senior managers would like to see their employees dressing more professionally, it would be a good idea for more men to take action in this regard. Given that studies show that this can make a positive impact on a man’s confidence and the perceptions of others, this may further encourage them to purchase several mens custom suits and custom made shirts.
