First impressions count

Dress codes do exist.

Whether we like it or not, dressing appropriately is a big part of getting ahead in life. It’s a part of life.

‘Clean, presentable clothing in good condition not offensive to others’ would be the general explanation of a standard dress code. Though it appears to us at June Dally-Watkins that there has been a distinct erosion of understanding and adhering to dress codes over the past few decades.

Knowing the code plays an enormously important role in being successful. Not just with doing well in your chosen career. But also, socially. Dressing right helps you get ahead in this world. ‘Nonsense!’ some young people may say. ‘You’re being judgey,’ they might respond. But it’s an undeniable and unavoidable fact that people do judge you for how you dress. They just do. It’s in our survival DNA to assess immediately and subconsciously how someone else looks because it’s survival. We’ve judged the way others ‘look’ or ‘dress’ for millennia. Humans need to recognize tribe. Centuries ago, we needed to be sure you wouldn’t run off with our women and children. Evaluating how other people look enables the long-term survival of your tribe. Anyone who says they are not looking at how you’re dressed is very possibly not telling the whole truth. Because whether they know it or not, they are.

So now we’ve established that checking others out is human nature and, in our DNA, why do we care about appropriate attire? Because you will mess up your job interview if you don’t show up looking professional. Looking as though you are capable of doing the job by dressing appropriately is the first step. And when you walk through that office door, or turn on that Zoom screen, you are being judged by how you look. Within the first seven seconds your potential boss has made a decision about you because of the way you look. So, make the effort and get the job. Because you can look good. Look the part! Be the part!
There’s also the famous story about the guy who showed up to meet his future mother-in-law in singlet, shorts and thongs.
The invitation was for Sunday roast lunch, for goodness sakes! Make an effort, show some respect for your fiancé’s family. And your fiancé. That regard for your appearance will see you welcomed into any family with respect. Looking as though you care about yourself means you hold yourself in high regard. Which often translates to whether you can hold others in high regard.

First impressions count!

Decisions about you are made instantly. Your eye contact, nonverbal cues, handshake, posture, and appearance all count. Some research shows that a conclusion has been drawn about how trustworthy you are within a tenth of a second.

To make an impression we need all the help we can get. Sometimes we need a leg up with training and education. Because sometimes we simply don’t know what different dress codes mean. Often the right thing to do in a professional or social situation can be confusing. Manners is a tricky business. But it’s our business and we’d like to share it with you.

Drop us a line at June Dally-Watkins any time, with any questions. We are here to help you navigate. It’s what we do.
Click here if you’d like to jump over to our Podcast to listen to more on the dilemmas of modern manners in a modern world.