Does Dressing Up Make People Treat You Differently?

At the end of last year I decided to do a personal survey of dressing up. The survey idea was to see how differently you are treated and respected if dressed. So I set out to wear a sport coat on each plane trip I took for the year. We are almost halfway through the year and I can honestly say I get a different attitude and more respect shown when I wear a sport coat. I’ve worn a sport coat with jeans or slacks, casual shirts, or dress shirts and ties.

When I look around the waiting area before boarding a plane, I notice the way people are dressed and it’s just not good. If someone can afford to travel, why don’t they dress more successfully?

During this period of time I also had to make a couple visits to hospitals to see friends and wore a suit or sport coat, slacks, shirt, and tie. The people at the reception desk have a whole different attitude when they see someone well dressed. I’ve even had times in the past when they said, Good morning Doctor!

In these troubled times, don’t abandon what got you here. Most people built their businesses not only on their expertise but also by the image they projected. Too many people have given up on proper dressing.

"I took Mark's advice and starting wearing a sport coat to work. I got very positive responses from my patients and nurses. Now I dress up every day." ~Dr. David Coran

I frequently hear excuses like “I just don’t need to!” “No one in our office dresses up anymore!” When business is bad, companies have to go back to the basics and see what got them to be successful in the first place. Maybe starting with better dressing for business might change the mindset of those in business.

More professional equals more successful.