Dress To Impress – What Does It Even Mean?
“Always dress to impress” is something young men hear all the time. But what does it actually mean? Is it really that important for men to learn how to dress well or is it just a modern marketing stunt?
At the end of the day, is it worth it to put so much effort into learning how to dress well, given the fact that there are as many tastes and opinions as there are people in the world?
To give the answer to these, and many more questions regarding the male style, we’re going to have to dive a bit deeper into the subject.
And that’s exactly what we’re gonna do.
Who Are You Trying To Impress?
Dress to impress is a somewhat vague term. It doesn’t really give you much to work with. It only tells you that you should dress better, and all the other questions are left for you to figure out.
The first question I think of when I hear the term “dress to impress” is, to impress whom? Who is it that every man on this planet has to try so hard to impress?
The philosophical answer is “You shouldn’t try to impress anyone, you should always be yourself.”
The 3D world answer is “You’ll have to impress a whole lot of people.”
Whether we like it or not, we live in a world dominated by our senses, and every single person we come in contact with perceives us through these five senses. It’s impossible to know how good of a person someone is at first sight.
Getting to know a person requires some time, and when it comes to leaving a good first impression, it all comes down to the five senses.
So, in a way, by our appearance and the way we present ourselves we’re trying to impress everyone we come in contact with.
Why Do We Try To Impress People?
Well, that’s a puzzle that requires a psychology degree to be solved.
We do it for a plethora of different reasons, some of which may be deeply rooted in our subconscious. There’s also the case when it’s necessary to dress to impress people to achieve a goal or to make sure we look appropriate for the situation.
No matter the reason, the truth is, every man should put serious effort into learning how to dress well.
Why Should a Man Learn How To Dress Well?
There are many reasons why men should employ the “dress to impress” strategy.
The ultimate cheat code – Don’t dress how you feel, dress how you want to feel
Not only does it immediately boost your confidence, “dress to impress” strategy has the power to instantly put you in the mindset of the man you wish others to see when they look at you.
Putting on a neat outfit can significantly improve the way you see yourself and I’m sure that’s something you’ve experienced many times before. It’s no different than the feeling men have when they get a haircut. The moment you step outside the barber’s door, you feel like you’re a few inches taller, and you just can’t help but feel an ever so slight increase in the diameter of your cohones.
A similar thing happens when you dress nicely. The confidence boost you receive by the fact that you’re happy with the way you look is unreal.
That’s even more important if you(alongside millions, if not even more, of men) already struggle with low self-esteem. And that’s where the cheat code comes in.
When we don’t feel like our best selves, that’s when looking good becomes even more important. Making sure we take what we have, and make the most out of it, is one of the easiest ways to minimize the effects of our low self-esteem. By doing that we also avoid its devastating effects on both our physical appearance and further self-esteem decline.
People instantly see you in a more serious light
When we see someone who’s well dressed, we instantly perceive them as more credible.
That’s just the way it is. If you want people to take you seriously you can’t go around dressed like a 14-year old boy who doesn’t even care how he looks. Or even worse, like one who’s desperately trying to be cool.
Looking well put together is your personal brand
For grown men, making sure to dress to impress isn’t only a lifestyle choice.
The way you look is your personal brand. Especially if your work environment requires a more “grown-up” dress code.
You don’t see a bunch of lawyers giving opening statements in grey sweatpants.
But it’s also important if you’re an entrepreneur. If you’re self-employed, whichever service you provide, everyone you come in contact with is a potential customer. The last thing you want is for your style to scream “unreliable”.
At the end of the day, no matter what you do, and no matter what your circumstances are, make sure to always dress to impress. Wherever you go, making sure that you’re always well put together is paramount.
Makes a great first impression
When it comes to first impressions, the way you look is probably one of the most important aspects of making a good one.
The first couple of seconds are all you really get, and the way you use each and every one of them is absolutely crucial. The amount of scanning that happens is off the charts, to say the least, and being one of the first lines of defense, your outfit should be rock solid, and nothing less than that.
Making a good first impression, of course, is much more than just the clothes you wear, but nevertheless, it’s quite an important part. And one that should never be neglected.
Looking the part is a performance enhancer
This, in a way, ties all of the previous ones together.
Combining all the previous benefits of being well-dressed trickles down and greatly influences your actions.
When your confidence is high, when you’re happy with the way you look, and when you see that people around you also appreciate it, that’s what gives your drive a significant boost. You find it much easier to finish all the tasks you have to finish and the fact that you feel handsome and desirable makes you want to tackle new tasks and be even more successful.
Here’s an interesting study that looked into how wearing a white lab coat increased attention, and how it changed whether a white coat was associated with a painter or a doctor. They came up with the term enclothed cognition, and it showed how clothes systematically influence wearers’ psychological processes.
“Dress To Impress” Brings Up Some Important Questions
In order to understand how to dress to impress, first, we need to understand what does being a well-dressed man even mean?
Seriously, What does it mean?
Is David Beckham a well-dressed man only when he wears a suit?
Do Kanye’s unusual clothing choices make him a poorly dressed man?
Is there a universal norm, does it all come down to personal preference, or is it all about the man in question?
Hopefully, in this section, we’ll be able to find answers to some of these questions.
Is being well-dressed the same as wearing a suit?
The question of the day – Do you have to wear a suit in order to “dress to impress”?
My answer is simple- NO.
Especially if we take into consideration changes that are occurring in the modern workplace. Not only is it not the requirement for young men to wear suits to work anymore, but I’d also say that I think a large number of young men don’t even own a suit.
These are two extremes, of course, but the fact is, suits aren’t the requirement anymore, now they’re a choice.
I think that’s good.
Undeniably, a suit is one of the most powerful pieces of clothing a man could wear. But I’ve noticed that a lot of younger men prefer wearing it occasionally, rather than choosing it as a daily go-to piece.
I believe they’re making the right choice. I too prefer to treat a suit as a statement piece rather than a regular outfit choice.
Some professions still have a strict dress code, but in general, the migration from having to wear a suit to having a choice of wearing it is undeniable.
Does a man need to follow strict rules to be considered well dressed?
The next important question is – Should you copy-paste what works or should you find your own unique style?
I’ve already mentioned Kanye. Another man with a unique style that comes to mind is Jason Momoa.
I’m not saying they are the best-dressed men, all I’m saying is that there’s something captivating about the way their style compliments their personality.
What do you think about their styles? Which option do you think would work better for you?
I can’t give you the right answer to this question, you’ll have to answer this one for yourself. I can tell you that it doesn’t have to be one or the other. It can be only one, both, or anything in between.
Now, this may not be the most important question, but it should be considered by any man who wishes to dress to impress more often.
How do you see yourself?
The way you see yourself will greatly determine the way you dress. It’s pretty clear.
If you see yourself as a strong alpha, who wishes to climb the corporate ladder chances are your suit game will be pretty strong.
If you see yourself as more of a rebel and a bad boy, you’ll tend to wear leather and boots, and your grooming style may be more rugged and casual.
Having a clear picture of the way you see yourself and your path forward is a big step on the journey of understanding how to dress well.
How do you want others to see you?
The next logical step is to take into account the way you want others to see you.
Being true to yourself is always the best strategy, but there are times when a man simply has to be impressive.
Whether it’s the first time you’re meeting your future in-laws, or maybe you’re having an interview for a job that could completely change your life, there are times you just have to look as impressive as you possibly can.
Think about how you want others to see you, and give it your best to look the part.
Once you’ve answered all of these questions, it’s time to put get the ball rolling.
How To Actually Dress To Impress? BACK TO THE BASICS
The first part of the solution is, what I call, a short-term solution. Not in a sense that it will be short-lived, but in a sense that it will provide the results in a short time.
These are practical advice that can be easily implemented and will bear results right away.
Even though they’re very fundamental, a lot of men still don’t follow them.
Fit over fashion
The first and most essential one is, always choose fit over fashion.
Everywhere I look I see men wearing clothes that are either too tight or too big. The only question that comes to mind is; For the love of God, WHY?
Gentlemen, please, make sure that your clothes fit you properly. The worst thing a man could own are jeans that look like something his girl would wear to yoga.
It’s simple.
No overly tight and no overly baggy clothes.
Dress to impress in a simple way
Another powerful piece of advice is to keep it simple. There’s no need to overcomplicate things. Especially if you still aren’t as style-seasoned as you’d like to be.
One amazing aspect of men’s style is that the simplest of outfits can look fantastic provided that the fit is correct and the clothes are nice and clean.
Utilize this simplicity, especially if you’re in the beginning stages of your style journey.
Find some inspiration
For some mysterious reason, a lot of men shy away from trying to find online style inspiration.
And for a long time, I was one of them.
When I realized that I was just buying random stuff that doesn’t even pair well with other pieces in my wardrobe, I knew I had a problem. I was buying clothes without any plan, and no matter what I bought it never looked good on me and I could barely make it work with other pieces.
It’s such a terrible mistake. If you’ve done this before, don’t worry, there’s a simple solution.
Find outfit inspiration online, and go and actually buy those pieces. Don’t just collect images of nice outfits. Go through with it.
Details are important
The devil’s in the details. And those details are accessories.
Yes, accessorizing is a fundamental part of a great outfit and another completely underutilized weapon in a man’s style artillery. But accessorizing isn’t neglected, I think that a lot of men avoid it. Not sure why, but men seem to be afraid to take it further than a watch and a pair of sunglasses.
It may be a “thread the needle” activity, but if you just dared to experiment a bit, you’d see how easy it is to elevate your outfits and make them completely unique and eye-catching.
Always be clean and ironed
I don’t know why, but men wearing wrinkled clothes is a sight that I catch more often than I should.
When I was a teenager, I wasn’t allowed to go out of the house with wrinkled clothes. My mom would’ve killed me if I’d walked around wearing wrinkled clothes. And I’m so grateful for the Iron fist that taught me that people should never wear clothes that aren’t ironed and clean.
That’s something I’m still very meticulous about.
As every person on the planet should be.
Always smell fantastic
Ever since I bought my first fragrance, which was more than 10 years ago, I fell in love with smelling good. Now, you don’t have to follow my footsteps and dream of having a 150 bottle collection, but if you want to make sure to dress to impress, you’ll have to think further than just your clothes.
Arguably, this one is even more important.
I like to say that fragrances are the ultimate accessory.
You can wear a Patek, and yet most of the people who you meet, unless they know watches, won’t even notice that it’s a $100k watch.
But if you wear a captivating fragrance, everyone will notice and remember you.
That’s the power of fragrance.
And the funny thing is, you don’t even need a big collection, you only need one amazing fragrance. That’s all it takes to be the best smelling man in a room.
Grooming is essential
You might say, what the hell does grooming have to do with the fact that I want to dress better.
And to that I say…
It’s got nothing to do with it only if your grooming is on point. If you have poor grooming habits, on the other hand, you’re completely ruining your chances of looking good.
Grooming is actually even more crucial than dressing well, and it is so for one simple reason.
If you’re well-groomed, you’ll look good with the simplest of outfits. If you’re not, no matter how cool or expensive your clothes are, you’re not going to look nearly as good.
Being a well-groomed man doesn’t only mean having good manscaping habits. Grooming is a much broader term that encompasses many more aspects of self-care than just how to trim your pubes.
The most important areas a gentleman who wishes to perfect his grooming must pay attention to, besides manscaping and beard trimming, include both skincare and haircare.
Both of these areas are wildly overlooked by many men, and if you’re one of them, I urge you to familiarize yourself with the proper ways to take care of your skin and hair. Not only will you notice an immediate improvement, but you’ll also prevent premature aging.
Wardrobe troubleshooting
How many pieces of clothing do you still keep even though you haven’t worn them for years?
If you have a lot of old clothes clogging up your wardrobe, it’s quite clear why you find it difficult to dress to impress. Two words – Unnecessary complications.
Yea. It’s time to donate clothes. Go through your entire wardrobe and just throw away things that don’t serve you anymore. It’s not rocket science. You probably have way too many shirts you’re fed up with.
Donate everything you don’t want to wear anymore, and the stuff that remains is your real wardrobe.
Do a thorough assessment, see what you have to work with, and if necessary expand your wardrobe.
Now that we’ve covered tweaks you can do to maximize the potential you already have, it’s time to take it a step further. It’s time to see how we can work on ourselves in such a way that we take it to the next level.
This is the point where we don’t want to just dress to impress anymore.
TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER – Become A More Impressive Man
This is the point where we start thinking about how can we become more impressive.
It’s quite a task, I know, but we have to make sure that we don’t stop now. We’ve just started peeling the onion. We should keep going because the achievements we unlock along the way are nothing short of astonishing.
What do I mean when I say to become a more impressive man?
An impressive man is a man who knows himself. A man who’s not afraid to express himself in a way he sees fit. A man who cherishes his originality. He’s not afraid to stand out.
Find the style that best suits your lifestyle and your personality.
As we mature our style matures with us. The older we get the better and more sophisticated our style becomes. The more we mature the more we know ourselves and the more we know what works for us and what doesn’t.
That’s exactly one of the mail pillars you should build your style around.
Gathering all the life experience, and putting some thought into finding your own style is one powerful way for a man to better his looks.
Different thighs work for different people, and you’ll have to find your own style based on your personality, lifestyle, job, etc. But the very fact that you’re willing to dedicate your time to learning how to dress well will affect the way you look immensely.
Smartly detailed
Even though details are an integral part of your style, they’re not the most important. People don’t pay that much attention to every single detail. Their importance is undeniable, but they shouldn’t be the main focus of your outfit.
A good watch, a bracelet, a necklace, or one or two rings, whatever you choose to add to your outfits you should treat as seasoning.
Let’s say that your outfit is the main course of an expensive dinner. Your accessories should be salt and pepper. Their job is to make it tastier, not to overpower everything else.
Work on issues that stop you from being the confident man you are
One big stumbling block of a lot of men’s lives that rarely gets the attention it deserves is the lack of confidence.
How does that affect your style?
Well, you can’t dress to impress if you don’t have the confidence to actually impress someone. If you wear an Italian suit and an expensive watch, but you’re shy and socially awkward, well that’s not impressive.
Being able to pull off a good outfit is just as important as being able to put it together.
Only when combined can they create miracles.
CONCLUSION
Being a well-kempt man, whose outfits are always on point, who smells amazing, and who’s confident enough actually to pull it off is one hell of a task. Even though being able to dress to impress isn’t a piece of cake, men who aren’t afraid to look themselves in the eye, see their flaws and work on them are the men who can expect to see their lives flourish.
I might not be that man all the time, but most of the time I try to be. If you’ve stayed with me for this long, I know you do, too.
