What dressing for success looks like and why it matters

First impressions can be a make or break moment, especially when it comes to your career. So much of that impression actually stems from how you present yourself. It begs the question - how does one signal for success so they can be the best versions of themselves?

In this week’s episode of Money Glow Up, "The Budgetnista" Tiffany Aliche sits down with Brandice Daniel, founder of Harlem’s Fashion Row to discuss why it is so important to always signal for success, and that includes the way you dress.

“70% of what you say is nonverbal,” Daniel says. “You are speaking the moment you walk into a room… By the way your posture is, by your eye contact, by what you’re wearing and how you feel in what you’re wearing. All of that matters so much.”

So how does one signal for success? Daniel says confidence is key. “You want to make sure when you walk into a room, you’re feeling super confident because you’re selling yourself.”

“It’s almost like your nonverbal resume,” Aliche adds.

Daniel also clarifies that showing up professionally doesn’t always mean sporting a suit or formal clothing. It all depends on the job. You need to feel out the environment to figure out how to dress for success. For example, while a finance role may require a blazer, a creative role might be more casual.

Daniel’s tip: A day or two before a job interview, go to the office and see how people walking into the building are dressed in order to get a feel for the culture there.

To learn more about Daniel’s work, tune into this week’s episode of Money Glow Up.

Step into the classroom with Money Glow Up every Thursday at 12pm ET with Tiffany Aliche—aka The Budgetnista—to jump-start your financial journey.

This post was written by Lauren Pokedoff

Video Transcript

Why do you think it's important that people consider what they wear their war when it comes to the workplace?

Or is it important?

Is it not?

It's absolutely important.

I realized a little while ago that 70% or I read somewhere that over 70% of what you say is nonverbal.

So that means that you're speaking the moment you walk into a room.

So you're saying something, by the way, your posture is by your eye contact, you said I'm fake by what you're wearing, you know, and how you feel and what you're wearing all of that matters so much.

So what does signaling link success now that you're saying that 70% of what you're actually telling the world is not what you're actually saying?

So what does signal link success?

What does it look like?

Can you define that for us?

Signaling success?

The first thing is confidence, your confidence level is going to signal success first and foremost.

But how do you feel confident?

You feel confident by what you're wearing?

Usually?

Of course, it's inside.

But if you're wearing something that doesn't fit or you don't really know or if it's not really your style, all of those things impact your confidence.

So you want to make sure that when you walk into a room, you're feeling super confident because you're selling yourself the moment you kind of walk into the room.

So it's almost like your nonverbal resume.