Do You Look Your Best When You Leave for the Office?

The business case for making a great first impress

First impressions matter. They matter when you are going for a job interview. They matter when you are meeting your girlfriend’s family. They matter when you are meeting a new client. And while many people know that these things are true, not everyone makes the commitment to look their best when it is the most important.
The business case for making a great first impression, of course, can be seen as a worthwhile investment. When you realize that your wardrobe is an investment in your career, you might force yourself to make the effort and spend the money to look your best every time that you step out the door. Whether your office requires casual business wear or a more formal approach, spending money on top quality clothing items is worth it. From mens dress trousers to luxury dress shirts, psychology studies reveal that first impressions are formed within seven to 17 seconds of meeting someone. And while it may be tempting to rush into the office without paying close attention to their dress, it is important to remember that 55% of a person’s opinion is determined by physical appearance.
Consider some of these other statistics and insights:

  • Literallly 50% of the senior managers interviewed in a survey indicated that their workers wear less formal clothing than they did five years ago, a fact that can have a negative impact on the impressions of the work force.
  • One 2016 survey reports that 47% of senior managers interviewed said their employees dressed too casually, again creating a negative image of the current work force.
  • Older employees often tell their new hires that the business case for making a great first impression is that when all other qualifications are equal, the better dressed candidate will be the one selected.
  • Knowing the rules for dress etiquette can help an employee distinguish him or herself from peers and other job applicants. For instance, understanding that about two centimeters of the shirt collar should be revealed by the jacket collar when wearing a suit jacket seems to be a lost art to many.



  • You only have one chance to make a great first impression. If you showed up rumpled and disheveled for an interview that is how you will be remembered.
  • One slight indicator that more people may be cluing into the importance of better dressing habits is that the average annual sales for menswear grew 17.4% between the years 2010 and 2015, according to data from IBIS World.
  • Using your first impression to the fullest can be the difference between signing a new client and giving up the potential account to another best dressed salesperson.
  • Revealed in a 2016 study, the average American man over the age of 17 spent $85 a month on menswear. This is a total that is $10 more than the women?s monthly average.



  • Buying quality clothing that lasts is the business case for making a great first impression.
  • Estimates indicate that 40% of men between the ages of 18 and 34 would prefer to do all of their shopping online, according to Business Insider.
  • Show your best self everyday!
  • The cuffs of a shirt should be bit looser than a watch and fall two centimeters from your wrist bone.

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