We try to improve our homes, furniture, and even curtains. But when it comes to dressing, we do not take it seriously, writes Hamid Saeed, international wardrobe consultant
In Pakistan, most people do not realize that their dressing has a strong connection with their success. We study hard. We focus on grades. We work day and night to grow our business. We try to improve our homes, furniture, and even curtains. But when it comes to dressing, we do not take it seriously. We hesitate to talk about it. We think it is not important.
The first and most important step is to accept that dressing plays a role in your success. If you do not accept this, you will never improve it.
Some people care about dressing. They want to look good. But they do not know the correct method of dressing for different events. They wear the same style everywhere at weddings, business meetings, universities, and offices. They do not understand that dressing is a proper science. Not everyone can guide you about it.
In our society, family members, siblings, and tailors often guide us about what to wear. They try their best, but they are not experts in image consulting. Taking professional dressing advice from non-professionals is one of the biggest mistakes people make. Dressing for success requires knowledge, observation, and understanding of personality, color, body features, and profession.
Today, TV advertisements and social media strongly affect our dressing decisions. We see a model wearing a suit, and we want to buy the same one. But this is not the right approach. That model has a different personality, different features, a different profession, and a different lifestyle. What suits him or her may not suit you. You must choose your dress according to your own personality, color tone, face features, body shape, and profession.
In this social media world, you are what you present to the world. People see you before they know you.
According to Brian Tracy, the famous motivational speaker, people judge you in a fraction of a second, almost one-tenth of a second. This first impression depends greatly on your dressing. People not only judge you; they also deal with you according to that judgment. If you look confident and professional, they treat you with respect. If you look careless, they may not take you seriously.
In gatherings, you may notice that people often give more respect to those who are dressed decently and properly. Many think this respect is because of wealth. But that is not always true. It is often because of presentation. A little attention to your dressing can make you stand out from others.
Now the question is:
Does dressing really have a link with success?
It is possible that you do not know the answer. But I will tell you clearly: yes, your dressing affects your professional and social life. It affects people unconsciously. Even when they do not say it openly, it influences their behavior toward you.
Since childhood, we have not seen debates about dress sense in our schools. There are no proper lessons about it. That is why many educated people still lack dressing sense. Education gives you degrees, but presentation gives you impact.
What is the criterion of looking good?
It is not wearing expensive clothes.
It is not copying someone’s style.
It is not showing wealth.
Looking good means wearing what suits you.
You must know what matches your personality. Use your mind, not only your heart. Many people buy clothes emotionally. They see something and fall in love with it. But smart dressing requires thinking. You must consider:
- Your profession
- Your age
- Your audience
- Your body type
- Your color tone
- The weather
A banker, a student, and a CEO all have different dressing requirements. If you are a CEO going to address children in a school, you should still dress like a CEO, in a way that shows leadership, confidence, and professionalism.
Choose clothes according to the weather as well. Seasonal awareness is part of dressing science.
I have introduced the “Dress for Success” philosophy in Pakistan. When I started speaking about it, many people gave me a tough time. They were not aware that dressing is a science. They thought it was only fashion or luxury. But through my experiences in the United States and the United Kingdom, I learned how seriously developed societies take image and presentation.
This book will provide complete guidance on dressing sense. In this book, you will learn:
- How educated and successful people dress
- How suitable dressing can increase job opportunities
- How low-cost clothes can also look attractive
- How to educate your family about the importance of dressing
- How your personality can improve
- How can your confidence increase
- Why wealth is not the formula to look good
- How people will start taking you seriously
Dressing matters more than you think. It works silently, but powerfully.
I request my readers to apply these rules at least once in their lives. Study this book with an open mind. Practice what you learn. Observe the change in how people respond to you.
You will realize that success is not only about education and hard work. It is also about how you present yourself to the world.
This is not just a book about clothes.
This is a book about image, confidence, respect, and success.
