Your Style. Your Vibe.

POV: You can use your style to help you get whatever you want, and the people who are leveraging it intentionally are already playing with an advantage.   

If you thought of your wardrobe in this way, what doors might open for you?  A bigger paycheck?  Your dream partner?  I’d bet on it. Your style choices (or lack thereof) play a massive role in the way you inhabit your body and use your mind. It’s a critical element in how people perceive your energy. Your energy is what attracts everything in your life to you so when you’re operating at your highest frequency, people find you infectious. 

Whether you’re going for the corner office, landing the biggest deal of your career or just out networking – the way you present yourself is a part of the equation. That’s why putting in the effort to develop style can be the catalyst that propels you forward towards powerful shifts in your life.  Here are five ways showing what you put on your body goes well beyond just getting dressed.  

IMPROVING SELF-IMAGE  

Over 75% of people confess their wardrobe needs a makeover. This means that the majority are not satisfied with their appearance most of the time.  When you’re not happy with your clothing day after day viewing yourself in the mirror or on zoom, your self-image will eventually take a hit. 

When start to invest in your personal style, however, you’re flipping the script and telling yourself that you actually give a shit and deserving to show up as your best.  It’s a form of self-care that can be reinforced every day you get dressed.  Just figuring out your ideal style removes stress and helps you put energy towards other things in your life.  

Moreover, our outfits can alter our state of mind as a result of a term coined “dopamine dressing”.  When you dress in a way that brings you joy, you signal more dopamine to the brain and benefit from an improved mood.  Sign me up.  

COMMANDING ATTENTION  

Most successful people haven’t made it to where they are without standing out. Yet most of us are playing small and still trying to fit in.  We want to look good, but not TOO good. Be dressed for the occasion but not too overdressed. Seek approval and blend in, but not be basic. This conflict is something we often face when we open our closets.   

When you dress well you get attention, compliments, and interest in your personality. Your perception progresses and you start taking action to improve your life. Why? Because when you dress up you’re actually reaping the social benefits of a more elevated lifestyle, regardless of how wealthy you actually are.  

Own it and walk into the room to command deserved attention. Others will be able to feel it and they will want to know you. It’s a power move.  

BUILDING AUTHORITY AND COMPETENCE  

Want to come off as more trustworthy?  Or an expert in your field? Those signals can come in the form of quality and thought-out clothing choices. People will look and treat differently when you dress as such.  

I’ve heard countless stories from successful people saying changes in their clothing helped them make more sales and money, isolating any other variables they made to their businesses. Prospective clients took them more seriously simply because of how he/she presented themselves.  

And if that’s not enough, it truly can boost your performance. A Northwestern University study pegged the term “enclothed cognition”; a concept that refers to both the symbolic meaning and physical experience of wearing certain clothing. They observed doctors and their carefulness and attentiveness whilst wearing a lab coat versus not wearing one. It established the theory that what we wear impacts our own perceived capability to perform well.   

Similarly, if a lawyer wears an outfit that makes them feel confident, they will feel more proficient in their ability to be an effective lawyer.  

MAKING A STRONG FIRST IMPRESSION  

First impressions are the building blocks for business and personal relationships – they play a major part in setting the tone for future opportunities and engagements. There are reasons why, including your style choices, those initial judgements might be less-than-ideal. You may be a cool guy or a smart girl, but people will have a hard time looking past a wrinkled outfit and dirty shoes.  

Your style will make a statement that will or will not help put you in a position to influence someone. Without a nice “cover” you’ll never make an impact.  

DEVELOPING A MEMORABLE PERSONAL BRAND  

If you’re an entrepreneur, then you understand the importance of branding. And even if you’re not, personal branding has hit mainstreams it’s time to get on board.  Today, you are your own walking business card at all times.  And many of the most powerful personal brands have used style, including Steve Jobs and Michelle Obama, to form signature looks that strengthened how they outwardly portrayed themselves. 

Our choice of attire acts as a personal brand and powerful form of self-expression that conveys your identity and values. From speaking on stage to running business meetings to the branding photoshoot, what you wear tells the unique story of you.  

So, yeah, what we wear definitely matters.  

Where people often run into problems is in developing a personal style in a way that feels both authentic and suitable for our lives; without a lot of time and resources to achieve it.  Lucky for you, this is where personal styling and Wave + Woven come into play to expertly curate your wardrobe. Start finding power in style and see how this attracts exactly what you’re seeking.   

The only thing you’ll regret is not doing it sooner. 

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Amanda Vargus spent her career in the music industry before pivoting into fashion. She excelled in the industry as a Luxury Manager with The RealReal, a high-end resale website, where she specialized in closet editing and was in charge of merchandise acquisition in the northeast. Now Amanda runs her own independent personal styling company, Wave +Woven, produced Boston’s First Annual Runway Ball, and consults with entrepreneurs, executives and elite professionals to create more exciting and functional wardrobes. Helping clients find their original and unique style through fashion is her passion.