How you are perceived by others depends on your first impression. Dressing up helps you build your confidence. Dressing well is often a creative expression of the individual and it can also be one way to boost your confidence. In Icebath we think people dress up to respect other people.
First of all it is important that you will figure out the dress code in the office. I have noticed that in my new job the dress code is confidence with a hint of relaxed humor and academic backgroud gives the well finnished look. Even when you work in the office where the dress code in strictly business attire it is important that you reflect your individual style. How you dress effects how you perform. People tend to perform better in life when they feel that they deserve to perform better. This is important rule when you work at home. If you work with your joggers that has holes in them and your hair finds it own style among your face looks tired with some drool on your cheek, what will you expect form your performance?
Okey, we have figured out that the company’s dress code is confidence, but how will you reach that? Respecting others is the key to find your confidence. The more you get the other people shine and to do their best the more confident you will be. You don´t need to dress in your most conservative suit, with accessories to match. You can be curios of other people and their skills and competences. You can have an open mind that gives you space to develop yourself and lets you to grow when reflected by other people. People see if you are true with yourself and wheather you are trustworthy or not. You should have a good reflective ability and be keen on evolving in that. Good reflective ability gives you a free pass to better confidence. Collecting information about yourself will help you identify and explore your own practices and underlying beliefs. This will lead to changes and improvements in your own personal growth. People who are confident and selfaware are the people you find it easy to be with. There are no hiding expectations.
What ever the dress code is, if you are able to create an atmosphere where collective aspiration can be set free and people are keen to learn from each other you have nailed it. In every office and workplace the dress code should be based on good mentalizing and reflective ability. There should be good conversations that reveals people capacity to understand themselves and others in terms of intentional mental states, such as feelings, desires, wishes, goals and attitudes. Mentalizing is a quintessential human capacity that is needed to be able to successfully navigate the social world. There should be thoughtful reflective questions that are designed to help teams at the workplaces to reflect on their practice. Using carefully chosen questions will allow people to probe for deeper complexity and encourage them to self reflection. Thoughtful questioning help people to move forward with focus and intent. Trough these kind of conversations people will gain confidence and become more skilled at working through tough problems without hurting each other or themselves. Being able to work in this kind of athmosphere the work community will develop the skills and tools to handle similar issues in the future independently. It allow us to grow towards more aware and a better persons.
No matter how casual the office is, it’s never appropriate to wear primitive defenses in interaction with other people. You always must be responsible of your own reactions among curious why you act the way you do, especially when under a lot of stress or questioned about your choices. Self-observation and self-evaluation are crucial and will lead to better self-awareness and confidence.
Make sure that people always have confident feeling when around you. Minimize sarcastic humor, it can always be miss understood. Keep rude, racist and offensive comments away. Treat people the way you wish they´ll treat you. Be always on time, because being late is a way of using power and disrespecting other people. Bring your smile with you to work, greet your colleagues and be also interested about their personal lives. Be the best version of you.
Save your cologne or perfume for the other occasions, and let your co-workers realize how freshly you want see and think. Let them enjoy how groomed you are and how eager you are to learn and develop yourself with them among the organization. Make excellent impression of you and stick to the dress code.
To boost your confidence spend a few minutes spiffing yourself in the mirrow before you leave home. Reinforces the idea that you deserve success and good treatment in your own mind. When you respect yourself, your respect others. Don’t forget the red lipstick it always makes the day, no matter how strict the dress code is!
Written by Annele Heikkilä
Photos edited by Mikko Hankaniemi, Photo White Shirt Michael Frattaoli on Unsplash, LipstickSamuel Zeller on Unsplash
ICEBATH 