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The famous saying goes: “Clothes make the man”, but is there really any truth to this age old saying which dates back to the 1400s?
There are actually two meanings to this saying; simply put it means that people are judged based on the clothing that they wear and are treated accordingly.
On a deeper level this phrase can be understood to mean that by dressing in a certain manner you can actually shape your behavior and affect the way you perform.
Based on the first explanation, if someone were to wear an expensive article of clothing they would automatically be viewed as an elite and treated with more respect and receive better service. Although this sounds extremely superficial, human nature has us judging others based on their outer appearance and treating them accordingly. Of course, it is meritorious to treat everyone with respect regardless of how they are dressed, but naturally our mind has us taking in the type of clothes others are wearing and without even realizing it and viewing them in a certain light based on it.
The deeper meaning of this saying is actually quite fascinating and empowering. By wearing a certain type of clothing, you can actually boost your self confidence in a real way. Besides having others viewing you based on the image which your clothing of choice gives off, you will begin to feel that way as well, just by wearing the clothing! For example, a new nervous nurse wearing Grey’s Anatomy scrubs, a designer nurse uniform, will feel more confident and will lead her to perform better at work.
When people are new to a job or lacking confidence at work, dressing their role well can give them the boost of confidence they need to help them start performing well. This can be very especially helpful when starting out at a new job or field of work; dress your part, and dress it well and you will automatically start out with a great advantage to perform well and excel at your job.
That being said, dressing your part well is not a ticket to being successful at your job. Of course, you need to be qualified to do the job that is required of you and have the necessary skill and work ethics to be great at your line of work.
So, take care to dress your part well, and you will give off the image you wish to portray and begin feeling like the professional that you truly are.