Written by Menswear Style in Tips & Advice on the 29th February 2016

When you imagine someone who works from home, it may well be a rather unflattering image that comes to mind. That is to say that a lot of us think that working from home means working in your pyjamas. And guess what? For the most part, this image isn’t that far removed from the reality. A lot of people really do work in their loungewear, often without getting showered and quite often with a work-day that starts at around 11am.

But if you work from home and that describes your own process, it’s time to have a rethink. Dressing smartly – even when you work from home – can make all the difference to your productivity and is something that all of the most successful entrepreneurs swear by.

Dress for the Job You Want 

Have you ever heard the expression “dress for the job you want, not the job you’ve got”? This makes a lot of sense in an office environment. Here, you’re trying to leave a good impression on your employers and looking smart is one of the best ways to go about doing it. If you look like a consummate professional, then people will view you as one. And if people view you as a professional, then they’re likely to treat you like one. That means more responsibility and more responsibility means more promotions.

The Law of Attraction 

But this doesn’t apply if you’re working from home or if you’re self-employed. In this situation you won’t have an employer and you’ll probably never meet your clients face-to-face. So what’s the point in dressing smartly? It all has to do with something called ‘The Law of Attraction’. You see, another reason to dress for the job you want is because it will impact on the way you feel about yourself. When you dress the part, you will feel more confident and more capable. In turn, this will make you present yourself better in other ways. When we’re confident, we sit up straight and with our chests a little more puffed out.

And this same attitude comes across in the way we write emails, the decisions we make and in the way we conduct ourselves over the phone. It also makes a difference to our discipline and how quickly we start actual work and stop looking at Facebook. All this means that the way you dress can ultimately impact the way others see you – even if they can’t physically see you. Ultimately it will impact the way you work and the way you approach your business.

Harrison Gallagher is a day trader with Binary Uno and he explains how he always starts his day by dressing smartly. “Every day, the first thing I do is to get up early, have a shower and then put on a sharp suit. When you dress for success, you attract success - and this has worked wonders for me.” 

More Reasons to Dress for Success 

Dressing for work also helps you to create a mental separation between ‘work’ and ‘play’. Once your work day ends, you can get changed into your stylish casuals and you’ll feel much more relaxed at the end of the day. And why not try heading out to work in a coffee shop or a public library? This is a great way to avoid ‘cabin fever’ and will motivate you to put on some trousers.

We give evidence and discuss why men should ‘Suit Up’ when working from home and how it could improve your income.