23. April 2026
Do the Christmas and New Year holidays lead you to thinking about next year’s ambitions?
If so, know how important the clothes you wear can have on achieving them.
Our clothes determine how we feel about ourselves and as a result, how we perform at work, interact with others and show the world our capabilities. And of course, how we turn out so often determines what people think of us. So if you have time now to think about your wardrobe for moving forward, do.
What we wear affects how we process information, this is a concept known as ‘enclothed cognition’*. So if you are wearing clothes that you associate with being a success, that you can do the job, be the winner of that new piece of work, then you will likely process all the right cues and information to help you do that. It’s way more than just confidence building, it’s subconscious processing that facilitates you achieving what you want. So think about how your clothes help you perform.
And when you meet prospective clients or business partners for the first time, impressions are made very quickly, in fact within a tenth of a second**. Nearly all of this is visual, in fact some research suggests less than 10% of the impression you give is what you say***, the rest is how you look and behave. So what messages do you want to convey with what you wear?
Often clients tell me their wardrobes are “all one colour”, and if it’s a colour that suits them that’s great. BUT colour also helps us feel differently, because physiologically it alters our energy levels. Why is red used in so many sports clothes, or green and pale blue used in medical environments do you think? If you need to be heard, consider blue, if it’s a tricky situation, green might be the best option.
Curating a wardrobe that feels easy, represents you and gives the best impression of your skills and capabilities is something that takes some thought, but the opportunity to influence your business as you show up as the best version of yourself will be worth it.
Book a free 45 minute consultation on how to adapt your wardrobe to achieve your 2026 goals here. Happy holidays and wishing you a successful 2026!
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The research behind this…
* Adam and Galinsky 2012, ** First impressions, *** Kate Murphy You’re Not Listening 2020