Tom Ford
A couple of weeks ago I headed to
look over a few car options as my relocation removed my commuter options of
daily travel. At the dealership, I have to admit, the sales clerk did an
awesome job in how he treated us. They went above and beyond trying to make the
sale, and at the end offered us a wonderful deal with numerous extras. While we
were being “wined and dined,” at the same time another couple walked into the
dealer. The sales clerk wouldn’t even give them the time of day. The difference
between us and that other couple? How we were dressed.
You’ve probably seen this situation
if you’re into people watching, if not lived it personally. A person walks into
a high-end store and is completely ignored because he’s dress in rather casual
attire. A moment later, someone well dressed walks in and the sales clerks
magically appear, roll out the red carpet and even bring along appetizers. To
the other person, the only thing they brought out, if they bring anything at
all, are the cops to escort them out of the store.
Sure, we could call this classism,
elitism, or might even bring out the race card into the debate. We’ll see
online posts calling out boycotts of the place or making status updates as they
feel the need to tell the world how a person’s more than their cloth or their
appearance. And they’ll do this in the most arrogant, self-righteous manner, as
they cite successful entrepreneurs who’ve made their mark while in worn out
jeans and sneakers. What they fail to realize is that the world will treat people
the same way that they present themselves to the world. Those successful
entrepreneurs in question? Those are the exceptions, not the norm.
Ask any bartender, waiter, or sales
clerk. They know that a person willing
to spend the time and money to present themselves properly to the world, AND
treats others respectfully, will probably will tip better and will definitely
treat the server better. If you want to be treated like you can afford
something, shouldn’t it be a good idea to dress like you can afford it? If you
want to be taken seriously, shouldn’t you dress like they should take you
seriously? How you dress says a lot about your potential; be it to spend or to
act.
And this isn’t limited to the
service industry. Any situation where you have to deal with others in a social
environment, how you present yourself to others will define in what direction
the interaction takes. Be it a random conversation, be it a date, or be it an
interview. Clothes might not make the
man, but I can guarantee they have gotten many a man a good job. You can
achieve anything if you dress properly for it.
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