10 Benefits of Being Well Dressed

While a classy woman has many different facets to her, I continually receive the most requests for content on how to dress elegantly, and with good reason. Although it is not the most important aspect of who we are as a lady (our internal characteristics are), our overall appearance is what others will see first when they meet us and how we choose to put ourselves together speaks volumes. It is important to convey who we are through many means including our personal sense of style, which is a first glimpse that draws others in to continue to learn more about us. My goal for today’s post is to share with you the reasons why it is so valuable to dress well as often as possible.

There are many times in life when we may not necessarily feel like putting in the extra effort to dress up. Maybe we just need to do a quick late night run to the grocery store for a loaf of bread or gallon of milk, perhaps we’re headed to the carpool lane to swing by and drop off/pick up the kids from school, or we may not feel the need to wear anything fancy to workout in since it’s ‘only the gym’. Whatever our reasons, I’m going to reveal why it is worth your time to put in a little extra effort, which goes beyond just being aesthetically pleasing to others.

Like you, I’m only human, and while I love a good reason to dress up in a chic new outfit or wear my Sunday best but the truth is, with a little one to chase after these days as I know many of you can relate to, sometimes the additional time required to look pulled-together before leaving the house (and not like a frumpy mommy whose been sitting on the floor playing with a toddler and picking up crumbs and spills all day), can sometimes feel unnecessary and time consuming. One thing I promised myself before my daughter was born was that no matter how tired I was or how crazy things got with a wee one, I wouldn’t go out in public in sweats and milk stained t-shirts and daily showers were non-negotiable. I also vowed to be as presentable as possible for myself and my husband inside our home. It’s so important to keep that piece of yourself regardless of how life changes after children, and it definitely changes.

No matter what we do for a living or how we spend our day (whether it’s spent in the workforce, at home solo, with our kiddos or even in retirement), the truth is that what we wear, although exterior, matters and as the saying goes you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Like it or not, a big factor in how others perceive us is our physical appearance. We send a subtle message to others with how we speak as well as our non-verbal cues along with our attire. The good news is, like the other two forms of communication, our attire is definitely something within our control. Dressing well can be made simple if you know a few tricks allowing you to get out the door quickly so a frumpy, disheveled look will never be an option again!

Dressing well doesn’t mean you need to don head-to-toe designer labels nor does it mean you have to be outfitted in a dress or skirt everyday all day, there are many ways to dress up even the most casual outfit in jeans. However, your clothing does need to be well cared for and of quality even though hefty price tags are not required. In today’s post I’m focusing on why you will want to dress well, followed up by a post next week on the specifics of what constitutes a ‘well dressed’ look so that you can nail it every time!

9. You’ll Be Motivated to Get & Stay Fit – One of the side effects of intentionally being well dressed is that you’ll want to wear those pretty pieces that have been hiding in your closet and drawers which are just a touch too tight or that you would feel more confident in if your stomach was a bit flatter or if your arms were more toned (you know, the pieces that have been pushed to the back of your closet for that very reason in the hopes of losing a few pounds). It’s unfortunate to have beautiful garments not being worn due to a few stubborn pounds. This ties into increasing your standards, you set a higher standard for your own health and fitness too because we feel best in clothing that fits us properly and comfortably. Let’s not forget that when you do get into great shape, you’ll want to show off all the hard work of creating your newly updated physique as often as possible.

10. You’ll Be More Focused on Quality vs. Quantity- A good wardrobe has a mix of many different classic pieces along with some trendy statement pieces also, over time some may wear better than others. What you’ll find is that again and again you’ll reach for the pieces that keep their color instead of fading, don’t tend to have loose threads after a few washes, are properly lined, keep their shape, aren’t slightly see-thru (unless that is the look of a particular piece), are comfortable and soft, have buttons that don’t need to be re-attached because the washer has pulled them off. You’ll also stop buying cheap shoes realizing that this is truly an area where you get what you pay for. As such, your wardrobe will become smaller as you increasingly become more discriminating in your taste. This is a good thing though! Less clutter lets you get straight to the essential pieces without wading through your closet hanger after hanger avoiding a collection of mediocre blouses or ill-fitting jeans that used to be your go-to but don’t flatter your curves anymore. When buying new pieces, you’ll also notice that you are more selective about bringing home garments that will last, saving up and investing in them vs. buying what happens to be on sale, available in the moment or just a great deal you can’t pass up.