The old saying ‘You can’t judge a book by its cover’ is good advice for not making pre-judgments about our customers. However, the same advice doesn’t apply to us as employees. Why? Because your clothing choices make up a big part of the first impression that you make on people. Like it or not, based on the way you look people are going to make snap judgments about what kind of person you are, if you are good you are at your job and whether or not they can take you seriously. It doesn’t matter if that’s not fair – it’s the way it is. Your clothes influence the picture the outside world will form of you–anything you choose to put on will say something about you.

These days there are very few people who are required to wear a suit to work but that doesn’t mean your wardrobe choices should be ‘anything goes’. Are wearing wrinkled or soiled clothes, flip flops, poor fitting jeans, flashy or revealing clothes really part of how you want to be judged at work? You might think that you are just expressing your personality, but the message you are sending to others is that you are a poser not a professional. Dressing appropriately at work shows respect for the situation and the people in it. Save your ‘fun’ pieces for your time off, it will have the added bonus of making them feel even more special.

Make sure your wardrobe isn’t committing any of these workplace crimes:

Stuck in a time warp – It’s important to stay contemporary with your look (Which is NOT the same thing as trendy!) Wearing the same work clothes that you did in the 80’s sends the message that you are out of touch and your views are likely not current.

Way too casual – Do you work in a place that has an informal dress code? Don’t be tempted to confuse casual with sloppy. You don’t have to be a style guru to know that wrinkled or dirty clothes are not cool – ever. Unclean clothes or scuffed shoes practically scream ‘I don’t care about myself or what I look like’ which can be interpreted at ‘I don’t care about my work’. Most bosses see this lack of personal hygiene as a poor representation of their business.

Poor fitting garb – Be honest, are your work clothes just a little too tight? Or perhaps they are the old favorites you’re still reaching for after losing 20 lbs. squeezing yourself into skintight outfits suggest that you are unrealistic while wearing ensembles that hang on you like elephant skin implies that you are unconfident or trying to hide.

Studies show when you are more ‘put together’ people will see you as more confident, flexible and successful. Experiment with your appearance, Take note of people whose appearance you admire and put your own twist on it. Notice how people react to you when you wear certain colors or styles. Then based on those reactions and your career goals you can make an informed decision on how you want to ‘package yourself’.