Taking care of your appearance matters and plays an important role in how you feel about yourself and how others perceive you, which influences your overall success in life. It’s well known that taking care of your appearance helps in professional settings, heck, I’ve even seen some advertised jobs state they’re looking for someone well presented, but this affects all social settings as well.
While people say “Don’t judge a book by its cover”, whether you realise this or not, research shows, people’s first impressions of you are encoded into their memory through the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) based on your social impression, your face and how you articulate yourself (Ferrari et al., 2016; Gilron & Gutchess, 2011).
Now let’s not get it twisted, you don’t need to be some gorgeous supermodel or influencer to make a good impression or to take care of your appearance. Work with what you’ve got as you’re enough!
The illustration below by Quentin Blake in The Twits (Dahl, 1980) describes perfectly how a person’s appearance transforms based on their thoughts. This sums up what I’m trying to say perfectly.
The Power of First Impressions
Did you know people form consistent impressions, in less than 100 milliseconds, of people’s faces? (Cook & Over, 2021). Interesting right. People’s first impressions are formed in seconds, so taking care of your appearance right from the start can give you a big upper hand in making that initial impression more positive (Bar et al., 2006).
Based on this, whether you are interviewing for a new job, heading out on a date or attending a social event, making an effort with your appearance will set the tone for how others will perceive you.
Some interesting facts from different social settings:
- Professional Settings: In a professional setting, research shows that dressing in business attire or business casual gives off the impression that you have good ethics, compared to dressing casually (Sotak et al., 2023).
- Dating: Studies show that men prefer it when women dress in red, as opposed to green, white or blue (Guéguen, 2012).
- Social Situations: Looking well-groomed personally helps to boost my confidence which always leads me to engage in more positive interactions.
Self-Esteem Boost
When I take care of my appearance it enhances how I see myself and, therefore, will affect how the people around me view me. It helps me by:
- Boosting my mood: It makes me feel good about myself and uplifts my mood.
- Motivates Me: It helps my mindset as I feel like I can tackle my goals as I see things more positively and achievable.
Social and Professional Perception
Being well-groomed silently communicates respect, not only for yourself but also for those around you. It shows people that you’ve put time and effort into something and that translates into professional settings, reliability and even attention to detail.
I know in my current career in the property industry, dressing well can directly impact career progression and how capable others perceive you. Even my current company has discussed this point and asked everyone to think about their appearance as we are the face of their business and want to be seen as a professional company.
My Personal Story
When I first started in my current company, I had to borrow some of my mother’s clothes which weren’t exactly the right style for a 30-year-old. I had brought some lower quality items from fast fashion brands as that’s all I could afford. During this time, I had two women in the office asking me if my clothes were second-hand (not that there’s anything wrong with that) and pointing out that they could see my greys coming through. They were trying to tear me down with their nasty behaviour but I wasn’t going to let that get to me.
At the time, I didn’t have a lot of money to spare to buy new clothes, so I started slow with the basics and invested in a nice fitted black blazer and black boots, then moved onto a nice black skirt with plain tops, then brought some pants and rotated those looks over and over again. Over the last three years, I slowly built up a minimal wardrobe that fits well, found a better skincare and make-up routine, dyed my hair and found hairstyles that suit me better.
I noticed that I started to feel a lot more confident in the workforce and people didn’t dismiss me anymore. Not only did the perception from my colleagues improve, but so did the tenants and contractors we were dealing with. Over the three years, I went from a facilities administrator to a coordinator, to a facilities manager and am taken seriously now. Part of that will be my skill set has developed but I had to fight to get that role, and I know looking the part helped me get that boost up.
What You Can Do About It
If you’re in the same boat as I was, and want to invest in a simple and minimal wardrobe to get you going and improve your professional standing, below is the order I recommend you purchase your investment pieces. Also stick to black, white or neutral colours so things mix and match more easily:
1- Black ankle boots – You can wear them to work but they also look great in your own social life. You could also swap out the ankle boots for close-toed heels if you prefer.
2- Well-fitting blazer
3- Tailored trousers
4- Knee-length dress – Aim for something that suits your body type and is well-fitted
5- Plain T-shirts
6- Button up blouse
7- Knee length skit
8- Flats
9- Neural Cardigan
10 – Basic Accessories – x1 necklace, x1 pair of earrings, x1 ring that you can wear everyday
Balancing Appearance with Authenticity
Some people get overwhelmed and lost in caring for their health and appearance and start trying to be someone they’re not. Although we are somewhat forced to conform to a certain dress code in a professional setting, we aren’t in our personal lives. Staying true to your own style and self-identity is crucial. Being truly confident is to be your most authentic self and love it. Below are some things to keep in mind when you’re on your journey:
- Rock your own Personal Style: You may love minimalism, or you may love wearing bright and vibrant colours, whatever your style is, it should be unique to you and make you feel good. It is a reflection of you and your personality and values. Embrace it and lean into it.
- Focus on Being Healthier and Not Perfection: Overthinking about your appearance, health, and everything you need to do can be overwhelming and lead to further stress. To combat this, write a list of all the things you would like to work on and tackle one small thing at a time – walking daily, meal prep, learning how to dress for your body type. Small consistent efforts over time lead to overall well-being and improved confidence.
- Value your Inner Beauty: While maintaining your external appearance does have some effects on your life, what makes you the most beautiful and bright is how you treat yourself and how you treat others. Talk kindly to yourself and others and focus on those positive thoughts.
Skincare, Makeup, Hair and Wardrobe
- Skin Care: Start with a basic skincare routine so your skin looks moisturised and healthy. Start with a cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen. If you’re looking to add more to your routine, Nina Pool helps people find dupes of skincare and make-up that are more affordable.
- Make-up: Find what your undertone is, this could be cool, neutral, warm or olive. Try and use make-up to enhance your features and use the right amount for your skin.
- Well-Groomed Hair: Looking after your hair is a game changer. This could be finding the right colour for you, a good haircut that suits your face shape or how you style it. If maintained, this really helps to give you an overall polished look.
- Minimal Wardrobe: Slowly build up your wardrobe so it has good quality and well-fitting pieces. Aim for quality over quantity but do not put your budget out for this. Many second-hand stores do have good-quality pieces, you just have to look for them.
The 2 Out of 3 Rule
To always look polished and put together, I like to focus on the 2 out of 3 rule, which means you should have two out of these three areas looking good: Makeup, hair, and outfit. I always prioritise hair as this can make the biggest difference.
All the Ways to Take Care of Your Appearance
Below are some further areas to look into to improve your appearance. Check back on the lifestyle, wellness and mindset blogs as we will dive into each of these in more detail.
- Hair Care
- Skincare
- Movement/ Exercise
- Oral Health
- Posture
- Healthy Eating
- Dressing Well
- Smelling Good
- Smiling
- Dressing for Your Figure
- Colour Analysis
- Nail care
- Articulation
The Bottom Line
Caring about your appearance doesn’t mean you are vain. It shows that you care about yourself and understand how this can help with your overall success. It’s all about the journey and learning as you go so start with small changes, stay true to yourself and over time, you can look back on yourself and see how far you’ve come. The most beautiful version of yourself is someone who prioritises their health, treats themselves and others with kindness and respect, and is completely authentic.
So, in 2025, if you’re like me and you want to take better care of your appearance and use this as a tool to help improve your confidence and success in life in many areas, as well as potentially unlock new opportunities, come back to read more of my blogs as I’m going through a journey of turning my life around and will share all my findings along the way and back this up with research. Let’s get started!
Until next time,
Greta @ How To Turn Your Life Around
References:
Bar, M., Neta, M., & Linz, H. (2006). Very first impressions. Emotion, 6(2), 269–278. https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.6.2.269
Cook, R., & Over, H. (2021). Why is the literature on first impressions so focused on White faces? Royal Society Open Science, 8(9), 211146. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.211146
Dahl, R. (1980). The Twits. Jonathan Cape.
Ferrari, C., Lega, C., Vernice, M., Tamietto, M., Mende-Siedlecki, P., Vecchi, T., Todorov, A., & Cattaneo, Z. (2016). The dorsomedial prefrontal cortex plays a causal role in integrating social impressions from faces and verbal descriptions. Cerebral Cortex, 26(1), 156–165. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhu186
Ghoulina, N. [@ninaghoulina]. (n.d.). TikTok. TikTok Profile. Retrieved January 20, 2025, from https://www.tiktok.com/@ninaghoulina?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Gilron, R., & Gutchess, A. H. (2011). Remembering first impressions: Effects of intentionality and diagnosticity on subsequent memory. Cognitive Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience, 12(1), 85–98. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-011-0074-6
Guéguen, N. (2011). The effect of women’s suggestive clothing on men’s behavior and judgment: A field study. Psychological Reports, 109(3), 635–638. https://doi.org/10.2466/07.17.PR0.109.5.635-638
Hayley, K. [@HaleyKimaking]. (2021, March 22). How to Find Your Skin Undertone • easy tips to pick the best foundation [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeP_YguM46s
Sotak, K. L., Serban, A., Friedman, B. A., & Palanski, M. (2023). Perceptions of Ethicality: the role of attire style, attire appropriateness, and context. Journal of Business Ethics, 189(1), 149–175. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-023-05347-7
Disclaimer:
The content shared on this blog is for informational and educational purposes only. While we aim to provide accurate and up-to-date information regarding the importance of taking care of your appearance and its potential impact on confidence and well-being, this content should not be considered professional, medical, or psychological advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for personalised advice tailored to your specific circumstances.
Please note that while we strive to link to reputable and relevant research articles to support the content shared, occasional errors or mislinks may occur due to human error. We encourage readers to verify the information from original sources and consult experts if clarification is needed.
The views and opinions expressed on this blog are based on personal experiences and general research and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any affiliated organisations. Readers are responsible for how they interpret and apply the information provided.
We disclaim all liability for any damages or losses arising from the use of this blog or reliance on any information contained herein. By accessing this blog, you agree to use the content responsibly and at your own risk.