How to Dress for Success

In an era when CEOs sport jeans and hoodies, it’s hard to know how to dress for your job. Real Simple asked professionals in a range of industries to reveal what they think about your 9-to-5 style—and what it means for your climb up the ladder. 

Dress = Success?

Anyone who owns a power outfit knows that the right clothes can be a big confidence booster. There’s even proof: In a 2012 study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, subjects who donned doctors’ lab coats scored higher on attention-related tasks than did those who did not. And while an employer should really be focused on your brilliant ideas, it helps to have the whole package. According to a survey of business leaders published this year by the Center of Professional Excellence at York College of Pennsylvania, two-thirds said that when it comes to getting ahead, image makes a major impact. Curious how your work look measures up? Real Simple consulted human-resources professionals, executive coaches, and style experts for the new office-wear do’s (flashy colors!) and don’ts (flashing skin!).

See what the experts had to say about office dress codes in What You Can (and Can’t) Wear to Work.