I would like to provide a counter-point. Disclaimer: I am a girl...
I hate wearing "fitted" clothes and shoes...god how I hate shoes...I have spent the last several years of my professional career wearing flip flops or sandals around the office.
I have never worn pants suit, in the winter I opt for a hoodie, tshirt and jeans - and generally substitute the jeans for a skirt in the summer.
As a result, I am biased towards people who wear suits (especially with ties!) - The question in the back of my mind is "what are they trying to hide?". (It should be noted that these observations are from corporate land where I no longer reside.)
I have met people who believed that simply because they were in a suit they should be listened to...even when it was clear they had no knowledge about the situation at hand - this tends to apply to project managers and the like.
When I met somebody in t-shirt and jeans I tended to get along with them, they tended to be knowledgeable and could stand their ground.
I have since moved out of corporate land, and into an environment where tshirt and jeans is the norm - and these people "get shit done" - their career development and self esteem comes from the fact that they are the best at what they do...not because "I look good this morning"
You shouldn't get respect from the clothes you wear...you should demand respect from the skills you have.
You make some good points, and I probably should have made mentioned in my original post about how I too prefer wearing comfortable clothes when appropriate (I don't sit around my house in a suit like Barney Stinson). For example, I'm currently lounging around my kitchen in a t shirt and gym shorts. But when I need to be around people, especially at work, school, and social events, I personally feel more confident when my clothes fit better, are free from holes, and I'm wearing my nice shoes.
Also, for example, the other day I organized a "Restore the Fourth" rally for my home town. As the organizer, I felt it necessary to look nice and presentable because people generally respect nicer-dressed people, and I knew I would be interviewed for the evening news. If I had worn sneakers, gym shorts, an ironic t shirt, and a neck beard, things would not have run nearly as smoothly as they did.
Have you ever intentionally dressed like a slob? I think it's a great way to build confidence because most of the interactions you'll have with people will start with them assuming negative things about you. When you see them realize that those negative assumptions were unfounded it I think it can help you un-link confidence and clothing.
"Have you ever intentionally dressed like a slob? "
Or as I call it "dressing like a Physics professor". You'll notice that people who need to work with their minds very rarely dress well, and people who use other attributes dress very well...often inversely correlated with how well they can use their minds as a tool.
I hate wearing "fitted" clothes and shoes...god how I hate shoes...I have spent the last several years of my professional career wearing flip flops or sandals around the office.
I have never worn pants suit, in the winter I opt for a hoodie, tshirt and jeans - and generally substitute the jeans for a skirt in the summer.
As a result, I am biased towards people who wear suits (especially with ties!) - The question in the back of my mind is "what are they trying to hide?". (It should be noted that these observations are from corporate land where I no longer reside.)
I have met people who believed that simply because they were in a suit they should be listened to...even when it was clear they had no knowledge about the situation at hand - this tends to apply to project managers and the like.
When I met somebody in t-shirt and jeans I tended to get along with them, they tended to be knowledgeable and could stand their ground.
I have since moved out of corporate land, and into an environment where tshirt and jeans is the norm - and these people "get shit done" - their career development and self esteem comes from the fact that they are the best at what they do...not because "I look good this morning"
You shouldn't get respect from the clothes you wear...you should demand respect from the skills you have.