„Dress to impress“ is the motto for both occasions.
You want to make a good first impression and you only get this one time to do it right. Are there golden rules and what’s the secret for the perfect styling?
Before opening the wardrobe, you need to do good research about your partners for both occasions. In the corporate world there are some industry-specific styles, which are well-known you put a suit when going to interview with a bank or a law firm and shirt and chino when interviewing for a tech company. In between both contrasting industries you will find out that the companies will be somewhere on this line from business dress code to business casual or even casual.
The same is with partners or new dates. Some prefer a more conservative style, while others will feel best in an effortless sporty outfit. Look at social media or pictures you received from your date to find out more – dressing tells you not only something about the taste of a potential partner – it reveals a lot about the lifestyle, habits, phase in their life, even psychological and personality aspects such current mood and character.
When you interview for a company you need to adjust to the company‘s dress code as this shows that you did your research and respect the „internal rules“. It also demonstrates adaptability, which nowadays is one of the top competencies of the market companies are looking for.
When you go on a date, you might take a look at the style of your partner, but you would not want to change your style and this is not needed as you want to show your true self and feel yourself. Another rule to consider is „less is more“. Don’t overdo it on both occasions. You should be wearing the clothes and not the other way around.
Choose colors, which make you feel confident and special and avoid too many patterns or crazy color combinations. You can’t go wrong with a classy look. If you have favorite colors, you can wear them too, as this will give you a cozy feeling of something loved and well-known.
You might want to avoid an orange shirt if you are interviewing for a brand, which logo is blue. On an unconscious level, if you match the colors of the brand with a small part of your outfit, your interviewing partners might have a higher level of acceptance and demonstrate more sympathy towards you.
For a first date you can apply the same principles, but add a personal touch to your outfit, which reveals a small secret about you. Don’t experiment with a new jacket or trousers cut – wear something you feel familiar with, elegant and attractive. A pair of well-selected shoes demonstrate attention to detail and self-respect, but also respect to your partners.
If you go with a pair of sneakers, you might see the whole meeting or a date as something casual, while elegant shoes will show effort and confirm your eagerness to win hearts and step into a long-lasting relationship if this is what you want as an outcome of your interview or date.