Four Benefits Of Dressing For Success Four reasons why you need to up your style game- and increase your self-esteem and confidence in the process.

By Tareq Samara

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

BoxKnocks

A luxury vehicle, a state of the art apartment at a well-heeled address, and a high paying position might be your power drive, but what fuels it is what you wear. Most people perceive the secret to being confident as being successful and gaining enormous wealth, but Professor Karen Pine from the University of Hertfordshire thinks differently. According to Pine, clothing influences a person's self-perception and confidence. Along with clothing, the accessories you choose can enhance your competitive edge.

If seeing Don Draper in Mad Men gives you the urge to hit up the mall, then you're aware what handsome attire and good accessories can do for you. My startup, BoxKnocks, focuses on accessories for men, and having founded a business based on this ethos is proof that I believe in it. Here are four reasons why you need to up your style game- and increase your self-esteem and confidence in the process.

Related: Four Ways To Increase Your Confidence As An Entrepreneur

1. YOU WILL RADIATE SELF-RESPECT AND SELF-WORTH

A guy who knows how to pair a fine watch with a good suit is respected and viewed with appreciation. Not only does dressing sharp show your maturity, but it also indicates that you take time, effort and pride in the way you look. Bags and briefcases are not just items to haul your stuff from place to place, instead use your choice of attache? case to dictate your grip and your hold on the things you carry.

2. ACCESSORIZING CONVEYS YOUR ABILITY TO BALANCE TRENDS (SERIOUSLY)

In my opinion, a man who knows how to rock a v-neck shirt paired with a chain also knows how to cope well with changing trends in business. Not only is this a win-win situation for your fashion statement, it also allows a man to get across his sense of personal style.

The boardroom look
Source: Tom Ford

3. FOSTER A MORE POSITIVE MENTAL OUTLOOK

A freshly-shaved face on a sunny day is awesome, but pump it up with a great new Tom Ford tie to complete your well-groomed look. Wearing a debonair accessory finishes up an outfit nicely, and it increases your self-esteem because it's true that when you look good, you feel good. Dressing wisely and giving it a proper mark with accessories gives you more self-confidence because you've injected some oomph to your day, and helps you develop a positive mental attitude.

4. GAIN A COMPETITIVE EDGE

When it comes to the opinion of the average guy, I think it's fair to say that accessories don't mean much to them. Many men think that wearing interesting add-ons to the next executive interview might be too much. Then these same men complain and wonder why they were overlooked during the selection process, or why they don't get the applause from the crowd that they seek.

Source: BoxKnocks

One reason behind their lack of opportunities is the lack of personality they show when it comes to their wardrobe. Better dressing indicates confidence and upgrades a man's self-esteem, and dapper accessories paired well with a fine suit boosts confidence to an exceptionally high level. If a man can't confidently project his personality through his wardrobe, then how can he have the confidence to snag that coveted position?

Related: Dress The Part: Elias El-indari On Fashion, Function, And The Three-Piece Suit

Tareq Samara

Founder, Elite Digital Coach

Tareq Samara is a serial entrepreneur who has been working in the online space since 2004. In the last couple of years, Samara has been on a mission to help other coaches, consultants, experts and other entrepreneurs to start and scale their online business and personal branding via the power of the internet and social media. He recently co-founded two training and consulting agencies in Jordan and UAE that help individuals and enterprises to grow their businesses online through the utilization of online organic traffic. He is also the founder of Elite Digital Coach, a premium consulting and coaching agency to help professionals, experts, and coaches to monetize their expertise and knowledge online.

Thought Leaders

12 Big Ideas From Business Books Published in 2024

After considering more than 1000 books for our annual Non-Obvious Book Awards, a few big themes emerged. Read our trend recap and how these trends can help your business in 2025.

Entrepreneurs

Abu Dhabi-Based Startup The Concept Partners With Etihad Airways To Develop IoT-Based Food Tray And Reduce Food Waste In The Aviation Industry

Made from sustainable materials such as recycled cabin waste and plastic bottles, the tray features an IoT chip that will allow Etihad to track food consumption served on board, as well as portions of the meal that left not consumed.

Entrepreneurs

An Eye For Business: Mina Al Sheikhly On Starting Up A Beauty Brand In The UAE

Teaming up with Emad Khaffaf, a beauty industry expert, Al Sheikhly took three whole years to test and refine her future product- the timeframe is worth noting since mascaras usually take between six and 12 months to be developed and released into a market.

Leadership

The 100: A Definitive Guide to Success

From an initial pool of 628 names, the inaugural Entrepreneur Middle East's 100 is dedicated to the final 100 who, in our view, deserve extra recognition.

Starting a Business

Interested in Starting a New Business? 8 Helpful Tips on How to Begin

Taking a long-term view and breaking up projects into manageable tasks are key.