Your clothes are a visual language for who you are, what you desire, and how you show up in the world. That may seem like a strong statement, but it’s true. Getting dressed is one thing each of us must do every day. It not only impacts how you are perceived, but it also affects how you move through your day.
Over two decades ago, I was trying to find a job that suited me. As such, I was finding work through a temporary employment agency. One of the jobs that I was called for was to work as a receptionist for an automotive financial services business center. I had no idea what the office dress code was. As a Fashion Major, I knew it would be better for me to overdress than underdress, and so I did just that.
I showed up that Friday morning, wearing a black skirt suit, red blouse, and black heels. My hair was back and away from my face. I showed up professionally and was overdressed, especially for a casual Friday. But what happened speaks to exactly what I am sharing with you today.
Within two hours of arriving, I had been asked for my resume and invited to an interview for a full-time position. I ended up working for the company for over seven years and accelerated through the ranks quickly. I later learned that based upon how I presented myself, two of the managers had argued over who got to interview me.
Style as a Powerful Tool
Style is one of the most powerful tools that you personally control that impact what you manifest in your life. I like to call this “dressing forward”. While honoring who you are today, it’s about paying attention to the woman you are growing into.
This is different than dressing for success which is built from an outward perspective. With the concept of dressing for success, you shine a light on how others want you to appear and their expectations. Dressing forward begins internally and requires that you do the work to envision what you want for yourself and dress for her. When you flip the script on your motivation, it changes everything.
There is science to back this up. It’s called Enclothed Cognition. This was a study done in 2012 that proved that the clothes that we wear have a significant influence on our internal psychological processes. Specifically, the study found that clothing affects us through symbolic meaning and the physical experience of wearing it.
The Energetic Frequency of Clothing
To take the idea of dressing forward further, it’s important to understand that just like everything in the universe, clothing has its own energetic frequency. When you wear clothing that reflects who you are, your body’s natural form, and what resonates most strongly with you, the energy of that clothing helps to amplify your own energy.
In essence, when you use your clothing as a tool for what you want, you and your clothing are moving in the same direction. That creates resonance which magnifies that energy back to you as success.
Think about a time you stayed in your pajamas during a hard day. You felt as grey as the sky outside. It kept you in the mood and the experience you were having internally. The next day, when you got dressed, put on your favorite color, and gave yourself that small act of self-love, your whole experience shifted. Instantly, you walked into your day feeling better. You improved your feelings internally because you put clothes on your body that lifted you on the outside.
Think about an important meeting or a speaking engagement. You put great thought into what you were going to wear. Maybe you bought a new outfit or wore a favorite necklace that gave you personal power. You were intentional about your outfit choice. That intention built your confidence from the outside in. You walked into the room feeling resolved and ready because you had physically prepared yourself for the best possible scenario.
These are real examples of how style can be a powerful tool into the manifestation of what you want in life. They are proof that putting intention into your style and how you feel in the clothes you wear powerfully changes the outcome.
Exercise for Manifestation
You can see how powerful style is to create the life of your dreams. Here is a short exercise that I recommend that you find a quiet place to journal on.
1. What do I most want to call into my life or my business right now, and how does the woman who already has those things carry herself?
2. Close your eyes and visualize yourself after you have achieved what you want. What is she wearing? Ask her how she feels inside her body.
3. Now, ask yourself what is one intentional outfit choice that you can make that reflects that woman?
Conclusion
Personal style is a powerful manifestation tool to bring your dreams to life. Style isn’t vanity. Style is strategy. Style is your vision made visible. Personal style is one of the most accessible manifestation tools that you have in your toolbox.
If you are ready to take this further, I have created a free resource for you. Download your Dream Style Vision Plan and begin building a wardrobe that works with your vision, your values, and the woman you are becoming.
Name: Michelle Glass
Professional Title: Personal Style Coach
Bio: Michelle Glass is a personal style coach dedicated to putting women back in control of their style. As an identity-forward stylist, Michelle teaches women that style must start with the woman first and everything else is developed from there. She offers one-on-one styling services, style courses, and group coaching programs.
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