Do you know what to wear on your first day of work?
Dressing right on your first day of work can help you make a great first impression. Knowing how to dress for your new job and starting your career on the right foot can help you propel your career to new heights.
But the million-dollar question is:
“What is the best first day of work outfit for man?”
How To Dress For Your New Job?
Generally, your first day of work outfit depends on your company’s culture. Wear a work outfit that is appropriate for your workplace.
- If you are working in an office setting, wear something more formal, such as business formal attire.
- If you are working in a casual setting, you can choose to wear smart casual.
You can play with trends a little, but your main goal is to wear an outfit that can make a good first impression on your first day of work.
For instance, you won’t want to be seen in casual attire with jeans and sneakers on your first day of work in the CBD area.
But the dress code in a new tech start-up might be a different story.
Keeping in mind of the work culture.
The color of your outfit can make a difference in the impression you make at work as well.
Here are some of the best recommendations which will help you choose the right clothes to wear on your first day of work.
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What To Wear On Your First Day Of Work For Men
1. Formal Business Wear For Men
A suit, a tie, and a pair of nice leather shoes make everything looks just right. If that sounds like business attire that most executives wear, you’re right. If your new company has an established dress code that requires employees to dress in business attire, choose clothing that falls under the formal business attire category.
As a rule of thumb,
“It is always better to be over-dressed than it is to be under-dressed.”
Men’s Formal Business Attire includes the following:
Suits
Formal business suits are perfect for almost every occasion. Typically, it includes two pieces made of matching material and color that are intended to be worn together. Perfectly tailored, a business suit comprises trousers and a suit jacket.
Recommends: Dark color suit, as it gives off the vibe of confidence and maturity.
Blazers
Blazers are a step down compared to a formal suit jacket. They tend to have a looser fit and are not as structured especially in the shoulder area. You can think of it as a hybrid of a sports jacket, but the looks of a formal suit jacket.
A blazer is usually identified by its unique naval-style buttons.
Recommends: Navy blue tailored blazers usually give a timeless and sharp look that will impress even your boss.
Dress pants
Dress pants are modern, stylish trousers that men wear on formal occasions. These are pants made of smooth, classy materials, knit, or blended into a masterpiece in your wardrobe.
In other words, dress pants are formal suit trousers you wear that come with a more casual cut and trim.
Recommendations: Go for darker shades of color as a safe option. Black, grey, navy blue of even brown are some of the colors widely accepted in the work environment.
Ties
The right tie for the occasion can make you look sharp. You can wear your tie with or without a suit or blazer. In both cases, you will look good.
Recommendations: Go for simple single-color ties or ties with diagonal strips. Avoid any cartoon characters. Pokémon or ties with your cat’s face on them are off-limits. Yup, you can thank me later.
Dress shoes
Dress shoes are shoes that are to be worn as smart casual or as formal business wear. Dress shoes are typically made of black or brown leather which is highly polished.
“The shoe makes the man.”
This saying is popular for a reason. Nice footwear add style and class to your wardrobe.
Recommendations: Go for a nice black or brown leather shoe that fits your feet. Don’t borrow from a friend or from your uncle, an oversized shoe never makes a good impression.
Profession: Bankers, Insurance Agents, House Agents, Sales, People Managers, Executives, etc.
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2. Smart Casual Business Wear For Men
Smart casual business wear is in a rising trend where many new companies are adopting. These companies encourage their employees to dress more comfortably and have slowly established their dress code under casual business wear.
A good smart casual attire allows their employees to feel more like home, which helps to boost their creative juice. The right clothing for your workplace can vary depending on your company’s guidelines.
“Style is something each of us already has, all we need to do is find it.”
Men’s Smart Casual Business Attire includes the following:
Polo Shirt
Polo shirts are the classic wear that brings confidence out of a man. The Polo shirt comes with a collar coupled with a neckline and three buttons. These shirts are usually short-sleeved and sometimes come with an optional pocket on one side of the chest.
Designed and used by polo players in the 1920s, these shirts are usually buttoned to the tops and worn for semi-formal events.
Recommends: Polo shirt with a stripe design or simply in a plain color makes you look approachable and mature. Light colors work wonders on some occasions, especially in the creative industry.
Dark Denim
Denim is a fashion fabric that is stylishly rugged, sturdy, and twill weave is woven. These fabrics are used to make many other things including jeans worn by fashion icons.
If your company allows you to wear jeans, you may want to choose one that is not too baggy.
Recommends: Dark-colored navy blue denim gives a vibe of creativity mixed with professionalism. Avoid any tattered jeans as most companies discourage their employee to wear oversized or worn-out pants.
Dress slacks
When dressing in smart casual business attire, you can have the option to wear dress slacks. The semi-formal trousers relate to comfort and style. Slacks don’t need to be cotton fabric, they are pants that come with a more casual cut and trim.
Recommendations: Go for darker shades of color as a safe option. Black, grey, navy blue, or even brown are some of the colors widely accepted in the workplace.
Dress Shoe
For smart casual business attire, you can wear the same dress shoes you would wear in your formal business attire. Typically made of black or brown leather which is highly polished.
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a pair of fabulous shoes.”
Start your journey on the right foot always.
Recommendations: Black or brown leather shoe are nice, but one that fits your feet makes the journey of your first day at work much more pleasant.
Profession: Designers, Artists, Engineers, Computer Engineers, IT Personnel, Telemarketing, Virtual Assistants, Social Media Experts, Start-ups, etc.
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How To Dress For A Good First Impression
In any situation where you want to make a good first impression, be it a job interview, a blind date, or meeting someone important for the first time. What you wear matters.
Your clothing sends a message about who you are, and you want that message to be positive. Here are some tips on how to dress for a good first impression.
Go for a polished look
A simple clean and tidy appearance can change a man in less than 1/4 of a second.
Tidy hair, a clean-shaven beard, and million dollars smile with pearly white teeth and no bad breath always makes a good first impression.
Wear clothes that fit well
Select an outfit that is tailored, or fits perfectly on you. It can be a simple polo shirt, or even a formal business suit, the importance of looking presentable is to wear clothes that fit well and look fresh.
If you don’t have the right shirt or pants that fit, don’t borrow from your uncle or wear your father’s old pants.
Get a new shirt and pants, the small investment will get you paid in dividends for years to come.
“A well-tailored suit is to women what lingerie is to men” – Anon
Learn to Iron
Wrinkled and messy clothes scare even kids away. Learn to iron your clothes so you will look fresh and professional.
Although, ironing is becoming a lost art, learning how to iron from the master (YouTube) will help you professionally.
A recent survey shows,
“43% of all hiring managers will not consider promoting an employee who wear winkled cloths.”
Surprised?
You shouldn’t be, because Mark Twain says,
“Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.”
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Read Also:
- 20 Best Practices For Onboarding Remote Employees (Why & How)
- How to Introduce Yourself at Work (with Real-Life Examples)
- 9 Benefits of Remote Onboarding for Career Success
- 15 Fun Remote Onboarding Ideas New Hires Will Enjoy
- Best Color to Wear to Work (First Day of Work)
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