This month, Business Insider ran a stop-the-scroll story: a 40-year-old New York entrepreneur spent more than $150,000 on her appearance to boost her career, and she doesn’t regret a dollar.
Your mouth might be hanging open, your eyes might be rolling, or both. I’m not suggesting you reach for your credit card. I’ll say what most people don’t want to admit: the research supports the principle. The price tag is beside the point.
After ten years as a stylist, I’ve learned and seen firsthand that how you show up shapes how people perceive you, what you earn, and how you perform. That is not vanity. It’s strategy, and you can use it as your style advantage. This doesn’t require spending more money on clothes; it comes from getting dressed with intention and investing in yourself.
What the $150,000 story actually tells us
Danielle Fewings told Business Insider the investment gave her confidence that showed up on camera, on Zoom calls, in the content she created, and in her business results. She later sold her agency and launched another company.
She’s not alone. Entrepreneur Neil Patel shared that one year he changed nothing about his marketing except spending $162,301.42 on clothes: designer suits, tailoring, and more. He attributed roughly $692,500 in new additional business to it (about a 4x return) and said his close rate climbed from around 25% to around 40%.
I share these numbers to show what I see with clients every month: when you put yourself on your list, it changes how you show up, and when you get dressed with intention, your confidence shifts. You look the part, act the part, and other people’s perception of you shifts too.
Your first impression happens in under seven seconds
Research from Princeton found that people judge trustworthiness and competence in about a tenth of a second (less than seven seconds). More time mostly makes them more confident in that judgment, not different. Whether you walk into a boardroom, join a video call, or step up to a podium, your appearance speaks before you do.
That first impression isn’t about wearing the most expensive clothes in the room. It’s about whether what people see matches who you are and what you deliver. When it does, you earn trust faster. When it doesn’t, you spend the first ten minutes of every meeting making up for it, or you lose their trust altogether.
What you wear changes how you perform
You’ve heard me share the Enclothed Cognition study. Participants who wore a white coat they believed belonged to a doctor performed better on a test and showed better attention than those wearing the same coat described as a painter’s. Same coat. Different meaning. Different performance.
Your clothes aren’t just what others see. They’re a signal you send to yourself.
The smarter investment: simple, intentional shifts
Here are four intentional shifts you can make:
- Get dressed for your day on purpose. Before you choose an outfit, ask: How do you want to feel today- confident, capable, polished? What does my day look like, and who will I meet?
- Wear a color that makes you smile and stand taller. Color is the fastest way to be remembered. A cobalt jacket, an emerald blouse, or a rich burgundy outfit makes a stronger impression than another black blazer. Choose one or two colors that light you up and make them your signature.
- Invest in standout shoes and one accessory that tells a story. People notice your shoes more than you think. A polished loafer in an unexpected color or a sleek block heel you can actually walk in signals attention to detail. Pair it with a watch you earned, your grandmother’s brooch, or a scarf from a meaningful trip. These pieces start conversations, and conversation builds connection.
- Build a capsule wardrobe. When you shop intentionally, 10 to 12 versatile pieces create 30 to 40 outfits. Pick complementary colors that work together and stop wasting time and money on pieces that don’t.
Use the ABC Style Method as your filter
Assess every piece in your closet with three questions:
- Authentic: Does it feel authentic to who you are now, or to who you were two, five, or ten years ago?
- On-Brand: Does it support how you want to show up professionally with clients and colleagues?
- Confident: Do you stand taller and feel more confident when you put it on?
If you don’t answer yes to all three, the piece no longer fits who you are or isn’t worth the investment. It’s just clutter.
Style builds trust, and trust builds careers
People decide whether to trust you based on a handful of factors, including whether you seem competent, consistent, and credible. Your appearance touches every one of them. When you show up polished and intentional, you signal that you take your work, your clients, and yourself seriously.
That’s why your style is your advantage. Your style can help you earn trust from clients and colleagues. Your style can be your career insurance. It doesn’t replace your expertise. It makes sure people see and trust your expertise.
Where to start this week
Start this week with three simple actions:
- Wear the one piece you feel best in to your most important meeting.
- Pick your signature color and wear it.
- Choose one accessory with a story and make it part of your weekly uniform.
Notice how people respond and how you show up differently.
I’m Elisa Ellis, a Dallas-based wardrobe stylist and consultant, and I’ve been featured or mentioned in The Wall Street Journal, CNN, The Guardian, and U.S. News & World Report.