What you wear says a lot about you. It is your image. You can shape peoples thoughts about you with ease if you put your mind to it. People pay attention to dress. What they see could be anything, though. You can portray the bad boy, the college man or the educated socialite all with a few well-placed garments. The problem is that there’re a few ways you can approach the image you create. You can either go out of your way to dress extra special to impress. You can just show up and be taken for who and what you are, no matter what that happens to be. Or, you can try and find the middle ground, whether it comes naturally to you or not. Whichever you choose, you should have one goal in mind: looking like the man of your date’s dreams. Keeping this goal in mind will guide you in how you choose to dress for success.

Do people look at the cover? Of course they do. Everyone looks at the cover because they have a right to choose who they want to be with. Everyone plays in one-way or another. When you got up, you chose a certain pair of pants to wear and a shirt. Whether you realize it or not, you probably made a quick calculation of how you would look with the two of them on together, even if you weren’t cracking poses in front of a full-length mirror. To say you’re not concerned about looks is like saying you have no interest in food. We are primal creatures by nature and vanity is a part of us. You may choose not to play the game but the people who do won’t respect you for not playing.

"Whether you’re seen as a king or criminal, the only way to properly prepare is to dress for success like you were putting your best foot forward."

What do they see? What they see, for many, is not in our control. A man wearing a blue shirt and jeans might remind you of a buddy or your ex wife’s lawyer. There are certain psychological factors that will have an effect on how a certain person perceives another and you can’t control this. Whether you’re seen as a King or criminal, the only way to properly prepare is to dress for success like you were putting your best foot forward.

Dressing for success on dates might mean to some that you should pull out your best pinstripe suit and black paten shoes. Although there are certainly moments for this choice of dress, a first date normally shouldn’t be so formal. You may feel more at ease thinking you look your best, but suits and ties aren’t normally associated with great times between friends – and that’s exactly the mood you should be going for. Your first date should be comfortable. Again, there are some occasions where your double-breasted lady killer suit will be required, but for the most part, it belongs in breathable covering on a hanger inside the cupboard.

"Dress for success should be your motto."

The opposite side of the coin has believers choosing to go out of their way not to make visual preparations for a date. You are who you are, after all. But this doesn’t fly either. People should do things for other people -- and most people expect it. If you dress out of whack, you’re saying to the person you’re meeting that you don’t care enough about that initial meeting to make an effort. They’re not asking you to unwrap the double-breasted. They’re just saying you should pay attention to the finer details. Finer details include how ragged or dirty your clothes are. You can have ripped jeans and a discolored shirt, but it had better of come from the factory like that. There’s a difference between a look of disregard for style and actual disregard. People can see this and they’ll know if you haven’t washed your pants in months, so do your laundry and get your best cracked-out, whacked-out version of you ready to roll for your date.

The final path is the middle road and it is your ticket to dressing for success. Think about where you’re going and dress in your best attire for that situation. Make sure your clothes are clean and wrinkle free. Give your shoes a going over even if you don’t polish them and make sure to brush the dust from the stitching. Socks should match your pants. You don’t want to disturb the line of the leg. And white socks are perfectly fine for jeans. If you happen to be in a setting a little more formal, ties should come down and touch or just cover the belt buckle when standing. If your wearing a shirt with collars that has room for stays then you should make sure they’re in there. It’s often the little things, such as a crisp salute from your lapels, which make a real impression.

Dress for success should be your motto. It’s just one more part of life you should strive to be excellent at. And after all, looking excellent can only leave one impression.