96 How to Dress for Success and Authenticity with Morgan Wider

In episode 92, guest Sylvie di Guisto talked about the factors that go into creating a successful and memorable first impression. One of these factors is appearance, particularly the way we dress. To dig deeper, I’m excited to chat with today’s guest, Morgan Wider! Morgan is a personal style expert, speaker, and the founder of Wider Style, as well as the author of Worthy Wardrobe: Your Guide to Style, Shopping, & Soul. Drawing on her decade of leadership experience at major retail giants, she now uses her speaking, consulting, and styling to help others increase their performance through their image. In this podcast, she talks more about why clothing and appearance matters, and how leaders—especially women in male-dominated industries like manufacturing—can use clothes to present themselves in an authentic, appropriate, and self-honoring way.

2:42 – You only have seven seconds to make a strong first impression, and your appearance is typically one of first elements others notice about you

4:03 – By dressing as your authentic self, you also encourage your team to be themselves and show up in their own authentic ways

5:18 – Even if your role requires a uniform, there are still ways to show your own authentic personality and style, like through hair or makeup choices

6:20 – In male-dominated industries like manufacturing, women may feel like they need to blend in with their fashion choices, but this can also keep them from showing up as their most authentic selves

9:12 – In your clothing and appearance, you need to be both authentic and appropriate

10:33 – Make style choices that honor who you are and truly present who you are in the best way possible

11:33 – By being mindful of factors like your body type, age, strengths, and weakness, you can dress in a way that’s both appropriate for your role and honors who you are as an individual

12:24 – When you’re comfortable and happy with how you look, it improves your productivity and morale, plus makes you feel better and more confident

13:23 – By putting effort into your appearance, you can get yourself into the mindset you need

14:39 – Different audiences and occasions can mean different style choices

18:40 – If you don’t put in the effort, it can affect how others perceive you and how you show up

25:30 – As a leader, think about what you can do to create a space than honors diversity

26:58 – If find yourself in a space or role where you can’t be your authentic self, it might be time to consider if it’s the right space for you

Connect with Morgan Wider

Website

More on her book, The Worthy Wardrobe