Want A Promotion At Work? Dressing Down Is The Key To Success Apparently

Break out the sweats and runners ladies. A new study says that to get ahead at work you should ditch the A-line dress and heels, and instead dress more casual. While we wouldn’t rock up in baggy tee and yoga pants just yet, the study conducted at the Harvard Business School, found that dressing down for the office can actually work to your advantage.

“By giving up the social benefits conferred by conformity (e.g. fancy clothes), individuals show that they do not need these benefits because they already possess high status,” explains the team behind the study. “We find that, in certain cases, nonconforming behaviors can lead to inferences of enhanced status and competence in the eyes of others.”

In other words, dressing down gives an aura of power and status. It says you don’t really need to ‘dress’ successful, because you’re already there, meaning that you’re more likely to competent to your boss.

So less is more when it comes to office dressing? We’re not so convinced. As much as we’d love to wear our leisure wear to the office, we think we’ll stick with our pencil skirt and heels just in case.

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