Contributed post

The moment you’re able to go full-time freelance, you might assume you can clear out your wardrobe and go mad with sweats and pyjamas. There are many reasons you wanted to take control of your work, after all, and getting rid of those stuffy suits was one of them. You’re empowered now, and you don’t need an employer telling you what you can and can’t wear. It’s a refreshing feeling but, if you want to keep your freelance position, you might be best off not turning over to the side of sweats just yet.

In all honesty, getting your freelance wardrobe right matters even more than wearing the correct clothes in an office. While you can still enjoy the benefits of choosing your dress code, then, you still need to take time selecting professional outfits for a few different reasons. And, we’re going to discuss some of them here.

You are your brand

In the traditional workplace, your ‘brand’ is whatever your boss wants it to be. When you go freelance, though, you don’t have that outline to work with. Instead, you become your own brand. It’s a fantastic feeling, but it brings some responsibility, especially when it comes to how you present yourself. As well as looking the part, you need to select clothing which represents the message you want your brand to send out to the world. 

Sweat pants, for example, represent a scruffy brand no one will stand behind. Investing in clothing labels with poor ethics could also show you as a brand who doesn’t care. Think long and hard, then, about the message you’re trying to send. Would ethical clothing or designer labels best depict the right image? Which colours better show what you’re trying to do? These may all seem like unnecessary questions, but you’d be amazed how much answering them can help you portray the right image moving forward.

Your wardrobe impacts your work

There have also been multiple studies into how what we wear impacts our efficiency, including one from Northwestern University which found that people wearing doctor’s coats performed significantly better than those in painter’s overalls. When you have the right clothes on, it’s easier to get your head in the game. That’s something you’re going to find out the hard way if you try to work in your chill-out clothes. It can be hard to kickstart your freelance brain at the best of times. Make it easier by at least dressing like you’re getting ready for a working day. 

You never know when you’ll need to get on camera

Though some of your client meetings will be pre-planned, there’s every chance clients will request Skype calls and other video conferences at a moment’s notice, especially if you’re contracted to them. That could get awkward if you’re wearing your rabbit onesie. Make sure unprofessional mistakes like these don’t happen by always dressing up just in case. Then, even a sudden video call can see you looking like the winning professional you are.