New Agent Chronicles: Dress to impress or dress for comfort?

As a seasoned real estate agent with over two decades of experience under my belt, I’ve come to understand the importance of wardrobe choices in the field. From million-dollar listings to modest mobile homes, your attire speaks volumes about your professionalism and can significantly impact your success. One of my recent new agents was a retired Alaskan fisherman whose wardrobe was geared to working on a ship and not for working an open house. In this article, I’ll share some insights and helpful hints to ensure that you always dress the part no matter the property.  

When talking to new agents about real estate attire, I always tell them to set up their car trunk with things they will need. I would always keep several pairs of shoes, i.e. casual, dressy and protective.  The casual and dressy shoes are obvious must-haves. I also recommend protective shoes for construction sites which can be littered with unforeseen hazards, i.e. nails, tools, glass, etc. It doesn’t happen often but we are in the house sale business and you may be showing a property at a construction site and not have been able to plan ahead of time. Keep in mind when walking through a construction site or a house that is being remodeled, you must always think safety first. At a construction site, you can definitely rock a pair of timberland boots with a suit. As for pants, shirts and jackets, I always have a pair of jeans (in excellent condition - no rips) and casual slacks with a sports jacket. I also carry a portable clothes steamer. Setting up my car trunk with extra clothes and shoes has never made me feel pressured about the setting I’m going to be in or that I can’t do something on the fly and feel appropriately dressed.  

Now let's talk about appropriately dressed. There are two “P”s I’d like to talk about regarding appropriate attire - those are perception and precipitation. When it comes to perception, understand that there are people who are going to judge you by what you wear and what you drive. Some may even make a snap decision as to whether you are the right fit for them just based on your appearance. Don’t let that dictate what you should wear. Think about how you want to present yourself when someone first meets you. In my early years, I always wore a suit, tie, custom shirts and was dressed to impress.

Nowadays, I wear jeans, a sports jacket, solid color t-shirt and my trademark hat.  I was confident in my early years with what I wore and that was the perception I felt comfortable giving my clients.  Today, I enjoy being more casual and I feel it gives me a very approachable look. 

Onto the second p - precipitation.  I’m talking about the climate in your area. There are some things that due to location, climate and social climate that might be more acceptable.  I have a couple of business partners who live in Hawaii.  When they come to New Jersey, they leave their Hawaiian floral shirts and shorts at home.  You need to know your climate (social and weather) and dress accordingly. Wearing a polo shirt in Hawaii is equivalent to a three-piece suit in New Jersey.  

There are also some things that should go without saying.  If your broker or company has a dress policy, you should adhere to the office policy.  If wardrobe is a big concern to you, this should be something you should discuss with your brokerage before joining. As you gain experience in the industry, you will find that being comfortable is just as important as looking polished.  Early in my career, I felt as though a suit can more easily help command the room. Nowadays, I’m much more comfortable with being comfortable.  In today's market you should feel comfortable knowing that there is a wide range of what’s acceptable.  I was recently at a conference where a speaker in a three-piece suit was immediately followed by someone in jeans, flip flops and a t-shirt.  No one batted an eye and they both commanded the room and spoke before hundreds of agents.  Be yourself, be natural and be confident.  You make the outfit not the other way around.