The majority of us will be aware of the importance of dressing smart and looking the part when we are going for a job interview.
But once the job is your, how many of decline into a downward spiral when it comes to keeping up that polished appearance? Goodbye fitted blazer and heels, hello commute friendly jeans and runners?
And while there is, of course, a lot to be said for dressing for comfort and convenience, some
new research from Chicago suggests that this might be doing yourself a disservice when it comes to your wages (and even chances of a promotion).
As part of a study, a total of 14,600 men and women were monitored for 13 years after the end of school and into their careers. Researchers interviewed participants four times during this period and rated their attractiveness and style before comparing it to their salaries.
While you might logically assume that there was a correlation between those rated with better style and their yearly take-home pay, the
extent to which this proved to be true might surprise you. Because what the lengthy study showed, was that "attractive individuals earn roughly 20 percent more than people of average attractiveness". And this correlation was even stronger for women (shocker).
What is interesting, perhaps, is that the research showed that the gap in pay was reduced when grooming did not vary between the groups, "suggesting that the beauty premium can be actively cultivated".
Meaning, that even if you aren't Angelina Jolie (and, let's face it, few of us are), there is still no excuse for skipping your grooming routine and dress code.
If ever you needed an excuse for upgrading your work wardrobes, ladies; this is it.
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