How Do I Dress Like a Boss?

A reader wonders about what to wear for a promotion.

Congratulations on your promotion! The good news is you are not alone in having to figure out how to communicate the new you upon a return to the office. Thanks to a year of remote work, many of us are in the same boat. Your situation just happens to be more official than most. The first thing to consider is what you want to convey in your new position; what subconscious levers you are trying to push. Generally, if the idea is to communicate authority and confidence as well as creativity (qualities that make your team feel secure in your leadership), the single most important message in any item of dress, whether it’s leggings or a trouser suit, is mindfulness. That means no wrinkles, dangly threads, moth holes or stains, and no clothes that require constant fiddling and adjustment. But that does not mean clothes with no personality.