FBC – 279 – What do your clothes say about you?

Today, we are going to talk about the link between your clothes and your intelligence… What do your clothes say about you?

This concept is widely misunderstood if you ask me and it's high time I gave you my opinion on it. My perspective on the matter might shock some of you guys so listeners discretion is advised…

All the answers in today's episode

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I wanted to talk to you about “corporate” stuff. And one particular aspect, which is the dress code and something I've always been against, just because of the nonsense that's behind it. Some people might think it's justified or something. For me, it's just nonsense.

You know, the reasons that people will actually use to tell you that you need to wear a suit and tie. And well, here is the thing. Does it make me smarter? It doesn't. All right. There is nothing better about it. What should matter are your skills. What you can bring to the team and stuff.

So regardless if you're wearing the jumper you're still the same person. If you're good at your job, you are good at your job. Regardless how you're dressed. So it's something that I don't like stuff. It doesn't make sense. And when you tell me, oh, man, you need to wear a suit and tie.

And I'm like, dude, why? Is it going to change something to the quality of my answers and the options and the solutions that I'm going to bring for the client? No, it's not. So why the hell do I have to wear it?

You know me, I like to have a choice. This is engraved in all my sales. I need to have a choice. If there is a company with a dress code, I don't care how much they're paying me. I don't care how good the company is. I am not going.

So when I was working in Paris. I was commuting and spent a lot of time on the underground and buses and stuff. So in the beginning, by the time I got home from work, I was so tired that I ended up not doing anything. I was so tired.

So what I learned to do is that after work you're going to go directly where you actually want to go. All right. So this is what people do and this is what I started doing afterwards. Once you're not a rookie anymore, then you learn that kind of stuff. But here's the thing. So that dress at work will dictate how I'm dressed when I go out after work.

I'm not at work anymore but still because I have to dress up and put a tie and stuff when I'm going to do whatever it is that I'm what I want to do during my free time, I'm still dressed up using what the company dictated that I had to wear.

And for me, it was a problem. Because I like to be able to dress as I want. And the company is already controlling maybe 10 hours of your life already. But it's going to control the rest of your evening too.

You’re still being controlled by the company because they told you need to dress like that. So that was it. That's the reason why I absolutely refused to follow the dress codes and stuff.

What do your clothes say about you?

And the one that actually drove me absolutely berserk was oh, man, this dude is on the phone. The dude is on the phone!! Nobody sees them. You know, people working in telemarketing or something like, oh, well, you know what? You need to wear a suit and tie. Oh, really? Why? So let people just dress as they want. You know, it's crazy.

In most cases, it's really not justified. You know, when the company is saying you need to wear this stuff, I mean, what's the difference? There are a lot of cases where there's absolutely no difference.

And, you know, you should be able to wear what you want. If you’re not client facing, I don't understand what the problem is. But anyway, so it was just my opinion on dress codes and stuff.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do your clothes really communicate about your intelligence and intent?

Clothes communicate intent before words do. A clean fit signals you respect the room. A scruffy fit signals you either do not see the room or do not value it. Neither version is morally better, but each one sets the default assumption others make in the first ten seconds.

Is dressing well still important in a remote first 2026 world?

Yes. On camera you are framed shoulders up, which makes the shirt, lighting, and posture do the heavy lifting. Off camera you are in meetings with collaborators who see your face daily. In both cases, a small upgrade in wardrobe still nudges how seriously your work is taken.

How does your wardrobe affect your own confidence and decisions?

Wearing clothes that fit and feel intentional measurably improves posture, voice, and willingness to take public actions. The effect is small but compounds. Most builders who report a confidence jump after redoing their wardrobe are not vain. They are reading a real internal signal that their environment matches their ambition.

What is the minimum dress standard for a serious solopreneur?

A minimum standard is: clean fitted basics, one decent shirt or top for camera, shoes that work for outside meetings, and a haircut that lasts. Nothing flashy is required. The bar is looks like the person whose advice would be expensive, not looks like a magazine cover.

About the Author

Martin Ebongue is the founder of martinebongue.com, an online business and lifestyle design blog focused on helping aspiring entrepreneurs build location-independent businesses. Since 2014, he has been creating and scaling online ventures across multiple niches, from digital products and affiliate marketing to SaaS and content platforms, while traveling the world. He shares the real-world strategies, tools, and systems that work, with a particular focus on AI-powered automation for solopreneurs. Follow him on YouTube, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

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