Appearance is important as a realtor. Buying and selling real estate is a big purchase, and prospective clients use anything and everything they can to help them make a decision. Whether you know it or not, how you choose to dress projects a lot about how well you know your clients and how capable you are of doing your job. Like it or not, dressing appropriately as a real estate agent is very important.

Fashionable and Not Frumpy

There is a common phrase in real estate that speaks to how important curb appeal is to selling a home for high value, and your dress attire as an agent is no different. Put your best foot forward by embracing fashion (within reason) and dressing with style.

Keep up to date on the latest fashion trends, making a particular note to what you can buy and wear that will transcend the latest and greatest style focus. Accessorize wherever possible – this is a cheaper way to stay trendy without breaking the bank.

For women, consider a couple of types of staple outfits to have in rotation. Find a knee-length dress with a flattering neckline, such as a slight V-neck or a scoop neck. As an alternative to a dress, pick up a stylish pants suit. This can be great for the colder weather and still keep you looking professional.

Along with this, it’s key to make sure you’re wearing the right undergarments. Wear a supportive push up bra that flatters your upper body and helps give you a curvy look. You can even consider wearing shapewear under a dress to smooth everything out and help you look your best.   

 For men, consider having a few sport coats tailored to fit your specific body style. Accessorize with a different belt and shoe options, allowing you to stick to with more common pants and shirts. Add a flashy watch when appropriate.

If you’re the type that sweats, consider an undershirt on hot summer days. Even further, try keeping a change of dress shirts, just in case one gets dirty or sweaty partway through the day.

Make Sure You Dress Comfortably

Above and beyond everything else, make sure that the outfits you select are comfortable. Being a realtor is not a traditional desk job, where someone sits behind a desk and in conference rooms all day. These types of jobs allow you to dress in fashion forward choices like ties and high heels, with less regard for comfort.

A real estate agent is on their feet throughout a good portion of their day. A typical day might include several site visits, including standing outside in heat and cold, crawling under a home or up onto the roof, and plenty of time on your feet.

Wear a good pair of shoes that will keep your feet comfortable. Clothing that is overly tight might inhibit your mobility. Make sure to check the weather so that you’re dressing appropriately for the temperature outside.

Business Casual is the Norm

By and large, business casual is the typical direction to go when dressing as a realtor. Business casual is loosely comprised of “dressing down” from a traditional business style but still looking professional and businesslike.

This means that you need to dress appropriately for your clients. You can’t show up to an appointment in exercise attire after a workout, and you can’t show up all done up and ready for a night on the town.

Business casual is generally easy to achieve, especially in recent years as standards have become increasingly lax. Men can get away with well fitted jeans, and women routinely find ways to wear classy leggings with their outfits. The key is to look professional and not worry about social norms as much.

Understated Unless By Design

At the end of the day, you’re there to buy or sell a home, not to attract attention. Make sure that your wardrobe is understated. You can look both fashionable and professional without needing to stand out in a crowd of people.

There is one exception to this guideline. When you have a specific element about your brand that ties to your clothing, make sure to follow this. This would be when you are dressing a particular way by design.

For example, one realtor is known for wearing red shirts to every networking event. This is a style choice that is by design and works in his favor over time as he becomes recognized and known for this.

Mirror Your Clients

One final tip would be to try and select your outfit to mirror that of your clients and prospective clients. While you don’t want to change your entire wardrobe to fit, mixing and matching to suit the particular clientele you are seeing that day is not a bad idea.

For example, it's easy to see this play out when faced with the prospects of selling a Texas cattle ranch compared to a New York City penthouse condo. What you wear as a realtor should be much different in these two scenarios, and for good reason.