How Wearing High-End Clothes, Driving Luxury Cars Could Cost You A Promotion Or Worse

According to a 2022 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, people are less likely to cooperate with those who signal status.

You may want to think twice before wearing your high-end and luxury clothes and accessories or driving your luxury vehicle to work. This kind of advice is circulating on social media, with users discussing harrowing experiences about being let go or demoted.

“I showed up to an unofficial but official (because you’re never really not on) work event and someone saw what I was driving,” said TikTok user London Reeves. “Six weeks later, I was laid off due to ‘loss of funding.’”

Reeves’ advice: never let your coworkers know what you’re driving. His comments, on the other hand, advise taking things a step further: disclose nothing.

“Never ever tell them where your spouse works, where you live, etc,” someone commented. “My mother told me this over 30 years ago when I first started my job in the medical field.”

“I worked with someone who drove an old Toyota to work but had a nice Cadillac and a beautiful home,” another person replied. “She was an older lady, and the stories she told me. [I] understood the assignment.”

@londonreeves Corporate Professional Tip: Don’t let them see you driving “above” your pay grade #corporatelife #corporatetiktok #work #flashback #rangerover ♬ original sound – LondonReeves

While the messaging may come off as paranoid, some data suggests that wearing high-end clothing or driving a luxury vehicle could cost you a promotion or your job.

According to a 2022 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, people are less likely to cooperate with those who signal status.

In an interview with Business Insider, Career Coach Emily Durham discussed how a designer bag was to blame for an advancement opportunity she missed. She later learned from a coworker that the manager who made the decision passed her over for using her year-end bonus to buy a Louis Vuitton Neverfull, which retails for close to $3,000.

“For the record, I was broke, and that was a horrible financial decision,” said Durham. She suspects the manager passed her over because the bag likely signaled that she didn’t need the pay increase compared to the other identical candidate.

Durham makes it clear: “It’s not your responsibility to have to carry what someone else might be feeling about your designer handbag.” However, it is important to read the room, especially if upward mobility is the goal.

While confidence and presentation are key to success, keep your attire simple and try to avoid visible logos. Also, try to drive your non-luxury vehicle, as this will help avoid the impression that you don’t need a raise. It’s also one less thing for your coworkers to gossip about. Focus on quality over the brand, and if unsure, “watch and wait” to observe how your colleagues and leadership dress.