Dressing for the Role Above You

A field guide to power blazers, identity theatre, and the emotional tailoring of ambition

You’ve heard the advice.
Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.
Wear confidence.
Project authority.
Looks like you belong even if you’re still Googling what “synergy” means.

But Bloggyness raises an eyebrow.
Because beneath the blazer is a body.
And beneath the body is a question:
Who am I dressing as and why?

“Dressing for the role above you” sounds empowering.
Until it starts feeling like cosplay for capitalism.

• The heels that hurt but signal ambition
• The suit that says “I’m serious” even when you’re spiralling
• The neutral palette that whispers “I’m not a threat”
• The bag that costs more than your rent but screams “I’m ready”

It’s theatre.
It’s strategy.
It’s survival.

And sometimes, it’s exhausting.

Let’s name the tension:

• You want to be taken seriously
• But you also want to breathe
• You want to signal readiness
• But you also want to feel like yourself

And sometimes, dressing “up” feels like dressing away from softness, from neurodivergence, from cultural texture, from gender fluidity, from joy.

Because the role above you might not have room for your actual body.
Just the silhouette of ambition.

Before we dress for the role above us, let’s ask:

• What does “above” mean in my context?
• Is it more power, or more peace?
• Is it more money, or more meaning?
• Is it a title, or a tempo?

Because sometimes the role above you isn’t a promotion.
It’s a version of you with better boundaries.
A version that says no faster.
A version that wears trainers to the meeting and still gets the job.

Clothes aren’t just fabric.
They’re signals. Shields. Invitations.

• A blazer can be armour
• A hoodie can be a protest
• A lipstick can be legacy
• A scarf can be softness
• A pair of boots can say “I’m here to stay”

So maybe dressing for the role above you isn’t about pretending.
It’s about previewing.
Trying on the version of you that’s already arriving.

You don’t have to dress for a role that erases you.
You can dress for the role that expands you.

The one that lets you breathe.
The one that honours your neurotype, your softness, your spiral logic.
The one that doesn’t require a costume change to be taken seriously.

Because the real role above you?
Might be the one where you stop performing and start belonging.

Explore more with us:

• Browse Spiralmore collections
• Read our Informal Blog for relaxed insights
• Discover Deconvolution and see what’s happening
• Visit Gwenin for a curated selection of frameworks