5 Sartorial Guidelines for Sports Management Professionals

Top Five Tips for Assembling a Great Sports Management Wardrobe

  • When in Doubt, Overdress (Slightly)
  • Dress Conservatively
  • Wear Tailored Clothing
  • Keep Up with Personal Grooming
  • Choose Complementary Accessories

Sports management careers are the ultimate dream jobs of sports fans all over the country. When the opportunity to work in a professional sports league arises, it’s important to dress properly to avoid creating an awkward situation. The field of sports management is essentially a business profession, so the rules of good taste are the same in professional sports as they are at any corporation. By following a few rules of thumb regarding your wardrobe, you can impress your supervisors and avoid drawing unwanted negative attention to yourself.

25 Most Affordable Top-Ranked Schools for Online Master’s in Sports Management Degree Programs

1. When in Doubt, Overdress (Slightly)

During the job interview process and the first few weeks of your employment with a sports league, it’s better to dress a little more formally than everyone else than to underdress. Like most businesses, the sports management profession has a somewhat conservative culture and dress code. It’s unlikely that any of your supervisors or coworkers will chastise you for overdressing, but it’s very likely that they will disapprove of any sartorial indifference on your part, especially during the first few weeks.

2. Dress Conservatively

Throughout your sports management career, adopting a conservative style will help you blend in with the other employees at your organization. Whether you’re picking out a dress or a business suit, a good rule of thumb to follow is to wear dark colors and understated patterns. When it comes to choosing a pair of shoes, comfort should be one of your primary concerns because you will probably be walking a lot throughout the day. Your shoes should also be high-quality, stylish and tasteful as well as dark-colored and conservative.

3. Wear Tailored Clothing

Having your clothes personally tailored is a relatively inexpensive way to dramatically improve your appearance. The difference between an off-the-rack suit and one that’s been tailored is immediately noticeable and guaranteed to make the impression you’re hoping to make. You don’t have to buy fancy imported suits from a boutique shop to look sharp at your sports management job. Simply buy a moderately inexpensive suit from a department store and take it to a tailor to have adjustments made. If you already own a suit or two, you can take them to the tailor before your first interview.

4. Keep Up with Personal Grooming

Hairstyle, nails, facial hair and personal odor should all be meticulously maintained to ensure that you make a good impression. According to Executive Style, arriving at work with wet or unkempt hair can make you seem disorganized and sloppy. If you’re a late sleeper, you can keep this problem under control by choosing a low-maintenance hairstyle or styling your hair before you go to bed at night and then freshening it up before work in the morning.

5. Choose Complementary Accessories

Accessories should be complementary rather than attention-grabbing. Jewelry, bag, and briefcases shouldn’t be visually distracting or eye-catching. The sports management profession is primarily concerned with producing sporting events for large audiences of spectators, so funky, individual style and sartorial creativity are not considered helpful qualities to have in this job.

Knowing how to dress for your job is always important, and most professions have specific, unwritten rules for appropriate attire. Whether you’re a sports management major or you’re already working in this profession, observing the sartorial guidelines of your chosen occupation can help you move up the ladder more quickly.

Related Articles:

What Public Relations Jobs in Sports are Available

What Does a Sports Agent Do?

20 Affordable Bachelor’s in Sports Communications