Why Looking the Part Still Matters (Even If You Hate Suits)

Estate agency is a trust business. And whether we like it or not, trust is formed long before we open our mouths.

That’s exactly what this week’s episode of The Voice of the Agent Podcastexplores, as Simon sits down with Alex Wood of Alexandra Wood Bespoke - the first female Savile Row tailor and one of the most influential voices in modern luxury.

Alex isn’t an estate agent. She doesn’t work in property. But she spends her life working with high-performing, time-poor professionals whose success depends on credibility, confidence, and first impressions.

Sound familiar?

Confidence first. Clothes second.

One of the most powerful ideas to come out of this conversation is that clothing isn’t really about clothes at all. It’s about confidence.

Alex works with people who are at the top of their game - business leaders, founders, ultra-high-net-worth individuals - and yet when it comes to how they dress, many feel oddly vulnerable. They know how to run companies. They don’t know what to wear.

Her solution isn’t to impose a “look” , but to strip everything back to one simple question: How do you want to feel when you walk into a room?

Because when someone feels good in what they’re wearing, it shows. And when it shows, people trust them more.

Authentic beats “professional” every time

There’s a brilliant moment in the episode where Simon asks about the tension estate agents constantly wrestle with: suits versus hoodies, ties versus open collars, tradition versus modernity.

Alex’s answer is refreshingly blunt: a badly fitting suit does more damage than a confidently worn hoodie.
Trying to look “professional” while feeling uncomfortable never works. Authenticity always wins.

That’s a big lesson for an industry that still debates ties in the trade press every year.

The issue isn’t what you wear, it’s whether what you’re wearing actually feels like you.

First impressions aren’t rational - they’re neurological

Another key takeaway is how fast trust is formed.

Alex explains that our brains make judgments subconsciously, before logic has a chance to step in. We may say we’re not judgemental, but our wiring tells a different story.

Ill-fitting clothes, cheap fabrics, or an outfit that looks forced all send signals - whether we intend them to or not. And in a profession already battling low trust scores, those signals matter.

This isn’t about flashiness or expense; it's about care, detail, and intention.

What estate agents can actually take from this

This episode isn’t a fashion lecture, but a branding lesson.

It’s about understanding that how you show up visually is part of your communication - just like tone of voice, marketing, and customer experience.

Alex talks about capsule wardrobes, decision fatigue, dressing for your “style personality”, and why most people waste money buying the wrong things repeatedly instead of investing in a few pieces that genuinely work for them.

There’s also a wider message here for agency leaders: confidence scales. When teams feel good about how they present themselves, they perform better, they communicate better, and they feel more credible doing their jobs.

Why this episode matters

At Unchained, we spend a lot of time talking about data, systems, marketing, and strategy. But none of that exists in a vacuum.

People still buy from people, trust still underpins transactions, and confidence is still contagious.

This conversation with Alex Wood is a reminder that brand isn’t just what you say - it’s what people feel when you walk into the room.