How you dress matters

Welcome to Radhika’s Newsletter “Intent”. This is your bi-weekly guide to purposeful living, wealth-building, and personal growth.

Legendary costume designer Edith Head once said:

What you wear matters more than we like to admit. In fact, I’m a firm believer in how you look influences how you feel and how you feel influences how you show up.

Our clothes are often the first decision you make each day. And that decision quietly sets the tone for everything that follows. Think about it. How you look is how you feel.

There’s a reason people agonize over what to wear for a job interview, a first date, or an important event. We know (even subconsciously) that first impressions are shaped by clothing, posture, grooming, and presence. We dress with intention when the moment feels important. So why do we stop doing that on ordinary days? Can you make any day extra-ordinary by dressing up for it? (some food for thought)

My Own Journey & “Proof”

Since everyone's on that 2026-2026 trend, I figured I’d start my sharing my outfit ideas from 2016 and how I’ve grown to change it over the years.

It took a long time to experiment but I've learned to build a capsule wardrobe, play with colors, find the right brands, get clothes that are properly fitted, buy high quality items, and find my style.

Check out how 2016 Radhika used to dress vs. 2026 Radhika:

It took me a long time to get here but I finally understand what I want my clothes to say about me.

And last week? I got real proof.

I was in this tiny phone booth at work taking a quick meeting. My manager was telling me how busy the office looked but how he didn’t recognize anyone. Based on how people were dressed, he thought he was looking at the engineering department.

Then he looked up — saw me — and was like, “Oh this person looks sharp.”
Then realized it was me.

What a compliment! 2016 Radhika would have been so proud. 😄

To share a bit more: most of my wardrobe is business casual and the rest is athletic. That’s the kind of person I’ve become (and want to be). I got rid of all the ‘party-wear’ and pieces that aren’t who I am anymore.

I’ll admit it: I do spend a decent amount of $$ on some of these pieces but they last me YEARS. In fact, I still wear my high-quality leggings from 5 years ago. I spent $$$ on my work blazer but it’s high quality, makes me look professional, and boosts my confidence at my job.

BUT - I only have a max of 20-30 individual pieces. Small quantity but high quality.

Yes, it’s all worth it.

How Dressing Well Boosted Neil’s Business

Beyond my story, let me share something that the internet was buzzing over a few years ago: A guy named Neil shared how spending almost $160k on clothes made him ~$700k in his business (check out the article below!)

Dressing Down

All of this doesn’t mean dressing up all the time. There’s intention in dressing down, too.

When I invite people into my home, one of my biggest priorities is making them feel safe and comfortable…like it’s their space too. If I wanted things to feel formal, we’d go to a fancy restaurant.

So when they come over, I make sure to make them feel like they're at home. That usually looks like a giant red hoodie. Or sweatpants. With close friends, often both. It’s my way of saying: you can relax here and most importantly: you belong here.

That’s still intention.

The goal isn’t to always look impressive, just to match the intention you have for the day. Your clothes should support the version of you that needs to show up that day:
- Confident
- Focused
- Creative
- Grounded
- Rested
- Safe

As always, I’d love to hear from you: have you changed styles in the last few years? How has that impacted you?

Support My Work

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Thank you so much for being a part of the Intent community. I rely on word-of-mouth for growth. If you enjoyed this newsletter, I’d love for you to share it with a friend.
Your commitment to living with purpose is exactly why this space exists. Can’t wait to share more in the next edition!

Until next time,
Radhika
Creating a life of purpose, wealth, and growth