I BELIEVE HOW YOU SHOW UP MATTERS.
I'm Corey Hackett, an Image Strategist, speaker, and founder of Work Hard Dress Well. I help men become more intentional about how they dress, how they carry themselves, and how they show up in the world.
IT STARTED WITH CLOTHES. IT BECAME ABOUT SO MUCH MORE.
I've spent years working with men and helping them figure out what to wear, how it should fit, and how to put an outfit together.
But somewhere along the way, I realized the suit was never really the point.
The real transformation happened when a man looked in the mirror and saw someone he felt confident becoming.
A better-fitting jacket could change the way he walked into a room. The right outfit could change the way he approached an opportunity. Learning how to present himself could change how he was perceived and sometimes, how he perceived himself.
That's when Work Hard Dress Well became bigger than clothing.
WORK HARD.
DRESS WELL.
BECOME MORE.
When you look and feel good, you do good.
Work Hard Dress Well is my reminder that becoming your best self isn't about perfection. It's about preparation, intention, and continuing to grow.
Work hard at what matters. Dress with intention. Take care of yourself. Pay attention to your environment. Learn from your failures. And keep becoming.
THE STORY BEHIND THE PHILOSOPHY.
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT ME.
I had one suit that could fit when I graduated from college that I could still wear. It was black. I wore that suit for almost a week straight while I walked around New York looking for a job. My sister had given me a roadmap of where the high-end stores were; Fifth Avenue, Madison, SoHo. I was green. I didn't know the rules yet, and honestly, I don't think that was a bad thing.
Sometimes too much influence can take you away from your own truth.
So I put on my suit, grabbed a few resumes, and went after the life I believed I was supposed to have. I walked into the Ralph Lauren corporate office because, in my mind, that's where I needed to go to get a job with Ralph Lauren. I had no fashion experience. I was a recent graduate from Albany State University in Georgia who had worked in fast food and as a math tutor. But I was willing to knock on the door.
And somehow, that black suit helped open one.
The fit was classic. Two buttons. Notch lapel. Double vents. Nothing flashy. But it fit my body, and I carried myself like I belonged there. I asked to see the CFO. To my surprise, she came out, invited me into her office, and listened to what I had to say. She ultimately sent me to Club Monaco on 57th and Fifth Avenue with a name to ask for. That conversation became the beginning of my career in fashion and the beginning of a much bigger lesson for me:
How you show up matters.
I was afraid. I was inexperienced. I was green. But being afraid made me fearless. I could have followed the traditional path. Instead, I decided to create my own. That's still how I approach life today. I believe there is no competition. You just have to be more creative, live the truth in your mind, and have the courage not to follow the crowd. That's a big part of what Work Hard Dress Well means to me. It's not about wearing the most expensive clothes or trying to become somebody else.
It's about understanding who you are, where you're going, and making sure the way you show up reflects it.
Work Hard. Dress Well. Become More.
