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How to make sure they convey the right image
By Diana Pemberton Sikes
One of the moms at my girls' summer camp ranks among the chicest women I know. With her dark hair pulled into a low ponytail, her Jackie-O sunglasses hiding her eyes, and the sleeveless tops that show off her well-toned arms, she looks like she stepped out of the pages of HARPER'S BAZAAR. Yet at the same time, there's an air of unfussiness about her, as if her appearance is the last thing on her mind.
Then there's another mom I know who usually looks like a rumpled bed. Unkempt hair, no makeup, ill-fitting, non-descript clothes - she too gives the impression that her appearance is the last thing on her mind.
So guess which one has the better-paying job, the nicer car, and the better address?
Yep, the first one.
Curiously, once you get to know them, you begin to see a lot of similarities between the women: both are intelligent, well educated, and articulate.
Yet while you can instantly surmise as much from looking at Mom #1, you really have to pry the information out of Mom #2 - an exercise that frankly, most people won't bother to do.
So what's my point?
People accord you the same respect you accord yourself. Every time you get dressed and leave the house, you telegraph key pieces of information about yourself, including your education level, your approximate wealth, and even your feelings of self-worth. All by the clothes you choose and the manner in which you wear them.
If your head's up, your shoulders are squared, and you're in fashionable attire appropriate to the situation, you'll be regarded as being "on the ball" - even if you're not.
Conversely, if you walk around with slumped shoulders, poorly-fitting clothes, and a haircut that's decades out of style, you'll give the impression that you're careless and behind the times - even if you're not.
Is that fair?
Of course not. Yet making snap assessments of other people based on how they look is a survival technique we learned long ago that's still reliable today.
About The Author
Diana Pemberton-Sikes is a wardrobe and image consultant and author of Wardrobe Magic, an ebook that shows women how to transform their unruly closets into workable, wearable wardrobes. Visit her online at www.fashionforrealwomen.com
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