Clothes brighten your attitude

Part 43 in a series by Karen A. Stevenson, President, Studio K Salon

When a person dresses with color, with clothes that fit, or in a manner that compliments a person’s body shape, you would hopefully think “Wow! Doesn’t that look nice?”   At least, I would like to think you’d think that way.  I always admire a person that is dressed nicely, looks good, and has a presence of class, dignity, and self-respect without having an ego. I will breathe a healthy sigh of appreciation that the woman took the time to understand how to dress her best, and has the decency to take care of herself, which means she takes the time to care.  Usually, that in it self is something to respect. 

What happens when a person is judged harshly, however, for the way they dress?  A group of more bland apparel women sitting around the table in a restaurant, all seething at the thought that a woman came into the same eatery, wearing something bright, cheery, and makes a slight statement when she enters the room?  Is it that the drearier team wishes the more dynamic person would dress as they do, so they could all feel better about themselves?  Is it that the women that had dull, unexciting attire are intimidated?  Maybe they are unhappy that the comparison they’ve placed themselves into created them to feel inferior and not so pleased with the manner in which they don’t dress.

Whatever the motive may be, this is a common behavior.  We all have seen it, or have been on one of the two ends of this behavior.  Sad, isn’t it?  I bet the woman that is dressed with a more dynamic ‘pow’ has a happier, more energetic day.  I bet she is more productive in her workplace, and I am sure she feels better about herself.  Sadly, the person dressed more ‘generic’ will not get nearly the respect, nor the high esteem from others, and she’ll wonder why she’s treated differently.  She may wonder why she isn’t getting the raise at work, wonder why she feels more tired throughout the day, and wonder why when she looks in the mirror, she isn’t building her self esteem,  instead she is probably beating her self esteem down.

Proven fact, the more you dress in clothes that compliment your body style, with clothes that fit appropriately, clothes that are right for your complexion, as well as decent makeup (especially lipstick), the more confident you’ll walk, the more positive your presence, the more respect you’ll receive from others, the more people will perceive you as a ‘quality’ individual. 

How you feel about yourself is a filter within.  We hold the power to see ourselves as someone that is attractive, or ho-hum.  We hold the power to see ourselves as dowdy, or elegant.   The additional twenty minutes it takes to make yourself a notch better than we’ve made ourselves look in the past is more than worth it. 

It takes a short bit of time and expense to educate yourself in the correct colors we should wear to look our best.  It takes a bit more of the same to educate ourselves about our body types, appropriate clothes types for our bodies, as well as how to wear our makeup and our hair.  This small investment for our self is more than worth its result one hundred-fold.