Your Image is your Superpower

Long ago, clothing only really served one purpose – protection from the environment.  In this current era, clothing is so much more than an item that just helps to protect ourselves.  Our clothing is also our story.  Our geographical location, religion, gender, age, profession and so on can be communicated through our clothing.  We also express our unique personality and sometimes our mood in a nonverbal way with what we choose to wear!  In western culture, clothing has become more about aesthetics, however, beyond aesthetics, what you wear can have an impact on your psychological state and performance!  Your clothing is really a superpower!

One of the best ways to lift your mood quickly is to put on an outfit you feel comfortable and confident in.  If your clothing is damaged, wrinkled, dirty, ill-fitting, or just not the right look for that day, you may not feel very comfortable or confident and you won’t be able to exude those feelings.   The way we feel in an item is frequently communicated through our body language.  So how can we ensure our clothing is giving the non-verbal communication we desire?  You can start in the morning by looking in the mirror and asking yourself “Who am I today?” or “Who do I want to be today?”  “How do I want others to perceive me?”  Then you can figure out which outfits and colors will match and promote those needs. Some days we may feel fun and flirty, others conservative.  Your clothing choices will directly reflect how you are feeling that day. 

Moreover, you need to dress the part!  Studies have shown that clothing can hold symbolic meaning to us.  We associate different characteristics to different items.  When we wear an item, we start to exude and emulate those different characteristics we associate with those items.  This can really help or hinder your performance.  You wouldn’t wear a nice shirt, jeans and dress shoes to workout in, right?  When you put your workout clothes on, you are mentally preparing to work out.  When you look the part, it is much easier to play the part!  If you have an important meeting, interview, or test, your performance can be improved if you dress up professionally because we associate a professional look with characteristics like intelligence and success. By assessing the characteristics, you want to portray, you can then ensemble a look with the items you associate with those characteristics.  Others will see you that way too. 

What story does your clothing tell?  Does your clothing represent who you are and how you want to be perceived? Is your performance being affected by not dressing the part?   More importantly, does your clothing represent who you want to become?  The Style Signature can help you look the part for any situation so that you can confidently play the part!  Whether you need just a few items or an image makeover, we can help!  

Stay Fabulous!!

Tara