This article was written by an ex girlfriend who was a brilliant fashion consultant for my business. I thought I would re-share it:
"Clothes don't make a man, but clothes have gotten many a man a good job." - Herbert Harold Vreeland
After years of studying design and training my eye to see things that others would probably never notice, I came to the realization that we often see more than we allow our brains to process. What I mean by this is that we are influenced by appearance more than we would like to accept and despite the fact that it is a shallow way of thinking, it is the truth. Here is a scenario for you. You are sitting on a bench. It is a busy day in the park and you just want to sit back and enjoy the view of the post-work crowd before heading home after a long day. A woman approaches you. She looks a little tired; she obviously isn't wearing makeup, which is apparent by the redness in her cheeks and the discoloration under her eyes. She's wearing running pants and a white v-neck t-shirt. Her hair is up in a loose ponytail with a few stray hairs hanging down. She smiles and sits next to you on the bench to adjust the laces on her sneakers. She sits back and comments on the cool dry weather. She makes a little chit chat, polite, quick and then makes an excuse about having to get home. She stands up and starts to head off, but not before turning around and saying, "I really like the cologne you're wearing. It smells great on you." Then she's off. A few minutes go by and you gather your coat to leave. Not before you feel a hand on your shoulder, "Excuse me," a female voice asks. You turn to notice a long-haired blond. Her blue eyes sparkle in the sunset and are accented by the light and strategic makeup she chose. She is wearing a tight cream colored sweater with sleek dark denim jeans, the cream accents her tan and the shape of the jeans show of her curvy, yet slender figure. "Can I ask you something?" You nod with a smile. "Does this road lead to Avenue A?" You nod again and she smiles. "Thanks," she replies with a pearly white smile. As she walks off, you hear the clicking of her heals on the pavement as you watch every step she takes in the direction of the very lucky Avenue A. So you leave the park feeling on top of the world. Which encounter is making you feel high though? The flirtatious encounter with the average looker, or the polite smile from the hottie? Shallow accusations aside, it's okay if you chose the hottie situation. In fact, it proves a point. Appearances are critical. We all like to think that we fall in love with what's inside the package, not the wrapping, but most of the time we won't even get to the inside of the package if we aren't attracted to what it is wrapped in. Enter fashion. Yes men, I know that fashion is something you'd wish to ignore. I mean women envy the fact that you can roll out bed, throw on yesterday's jeans and a wrinkled t-shirt and be ready for the day. We envy it, but here's the secret: We do not encourage it. Why not you ask? Because you never have another chance to make a first impression. What you're wearing to the first impression may tell us different things. Something you may or may not want us to think. A stain on shirt may make a woman think that you need a bib. Nice framed glasses may make a girl think that you are intellectually stimulating. A tucked in buttoned up Polo may make us think that your mom dresses you. All of these simple pieces of your outfits may make us believe things that may or may not be true. Did you mean to say that? Well you may not have realized that your clothes just said it for you. Just like the average woman's appearance said she was average and a hottie's appearance said she was, well a hottie. Who knows what they had to offer you? Their appearance said all you needed to hear. So what can I offer you in this article? Well, the information I offered above and the assurance that a positive appearance does not mean the loss of self. You don't have to lose who you are to make a striking first appearance on a woman. Fashion is about adaptation. Adaptation to your surroundings, the time, your target, and yourself. Fashion is an art, yes, but it's one of the fun ones. Remember, in the right outfit, you can be anyone you want to be and who better to be than yourself.
-Lizzy-
