What is you’re packaging? When you get a gift and it’s wrapped nicely, you get excited and really want to know what’s inside. Depending on the size and shape of the gift you kind of guess what it is. Now if you were to get that same gift wrapped in newspaper you would still be grateful but you maybe not as excited. You might assume the giver didn’t care, didn’t know any better or didn’t have the resources to wrap the gift properly.
So how do we present ourselves to the world? What is your packaging? I asked myself this question recently and I have realized the my packaging doesn’t always communicate what I want it to.
In America, us women who cover draw attention to ourselves weather we like it our not. So I learned at a early age I have to dress and carry myself well. Fast forward to today, I’ve learned that it goes beyond just what you have on. It’s how well it fits, if it works with your proportion and body, how well your groomed, how well you accessorize, and my area for improvement, make-up. I avoid it like the plague. I wasn’t clear as to why until recently. It makes me uncomfortable, I feel like I’m trying to be someone I’m not. But as I’ve matured and in more meetings with clients and vendors- I put myself in their shoes. What is my packaging? They might ask, does she care about herself? If she doesn’t care about herself how can she care about me. Yes, it is very superficial and the rebel in me for the longest time wanted no part of it. But I realize it’s apart of the world we live in, people make a judgement of you, consciously or unconsciously within the first fifteen seconds of meeting you. As the saying goes ‘You only have one chance to make a first impression”. Make it a good one.
In a study, done a couple of years ago by researchers at Harvard and Boston Universities, women were photographed wearing varying amounts of makeup, from left: barefaced, natural, professional and glamorous. Viewers considered the women wearing more makeup to be more competent, trustworthy and likeable based on the amount of make-up she is wearing.
So the next time you step out just keep these five questions in mind:
- Do my clothes fit the way they are supposed to, especially in the shoulders, bust and hip area’s? It doesn’t matter how much you pay for an outfit, if it doesn’t fit properly it will look cheap and unflattering.
- Do my clothes express who I am and am I dressed appropriately for the occasion?
- I’m I accessorized appropriately for the occasion?
- Grooming basics- Are my nails cut and clean, skin moisturized, do I smell nice–or better yet– have no smell (this goes without saying- but it’s worth mentioning)?
- Finally, throw on a little make-up as needed. Yeah I said it. Now this isn’t to say I’m advocating for wearing make-up all the time. I definitely don’t, but when your representing you and want to put your best foot forward, it can’t hurt (when its done well).
Do you feel you represent yourself well? Or is there room for improvement? What do you want to improve? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.