Your Clothes are Talking About You

How we present ourselves to the world says a lot about us.  Our clothes communicate how we see ourselves.  Our personalities and preferences.  How well we treat ourselves. 

Activity:  Take a look at what you’re wearing right now:  what does it say about you?

My typical daily attire is jeans, a collared shirt and slip-on shoes or, more often, given than I live in California, sandals.  It’s comfortable and very casual.  I tend not to wear fancier fare -- or makeup -- unless I’m attending a meeting or a social event.  Even though I make jewelry, I often forget to wear it.  My daily ‘look’ says I’m not very invested in myself or my appearance.  It says I’m more practical than feminine.  Unless I don jewelry I’ve made, you’d never suspect, that my vanilla apparel sheathes the creative spirit of a multi-media artist.  Or a published author, life coach and entrepreneur.  Or a well-traveled adventurer. 

I’m working on it.  Since I turned fifty, I’ve made a point of finding some clothes that better reflect who I am inside.  I’m shifting from covering my carcass to promoting my personality.  For example, I just got a terrific, one-of-a-kind jacket made of six different fabrics that somehow go together.  As an added treat, the designer tailored it to better fit me. 

Activity:  Think about who you really are today, as you’re turning fifty.  Put together an attractive outfit that reflects the current you.  By ‘outfit’, I mean a complete head-to-toe look:  Socks, underwear, garments, outerwear, shoes, accessories -- even hair and, if you desire, makeup.  You might have the elements in your closet already...or perhaps you need to create or purchase something new.  Think of this as your ‘birthday ensemble’ or, dare I say it, your ‘birthday suit’.

Another element here:  treating ourselves well, with respect.  How well do your clothes fit?  Are there items in your closet that are unflattering or in need of repair?  Case in point:  does your underwear need upgrading? 

Activity:  Go through your wardrobe, piece by piece.  Remove anything that does not reflect the real you.  Eliminate anything that is unflattering, that doesn’t fit or that needs mending.  Donate, sell or toss these items.