You know how they say “Every day is a fashion show and the world is your runway”? Whether we like it or not, the way we look on the outside reflects how we feel on the inside. So if you look sloppily dressed or ill-groomed, that will leave people with a certain impression. Looking good on the outside or having a good self image is part of loving yourself. It’s like you’re saying, “I’m ready to take on the world one great outfit at a time!” We hate to sound superficial, and it’s true that people shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover—but it’s also true that most of us do any way and “dress to impress” applies to more than just job interviews.
In our interview with Monica Santiago, program director at the La Vie Institute, which helps clients with personality development and more, she talked about how taking control of your self image—particularly in terms of how you look—helps you gain a sense of inner confidence. We’re big fans of letting your inner beauty shine through, but we loved learning about how you can let how you look on the outside affect how you feel about yourself on the inside. Keep reading for some of the lessons we learned from her.
1. Your clothes are your costume.
We mean this in the sense that it helps you not just act, but actually become the things you want to project! You’ve got to play the part of the person you want other people to see you as. If you’re the boss, you’ve got to look like a boss. If you want to be a successful stylist, for example, you have to already look like you are. Clothes, believe it or not, help enhance your confidence. Once you’re wearing a well put together outfit, you’re unstoppable!
2. Knowing and emphasizing your best assets gives you a confidence boost.
Identify your physical assets and highlight them. There are specific styles of clothing that help enhance certain parts of your body. You just have to find out which ones suit you best. Knowing these as well help you be more confident. Remember, confidence is key in everything. You’ve got to believe in yourself. And when you feel good about the parts of yourself you’re showing off (not to mention when you receive compliments on how you look), this helps you add a little more strut to your step.
3. Knowing you are polished and appropriately dressed gives you one less thing to worry about.
Got a big presentation or important meeting? Dress for it! Not only does it give you a confidence boost, as we mentioned, but it will let you stop worrying about the image you’re projecting and start focusing on the reason you’re there. And if you know you look good, well, you’ve already done something right, and you’ll be all set to impress people.
4. Developing your sense of style helps you take control of the image you project.
Discovering the style that works best for you assures you that you are projecting exactly the image you want others to see and, consequently, helps you tell everyone you meet what you want them to know about you. Yes, there are certain styles that work to enhance specific body shapes. However, beyond that, there are choices you have to make about how dressy or casual you want to look, whether you’re going for something gender-neutral or feminine, even how tall you want to appear. All this will contribute to the image you project the moment you walk into a room.
5. In most scenarios, you’ve got seven seconds make an impression.
No matter how much we hate the fact that people judge us by how we look, one thing to note is that we really only do have seven seconds to make an impression and what one sees comes first on the listso make it count! Build your wardrobe with care, ensuring that it complements your lifestyle and the overall impression you want to give off. Even if we want to tell you that its whats inside that matters, we just can’t. Your image will always, always matter. Especially in your chosen profession, the way people look and think of you is important. So you have to dress appropriately. You have to look like the person you want to be. It’s up to you who or what that is. We’re pretty sure that whoever or whatever you want to be is in line with your goals and values.
By now you should have a clear idea about why your self image matters and how it does wonders on your inner self. Both of these, are important aspects of a Modern Filipina’s life and must be taken notice of. Time and careful planning must be spent in order to have to best self image and also feel good in the inside!
Monica Santiago is program director of La Vie Institute, a personal development institute in Alabang. She continues to help develop personalities and inspire people in the process. Click here to read our feature on her and her work.
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