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When I think of fashion the words, hot and trendy, classy, sophisticated, stylish, and elegant comes to mind; just to name a few. This includes clothing, shoes, handbags, and accessories. I believe that fashion is an expression of one’s personality; meaning that you choose the attire that best suits you. When you need to run errands, you may put on sweats and a t-shirt or a pair of jeans and a casual top. For the workplace there is business and/or semi-casual attire. Then there’s the “dress to impress” attire for whatever occasion. While some of us are changing into different outfits each day, some of us are making a correlating change to our attitude. I’m sure you have heard the saying, “dressed up but messed up.” Unfortunately, more often than not that’s what’s on display – a messed up attitude.
Just recently, I saw a friend of mine that decided to change her appearance. We were talking about how she wanted to change her hair by cutting it in a short style. A couple of days later, I saw her again and she had a nice little “croppy” hairstyle. As she approached me, she was all smiles as she told me how much she loved her “new look” and how good it made her feel. I’m sure that most women would agree that a “makeover” whether it’s a new “up do” to the hair, a new cut, a facial makeover, or change in apparel can definitely enhance one’s appearance. A positive change can bring about a certain level of confidence that may not be present.
Ladies, there is absolutely nothing wrong with feeling good about yourself when you’re making positive changes but at what juncture do you ensure that your attitude does not take a negative turn because of the clothes you wear or the “makeup” you put on? When is it appropriate to do a self-examination to prevent the spread of “It’s all about me” infection? To think that anything that you can put on and take off can command respect is a false expectation in my opinion. Recently, I have encountered a friend that I’ll call “B” that accepted a promotion. “B” and I got along well with each other. Our conversations were good and we could talk on a personal tip about a lot of things including the pros and cons of the promotion. “B” was offered and accepted the promotion and shortly thereafter their acceptance, their attitude and appearance took on a whole new face. “B’s” attire went from casual to business professional and that somehow was translated to mean that it was no longer necessary to give people the same respect that they felt they deserved. Our conversations were now streamlined to suit “B” instead of our usual open and honest communication.
Just because you can fly doesn’t make you a bird any more than changing your attire can make you respectful. Clothes don’t make the person, but they can sure change your look. While looking good to the eye is pleasant, make sure your attitude is dressed for respect and not just dressed up but messed.
About Author: Charlotte Hill is a native of California; a single mother of three children and the proud grandmother of one grandson. She has spent the last 16 years in the Social Services and Public Health field. Her experiences in life has taught her great lessons, some pain free while others accompany difficulty and pain. Her passion to help other women as they journey through life’s experiences coupled with the passion of her close friend that she calls her sister has brought about the birth of Sista’s Common Sense Corner, a website designed to bring women from all walks of life together to share in this journey called life. For more interesting topics, check us out at http://www.sistascommonsensecorner.com.
