“I don’t need a stylist, my friends tell me I dress really well.
I’ve decided to go shopping to find the perfect outfit for my next interview on my own.”
Women who say this to me, and themselves are sabotaging their opportunities for success and will never look as good as they could.
I hear these comments from women often and it saddens me that these busy women are the ones that really need help.
The fact is that the woman who told herfriend not to use a stylist is not only denyingher friend theopportunity to improve herself, she is most probably the one who really needs the help and has been too scared to ask or do what her friend has considered. She’s quietly worried that her friend will look better than her as a result.
The sad thing about this is that nobody wins.
The woman who wanted to improve her appearance and boost her confidence because she felt she needed a stylists expert help doesn’t win, her friend who suggested she can do it on her own doesn’t win ,and the company who will be interviewing her doesn’t win because their first impression could be negatively impacted by what they see.
Women as a rule avoid investing in their personal appearance. They can always think of something else to spend their hard earned dollars on.
But what if you are looking tired and out-dated, wearing clothes that are not complimenting your changing shape, age and position?
If you think it doesn’t matter, it does. Any sign of you looking tardy or tired can be a sure indication of your ability to perform in your role.
I know what that’s like, I’ve been a single mum for a long time and have experienced first hand the guilt over spending money on myself. I overcame that when I knew I had to play a bigger game and get serious about my appearance.
If I wanted executive women to take me seriously as an executive stylist, I had to seriously look the part too, and that was the key to significant change.
And this is the point, if you’ve been missing out on opportunities or are still in the same situation you have been in for years because you haven’t updated your personal and professional appearance and image to reflect who you are and where you want to go, you might never proceed to the next step.
So the next time you question whether you need aprofessional image and brand overhaul or help with your personal style and appearance, ask yourself, can you be presenting yourself better and with greater executive presence appeal? Will investing in yourself help you land your dream job or Directorship? If the answer is yes or you’re unsure, then itsdefinitely time to take action.
You deserve it.