Dressing For Success: A Wardrobe Malfunction
by Gini Grey
December 23rd, 2010 07:34 AM
They say: When in business, wear business attire. When sweating, wear sweat pants. When wearing a T-shirt, be sure you are teeing off on the golf course. They say…
In the tropical plant industry, it is very, very easy to "dress down." Jeans and sweatshirt are the technician's uniform. Jeans, turtleneck and a blazer are often enough to convince me I am dressed up, particularly if I am not wearing my running shoes or my hiking
boots.
But just recently, while packing up my briefcase with everything for my client appointments, cold calling and parental bungee-driving, it became apparent that to confidently complete my tasks I would benefit from a wardrobe change – in fact, a number of wardrobe changes -- through the course of the day.
Start of the day, walk dog. Jeans and hiking boots. Then, client appointments. Must look intelligent and competent. Hhmm, skirt, blouse and blazer. Change of shoes needed.
The parent-teacher conference. Must look intelligent and adult, yet down to earth. Skirt and blouse, sans blazer, okay. Shoes work. Okay!
Then swimsuit, towels and exercise equipment. Back to dog walk clothes. Or wait, couldn't I just wear my swimsuit on the dog walk? It was after all, pouring rain. No, too cold – I’d need over clothes, a coat and hat at the least. Would my rain coat work for the client appointment? Or my trench coat work for the dog walks?
How to reduce? I had pretty well just packed up my entire closet. My car looked like I was going away for a week, not simply gearing up to do a day's work. And wait! Where was I supposed to be during all these wardrobe changes?
My car, obviously. In the parking lot in Pacific Centre. Simply struggle into my skirt, over my jeans. Slide out of the car to allow my jeans to shimmy down, step elegantly away from them, slip into my pumps, and presto -- prepared to meet and greet the client. It all works, unless a security guard catches the act.
But there he was, wanting to see the receipt for the "extra clothes." It took some fancy talking to convince him I was a professional, on my way to a client appointment. He asked me exactly what kind of professional did I think I was, anyway?
This was getting just a bit too hard. How many people change their clothes a half-dozen times a day? Was I missing some crucial element of organization? Or maybe I was just trying to do too much? Should I quit my job in order to complete my personal commitments? Or maybe quit my personal commitments, send the dogs away - and the kid too, for that matter -- to focus on professional commitments? It was time for some research.
The internet and magazines revealed the secret: Accessories can change your look from daytime to evening with a simple scarf, a bangle bracelet and makeup… Omygoodness. I had forgotten about all the makeup changes I would need. Time to pack another bag – the plum blush couldn't work with the terracotta lip liner, could it? There was no comfort for me on the internet. Simply more stress.
How about a travel store? Tilley's, of course! They were Endurable. They guaranteed it. What a wonderful time I had browsing their catalogue. I used post-it notes on all the pages that had the tough, practical, good-looking clothes that would take me from the forest to the boardroom, to the gym, the soccer field, dinner and dancing, then wouldn't be at all miffed as I cleaned out the garage, took out the trash and went back out with the dogs.
I found it all! I filled out the order form, totaled up the columns, and called my bank and asked for a $10,000 line of credit so that I could successfully dress for success.
Then suddenly it occurred to me: Dress for Success? Ultimately, what this means to me is "Dress for successful living, being and doing, in all your endeavors." It doesn't matter so much what you wear to the party -- it matters that you show up, and remember to bloom where you are planted!
Gail Hirst, an Interior Landscape Specialist, usually writes the Plant Pal column. If your houseplants are suffering right now, it’s because our last issue didn’t include the “Crucial Summer Plant Care Tips” article she wrote for us. Gail is at 604-084-6341 or plantpal@telus.net
Copyright North Shore Magazine Issue Aug - Sep 07
In the tropical plant industry, it is very, very easy to "dress down." Jeans and sweatshirt are the technician's uniform. Jeans, turtleneck and a blazer are often enough to convince me I am dressed up, particularly if I am not wearing my running shoes or my hiking
boots.
But just recently, while packing up my briefcase with everything for my client appointments, cold calling and parental bungee-driving, it became apparent that to confidently complete my tasks I would benefit from a wardrobe change – in fact, a number of wardrobe changes -- through the course of the day.
Start of the day, walk dog. Jeans and hiking boots. Then, client appointments. Must look intelligent and competent. Hhmm, skirt, blouse and blazer. Change of shoes needed.
The parent-teacher conference. Must look intelligent and adult, yet down to earth. Skirt and blouse, sans blazer, okay. Shoes work. Okay!
Then swimsuit, towels and exercise equipment. Back to dog walk clothes. Or wait, couldn't I just wear my swimsuit on the dog walk? It was after all, pouring rain. No, too cold – I’d need over clothes, a coat and hat at the least. Would my rain coat work for the client appointment? Or my trench coat work for the dog walks?
How to reduce? I had pretty well just packed up my entire closet. My car looked like I was going away for a week, not simply gearing up to do a day's work. And wait! Where was I supposed to be during all these wardrobe changes?
My car, obviously. In the parking lot in Pacific Centre. Simply struggle into my skirt, over my jeans. Slide out of the car to allow my jeans to shimmy down, step elegantly away from them, slip into my pumps, and presto -- prepared to meet and greet the client. It all works, unless a security guard catches the act.
But there he was, wanting to see the receipt for the "extra clothes." It took some fancy talking to convince him I was a professional, on my way to a client appointment. He asked me exactly what kind of professional did I think I was, anyway?
This was getting just a bit too hard. How many people change their clothes a half-dozen times a day? Was I missing some crucial element of organization? Or maybe I was just trying to do too much? Should I quit my job in order to complete my personal commitments? Or maybe quit my personal commitments, send the dogs away - and the kid too, for that matter -- to focus on professional commitments? It was time for some research.
The internet and magazines revealed the secret: Accessories can change your look from daytime to evening with a simple scarf, a bangle bracelet and makeup… Omygoodness. I had forgotten about all the makeup changes I would need. Time to pack another bag – the plum blush couldn't work with the terracotta lip liner, could it? There was no comfort for me on the internet. Simply more stress.
How about a travel store? Tilley's, of course! They were Endurable. They guaranteed it. What a wonderful time I had browsing their catalogue. I used post-it notes on all the pages that had the tough, practical, good-looking clothes that would take me from the forest to the boardroom, to the gym, the soccer field, dinner and dancing, then wouldn't be at all miffed as I cleaned out the garage, took out the trash and went back out with the dogs.
I found it all! I filled out the order form, totaled up the columns, and called my bank and asked for a $10,000 line of credit so that I could successfully dress for success.
Then suddenly it occurred to me: Dress for Success? Ultimately, what this means to me is "Dress for successful living, being and doing, in all your endeavors." It doesn't matter so much what you wear to the party -- it matters that you show up, and remember to bloom where you are planted!
Gail Hirst, an Interior Landscape Specialist, usually writes the Plant Pal column. If your houseplants are suffering right now, it’s because our last issue didn’t include the “Crucial Summer Plant Care Tips” article she wrote for us. Gail is at 604-084-6341 or plantpal@telus.net
Copyright North Shore Magazine Issue Aug - Sep 07
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