It’s been said many times that dressing up, having your hair done, wearing makeup, wearing jewelry, getting in shape, etc… makes you feel better about yourself. And that you should do it for yourself and not for someone else. But doesn’t it also make us feel good when someone else notices?
I happen to use this technique when I am in a mental slump. I notice that when I go to my office in sweats and a tee, I feel sluggish and tired. Keep in mind I work from my home office, so rolling back into bed is closer to reality than it may be for others. (*grin) However, when I dress up like I am going to the office (like a real corporate office) I am more mentally motivated and get more accomplished that day.
What are your thoughts on this issue? Do our clothes/outfits really boost self-esteem, confidence and productivity at work? Or is this just another mind game society plays on us to get us to shop?! 😮
Image: Girl trying dress in looking in mirror cheerful and happy.
This is such a good question, and I have to admit that I go back and forth on this very subject all the time myself. I, too, work out of my home, and have an office area set up for just that reason. But, on the other hand, I also have a very part-time job that requires me to leave the home, from time to time, as well. Being that I live alone, during my work from home schedule there are actually days that I work in my pajamas. Am I less productive those days? I do not think that I am, at least in my mind. But, after reading your post, I started really thinking on the specifics of the question. After a few moments, it dawned on me that maybe I am less productive. I know that when I am working out of the home for “myself” I am more lenient on certain things–how I dress is the main thing. But when I leave the home for work, I find I am more particular, almost to the point of OCD on how I appear and present myself. In this day and age of everyone and everything going digital, maybe there is simply no need felt to put on “the dog” at all times. I used to think that maybe there was some truth to the whole belief of a marketing tactic to get people to buy, but having been working out of my home for almost a year now, I am starting to believe that the combination of pride in oneself reflects in ones work may not be a new idea. That maybe, just maybe, that very feeling was around way before the marketers of this world tapped into it.
I just saw the author Elizabeth Gilbert on TV and she said she gets dressed up to go to her home office and write, as she finds she writes better content when she makes an effort! I know I always feel “dressed” when I put mascara on and I feel slouchy in sweats or PJ’s.
I once heard a former Real Housewife say something on TV that has stuck with me since. She said, “If you can’t take pride in yourself, then you won’t take pride in anything else.” I have lived by this motto, especially since having two kids under the age of three. With my first one, there were days that he would be more difficult and tiring. I would feel defeated and down, and I would look at myself wondering what I accomplished that day. I would still be in my PJ pants or grungy top and I just felt bad, like I was slowly losing myself in motherhood. This wasn’t the girl I knew before I had kids, and I was drowning in letting myself ‘go.’
As my son got older, and I got a little more wiser, I made sure to get dressed and to throw on some makeup for the day (nothing too extravagant). It made a world of difference for me. I found myself feeling better, more accomplished and most importantly, I like felt like myself again. When my second child came, I made more of an effort to not lose myself and to always take time to get ready (even if it can be a bit of a hassle with two kiddos running around). When I leave the house now to run errands or to go to work, I know that I feel my best because I took the time to have pride in myself; that has made all the difference in my happiness for myself and for my family.
I don’t relate this to a marketing plot or mind game to get us to shop (I am sure for some it may). I relate this to my childhood – my mom always had me dress up for church and we also had a strict dress code all through my schooling years. Our dress code was classy and the students always looked professional (even for teenagers). Having to live to like that for 18+ years, made me want to dress up and be presentable for life after school.
For me, dressing up has made me feel better about myself as a mother, partner, worker and as an individual.
I just had a baby a couple of months ago so I know I am not making as much effort with my appearance as I used to and I would really like to make it a priority, but I just don’t have the time right now. I would hope that people judge us more on our actions than our looks but I know that’s not true, as we live in a very superficial world. I am getting my hair done at the weekend, maybe that will make me start to care more again about the outside.
That brings up a good question. Do we fix ourselves from the inside out or the outside in? What are your thoughts?
I am not sure really, I wonder how we would feel if there was no pressure from the media to look a certain way- I am sure men don’t have as many pressures on them as we do!
When you get dressed, you can either dress like a bum and feel like one. Or you can dress like a boss and feel like one. It all depends on what I feel in the morning. If I feel down,sometimes I’ll dress up. I think I could do a little better with that.