How we look creates impressions and how others treat us.

My first trip on a plane occurred when I moved from Long Island to South Portland, Maine with my children. This happened over forty years ago. I had never been on a plane so my level of anxiety was very high. However, it was also combined with deciding what we would wear on the plane. I’m sure this sounds absolutely ridiculous when you consider how people dress when they travel today. Everyone used to get dressed up as if they were going to have tea with the Queen of England.
Well, you probably have to be brain dead to know that this is no longer the case. I have been on flights where a lot of the passengers looked as if they had just rolled out of bed, used a rake to comb their hair, and threw on whatever they could find no matter what it looked like. This type of dress code has become par for the course. We seem to have entered the era of “slobdom”. I love feeling comfortable, and I have certainly downsized my need to look perfect whenever I leave the house. I used to put on makeup to go food shopping. However, I still feel that I should try to look as presentable as possible when I go out in public.
I have my ” house look” which often consists of sweat pants, my nightgown, a sweater and my slippers. It certainly doesn’t fit into the category of ravishing and I don’t think I’ll get the front cover of Vogue. My son has witnessed this outfit many times and always has a good laugh when he sees me. I’m glad I can be his source of amusement but after spending years having to endure being terrorized by bras, girdles, and high heels, I am happy to be able to be let loose. I’m sure some of you may not even remember girdles. I’m glad you don’t. They were like serving time in a lingerie prison.

It’s great to have a space to simply look and feel anyway you want. But shouldn’t we try to look a little bit more together when we’re out in public? How to dress for success used to be a huge part of how individuals approached their careers. There has been research that showed that children who wore uniforms did better in school. Many students today dress in a very laissez-faire fashion often bordering on dishevelment. Casual Fridays in a lot of companies has turned into casual everyday.
Believe me, I’m not advocating for dressing like a high profile fashion model, but it might
make sense to start realizing that how we look creates impressions and how others treat us. It also can impact how we behave. If I may share a suggestion: take a good look at yourself in themirror before you leave the house. You may have an epiphany.