Check this out!

I have a mirror.

I use said mirror in the mornings.

I look to make sure that my skirt is on correctly or my pants legs aren’t wrinkled.

I brush my teeth and look to make sure that they are sparkly white.

I make sure that my clothes fit and aren’t too tight or too loose.

I make sure that my hair isn’t messy, overly teased, or unkempt.

I make sure that my makeup is tasteful and natural looking.

I wear heels because I love them and they make me feel confident and powerful.

So……enough about me while I admit something….

I am a snob.

The reason I say this is that I can’t believe the way some people dress and how they don’t have enough pride to look nice. Maybe it is because they have confidence and think that they can look the way they do and be fine. Maybe I hide behind my clothes because I don’t have enough confidence to look like a sloppy mess outside of the house. I want the people I am with to be happy to be seen with me instead of being ashamed.

Where I work is a casual work environment. Jeans, flip flops, and t-shirts are acceptable clothing for the agents. When I was a phone agent I can remember there was 1 time, just once, that I didn’t dress up because I felt horrible, I didn’t want to really dress up. My work was affected by it. I see agents every day come in wearing pajama pants and hoodies while wearing flip flops. I just shake my head.

When I was asked to apply for a coaching position the person who asked me said the reason they thought I would be good for it was because I dressed nice and they could tell I was serious about moving up and making something of myself. If I wore jeans they didn’t have holes, they were dark wash, worn with stiletto boots and a button down shirt or I wore a skirt with heels. It makes a difference, it really does.

Today, as a staff member, I hardly ever wear denim and if I do it is a nice skirt with a dressier shirt and heels. Casual Fridays may be khaki and nice sandals and a clean, pressed t-shirt but I still don’t dress sloppily.

I may not be as confident about my weight or body as other people but I dress to suit it and flatter it.

I had started thinking about all of this after the county fair last week. I saw so many people in things that didn’t flatter them at all!

There were girls in shorts that showed too much cellulite, men in ratty cut off t-shirts, women in shirts that didn’t cover their muffin tops that their two sizes to small pants created. It was flat out disgusting.

I should envy them I suppose. They have a confidence to wear those kind of clothes without hesitation, something I couldn’t do. Even yesterday, amongst friends, while cooking I took off my jacket and felt uncomfortable because I was wearing something sleeveless. Lack of confidence? Maybe. I even mentioned it today to someone that was there and he said that he didn’t know why I was so self conscious about it. (Second time I have heard that this week…believe me I am listening..and it does build the confidence to hear it.)

So while I continue to take pride in myself, and won’t even go to the store without first doing my hair, I will continue to shake my head at those that don’t seem to care…and maybe even envy their confidence.