Costume

There was nothing I loved more than when my son was little and we went to Woolworths and he would wear his Superman costume.

It absolutely changed him.

Don’t you just love the adults who stop and say “Oh my heavens, who do we have here?”. When that happened to my son would stand up tall and squirm and be so proud of his cape as he swished it all around. Beautiful.

Back to meetings and speaking. Are we really any different from that little boy? You wouldn’t believe how people look at your hair, your shoes, your outfit and you wouldn’t believe how the brain changes the minute you put on your ‘costume’.

I particularly loved it when the accountant asked whether my clothes were for everyday wear or only for performances. Honestly, where else would I wear my gold sparkly suit other than on stage!!!

So, without going into any deep psychology, whether you are on stage or seated at a meeting, there are two reasons to think of ‘your costume’.

1. How will it make the audience respond?
2. How will it make you feel? (much more important)

I have people tell me all the time “I put on my pink jacket and I’m away”.

There is some deeper psychology there than you might have recognised.

Your task is:
Find something you love and feel fabulous in. It might be jeans. It might be an orange jacket. It might be a special pair of earrings. Put them on and see what difference it makes. Do you suddenly become that child with a Superman cape? If not, find something else.

As my stylist friend would say, “It’s an investment piece, darling”.

Wear it with pride.

What work costume do you have and love?