I have a way with giving our kids all sorts of information that they don’t want. Somehow, I believe them to be consulting/coaching clients paying me big bucks in order to get an idea of what they should be doing in life. Hahahaha….

I start with things like proper nutrition and posture. Not a very willing audience. I figure, since they’re not paying me big bucks, or any bucks for that matter, I don’t have to tell them what they want to hear…. But eating for As is a reality in terms of brain power, not to mention why school uniforms will always be popular in prep schools and why Casual Fridays have gone the way of the dodo bird.

Asking my husband recently about what ever happened to Casual Fridays, he commented that it became way too complex.

“Each time I went into the bank on a Friday, the managers would apologize and feel they had to explain their appearance….”

True, true. Nobody thinks you’ll trust them with major financial transactions when they’re dressed like somebody out to mow their lawn. What happened to dress for success?  What was casual Friday supposed to be, anyway? Were you supposed to wear athleisure wear, straight from the gym? Were you to aim for sporty, but stylish? Maybe a little boho? It used to mean that you wore a collared shirt, even if it was a polo, or that you would never wear sandals or Tennis Shoes, always an appropriate, if low-key, business shoe.

Times have changed. Many high-tech firms dress casually every day, anyway. Presently, every day could be a casual day, particularly if you’re telecommuting.

But when it comes to law, accounting, finance… Wall Street, Capitol Hill… not so much.

So today, I tried to impress on the kids that one’s manner of dress could actually “say” something about you, something more than “Look what I just bought!!!” It might actually affect your performance in school or at work, or others’ impressions of you. Which brings us to today’s motto:

“The problem with appearance is that it translates to performance.” ~Nicole Williams, career expert at LinkedIn

She explains that not fitting in could affect your chance at a promotion. It’s how others perceive you, an often-understated idea in an era where everything has to be about me-me-ME! So, employees often believe that there is “downsizing” or whatever going on, when really, nobody ever told them that how they approach their career in terms of appearance and demeanor has a direct impact on their upward mobility… or lack thereof.

So today, ditch the orange lipstick and ultra-high heels, ladies. Get rid of the tennis shoes and untucked shirts, guys. This does not inspire confidence. Unless you’re the CEO and then you’ll have the ideas and energy to make a home-run, anyway.

Make it a great Monday, everyone!
—————