03 October 2012

When you look good, they pay good?

I'm still really stoked that I got to see, meet, and take pictures with Tim Gunn.  He was really amazing.

One of the things he talked about that really resonated with me was his talk on being in NYC.  He moved here from DC in the early 80s.  He talked about how he got used to the way people dress and now can walk down the streets seeing everything, yet seeing nothing at the same time.

Gunn mentioned that he does not like telling people what to wear and what not to wear because he does not know their life situation - what they do, where they work, what they are comfortable in, what they are not comfortable in, how they move around, etc.  I thought that was an awesome thing to say.  I hate when people talk about an "it" piece because there is no piece that works for everyone's life.

He also said that you may see someone dressed like a circus clown, because maybe they are a circus clown!  He was so matter of fact with that statement that it really stuck with me.

We don't know what others are doing or going through, so we shouldn't judge their appearances.

He went on for a while about how people in NYC are able to wear what they want - you can hide in the city or you can be yourself no matter what that is.

This is so true.  In the short month plus since I have been here, I have already found items of clothing that I have seen others in that are totally me - that I would buy if and when I finally have some disposable income.
Took this shot one day alone on the subway.
Some days I just want to blend in when it is crowded,
other days I want to stand out.

There are times when I purposely try to stand out in the crowds as I walk - maybe a statement piece of jewelry, my hair done in a wild-natural manner, a loud pair of tights, etc.  Other times, I just want to walk to the train without someone asking me questions or commenting on how they think I look like I should model, or that they love my hair, or that they like my athletic (really? not much anymore) build.

On those days, my walk is slightly different, less confident strutting and more just walking.  I just want to blend in with the crowd.

I always want to look good, though.

I don't like Deion Sanders, the football player, but I heard him say something that has stuck in my head.
When you look good,
you feel good,
when you feel good,
you play good,
when you play good,
they pay good.
My pay is not based on how I play (teach, or do whatever), but I do find that on days when I dress better, I feel better.  Yesterday, I knew that it was going to be a tough day since I was tired from a late night with Tim Gunn, so I pulled out a cute outfit for work.  I felt better just putting it on.

When I look good (or at least feel like I look good), I feel good.  I love dressing in ways that make me feel confident.

14 comments:

  1. This is SO TRUE! I have lost weight and gained weight - - many times! The last time I lost weight I felt so confident and so good about myself. It was actually FUN buying clothes! I gained my weight back, and now I don't want to go anywhere. I'm the same person inside, but the outside appearance certainly makes it easier to love myself!

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    1. It is horrible that it is true, but outside appearance really does tend to impact the way we feel about ourselves - even when we are the same person.

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  2. I so agree with this, even when I'm just staying home and doing chores! If i don't get dressed like I'm going to leave the house, I'm less likely to take the things I'm supposed to get done seriously or be remotely productive.

    I'm so glad that Tim Gunn was so impactful! You've made me want to look him up. I've never watched Project Runway.

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    1. He is so great! I still have another post related to him. He was amazing.

      And he is a lover of words, books, and writing! I love it! He had so many great quotes that I wish I hadn't been afraid of looking like a dork and taking notes during his conversation. I thought I would remember them all and be able to share them with students, but, of course, my memory failed me!

      So true what you say about even house clothes! It makes a difference!

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  3. It's the strangest thing with big cities, when I lived in London I could dress anyway I wanted without anyone paying attention. You can be completely invisible.

    But that isn't always a good thing...people become oblivious to you, they live in their own bubbles. You can be incredibly lonely even when surrounded by people.

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    1. It is a great and scary feeling at the same time knowing that you can become invisible in a big city, right?!

      I have heard a lot of people talk about how few friends they make in the cities, though.

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  4. I would love to meet him. I agree that feeling like you look good can make a difference, I keep getting stuck between wanting to not care and wanting to really make an impact on how I dress daily.

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    1. It was great! You should definitely go see him if you get the opportunity.

      I understand your dilemma. Time also plays a part in my decisions of what to wear.

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  5. Tim Gunn!!! Would love to meet him too. It's certainly true that when you look good, you feel good

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    1. It is so true. Which is why I don't understand why some people purposefully dress sloppily - though maybe that is their personal version of looking good, right?

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  6. Ditto Judy's comment above! I'm working on losing baby weight and I can't wait to go shopping in my closet. There are way too many sizes in there right now.

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    1. Good luck and I hope you enjoy your "new" clothes!

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  7. 'When you look good, you feel good, when you feel good, you play good,'

    I agree with this so much. Over the last few months working at the library I have been able to discover a bit of me again and being me certainly gives me more confidence in what I do. The only thing standing in the way...laziness, laundry never was my strong point!!

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    1. Laziness tends to get in the way of so many things in my life.

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