WooHoo! A business award…
The award notification drops into your inbox and you are elated with the news. How long is it before that elation turns to panic and your thoughts turn to “what on earth do I wear to the awards lunch?”
Your excitement is mixed with worry about not having anything appropriate to wear. Maybe you attended the awards last year but not as a nominee and looking back, feel you don’t own an outfit that would “fit in”. You don’t want to look like you’re going to a wedding but similarly are worried about being too casual.
Before you rush out and buy something that on an impulse and is not right for your personality, colouring or style, have you considered that dreaded phrase…
“Repeating an outfit”?
I hear from clients often that as it’s a “new” event, they think they have to buy a new outift. It’s simply not true. Delving into your existing wardrobe and taking the time to rediscover & select an outfit you felt great in once before, is very powerful for a number of reasons; firstly, there’s the financial implication of course, so that one comes top. But arguably equally importantly, it’s about our mood and mental energy… the energy we can spend, if we’re not careful, in worrying about finding a new outfit, ordering numerous options, returning them all because we’ve not found what we think we want can be exhausting. Our energies are far better spent focusing on enjoying the awards lunch, maintaining a positive outlook and mood and if you have to speak, managing any nerves and giving your best performance.
Gone are the days when we feel the need to worry about an outfit having been seen before. Finance and sustainability are key here.
So, here’s what to do:
* give yourself a break
* don’t stress over an outfit
* take some time to properly look in your wardrobe
* consider your personality and how you feel in an outfit
* ensure you feel confident as soon as you put the outfit on
Doing all of this will shift your focus from “what to wear” to “I’m going to look & feel great and concentrate on being immensely proud when I collect my award”
