A few years ago I dated an artist who had a well paying day job and yet he dressed in rags when not in work uniform. Although a very handsome man, when my younger daughter saw his photo (in rags) she teasingly ask if I had taken to dating the homeless.
I have been having an ongoing discourse amongst my colleagues, friends and fashionistas regarding the purpose and meaning of signifiers in dress. We have covered such topics as watches, fabrics, skirt lengths and more and have even had additional revelations regarding skirt or slacks in the business environment.
Last evening while watching the popular british series Downton Abbey Maggie Smith’s character the Dowager Countess of Grantham is shocked at seeing two of the gentlemen at an evening dinner wearing black ties. She looks as though she may pale and faint at this social faux pas and remarks ” are we having a barbeque”? as though they were dressed so far from the occassion she was madly confused. Her comment made me giggle and giggle until I was laughing so hard I was nearly apoplectic!
Dowager Countess
To many this attention to detail of dress with the British aristocracy is nothing short of pointless…or is it? haven’t we always been taught to make a good first impression? Dress for success and are given social cues when invited to event s such as black tie or dressy casual. We all know what these terms mean or least we need to find someone who can interpret for us so we don’t show up to the formal in our barbeque casual dress.
Think about how you interpret the signifiers set before you the next time you meet someone and then what message you were sending with your choice of wardrobe and accessories. More on this topic in another blog.
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•Yesterday was my first day back up on a polo pony after the big spill of July 6 at the Red Baron Bash (apt name in hindsight). I had been riding twice this past week Western and English but not galloping, trotting and leaning out of the saddle to get the ball. I already decided I would not force myself if it hurt and just be happy I showed up.
•The M’s showed as did T and New guy B. All guys and all but T are my son’s age. Hmmm…T is a scrappy 50 something and is a good match to play with. I started out alright but it wasn’t too long before I was bouncing in the saddle doing neither Prada nor myself any physical favors. The real tragedy in all this is coach Kimo the Hawaiian Thunder was playing on my team against the bros and T. New guy and gimpy me made it equal I guess haha! Knowing I could easily have scored against the newbies reminded me that sometimes you may have obvious advantage over opponents but now isn’t the time to play those cards…for whatever reason.
•Beware of false assumptions. None of them have played with me except T so they will have a false sense of their strengths and weaknesess next week when we next play. They were run up and down the field except when Kimo intervened and allowed one of them to take a set up shop while he blocks. T is great at stealing the ball, where others might just try to keep you off the ball by hooking or riding off T uses that notion to often seize the ball when his opponent is readying for what they assume is a hook. I know this so I still try to hit or dribble as I ride him off. This is not how I played yesterday. I was mostly a riding, moseying, observer except when I was near the right place the line took the ball and got a few in, even a goal. I could still hit just not aggressively ride without pain. Sometimes in business you aren’t as strong as you’d like to be but you still got to swing.
•So what I thought about while I moseyed about the arena is how I will have the advantage of their recent experience playing with me when we play next. I already know what to expect from them but, they only think they know what to expect from me…
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Zen Life 