Face to Face Identity Management through Clothing

"A respectable appearance is sufficient to make people more interested in your soul." ~Karl Lagerfield

We know a big part of any makeover involves changing clothes, adding to our wardrobe, and taking things out that make us look bad. No matter how painful that may be, we know that we are judged by our first appearances. Why do you think that is?


OPPROBRIUM

1

: something that brings disgrace

2

a : public disgrace or ill fame that follows from conduct considered grossly wrong or vicious

"We may be born naked, but we waste little time correcting the oversight. Almost from the moment we wriggle into the world, we start getting dressed. Conventional wisdom claims that clothing is simply a means of survival, but clearly there’s more to it. Whether it’s a couple of strategically placed shells or a suit of armor, a G-string or a caribou parka, clothing is a set of signals to all we meet. And though clothes may indeed protect us from the elements, their real job is to protect us from social opprobrium, or to make a statement—to a potential boss, a potential bride, or a very real enemy." —Banana Republic Catalog

(Adler. Looking Out, Looking In, 13th Edition. Wadsworth, Cengage Learning/CourseSmart, 01/01/2010. 72).