Dress like today is important

Over the last several months, I got into the habit of wearing jeans most days. And that slowly led to jeans and a casual top. And that soon led to jeans, a casual top, and sneakers. Which soon led to hair-in-a-messy-bun. Which soon led to me feeling a bit old and frumpy when I left the house.

My dresses and skirts were relegated to “important” days: Days where I had meetings with people I didn’t normally see and conferences or other professional gatherings. My nice handbags and fun necklaces were left hidden from human eyes.

Then, a few weeks ago, I found myself in a shop flipping through one of those silly “self-help” books. I was scoffing a bit as I looked at the chapter headings until I saw one titled “Dress like today is important” and it made me stop to think a bit. And that thinking brought me a couple of realisations I had been missing.

I realised that every day is important. Why? Because I am important. (Even if only to me.) And I need to remind myself of that more often. Especially as most days, I feel less than important; less than worthy.

So for the past couple of weeks, I have been dressing like today is important. I have been wearing my pretty dresses and enjoying my lovely jewellery. And it has been making me feel more positive about myself – and about the world around me. And that positive feeling I get from looking pretty has made me feel so much better about myself.

Of course, the nice dresses also mean I have received several compliments from men and women – including strangers. And that just makes me feel even better about myself. And that makes me smile. And that makes other people smile.

And so, by dressing like today is important, I’ve felt like today is important. I’ve felt like I am important. Because I am important. 

Importantly, it also means I have massively expanded my wardrobe since I have lots of dresses and skirts… and only two pairs of jeans!

My advice to you, if you’re not already doing it, is that you should dress like today is important. Because it is. And so are you. And if you dress like it, you’ll feel like it!

[Photo credits to my PhD supervisor, Hazel Hall, from my 40th birthday – a very important day, indeed!]