Savannah Morning News, 17 June 2006

Having An Authentic Image

I have been reading recently about authenticity with regards to books, events and personal history; The Da Vinci Code book written by Dan Brown, for example, and whether the plot, characters and theories were lifted from other novels previously written by Perdue and others (Vanity Fair/July 2006) and then the Heather McCartney-Mills saga and a possible previous unsavoury lifestyle (headlined by most of the UK press in the last week).  

Whether these assertions are true or not is irrelevant when it comes to their image; an 'impression' has now been made and the way we view these people – their image -will thus be impacted.   Rather than viewing Heather as Lady McCartney, we may view her now as the temptress who manipulated her way into being the wife of a Beatle.  The two images are polar opposites and regardless of her true reputation, it is the image she portrays of herself and how she handles the situation that will determine how people perceive her.  It only takes 9 seconds to make an impression, but it can take a lifetime to try to change it.  Look at Tom Cruise and how his image was completely reversed with his passionate love confessions and displays last year.  The public started to perceive him in a whole new light and many say he may have lost a lot of female fans and his gay following as a result.  It is hard not to look at now without the Oprah sofa thing popping into your head.  Like a photograph, the 'impressions' that we have of someone are stored in our mind forever.

So, your personal image is sacred and must not be contemplated lightly.  What impression do you think you are making?  Are there any situations that you were involved in recently that you feel may have altered peoples' image of you?

Authenticity has a huge part to play when considering your image and personal image; communicating your true personality but also your true abilities.  Dressing 'the part' is also important; you don't want to sell yourself short but dressing to play a completely different persona only works in the short term – you will be discovered eventually.  Companies spend millions per year on their advertising and marketing budgets to create the right image and impression about their products. But no money can buy quality or authenticity; if you open a $200 bottle of wine and it tastes of vinegar, all the marketing efforts will have been pointless.  And if you dress like a princess but really you are a tough cookie, the moment you open your mouth to speak your deception will be revealed.

So how can you be authentic and create a positive image of yourself?

Branding – Your image is like a brand. A fashion designer is also a brand, and you become part of their brand when you wear their clothes. Ensure that it is reflective of your values and consider whether you want to be their walking talking advert. Many designers these days visibly display their logo and it says something about you if you wear their clothes. Gucci conveys a different impression than Nike. Ensure that the brands don't takeover your personal style and image.

Fads – Trends tend to last about seven years whereas fads last for the season. A trend would be bootcut or flares, whereas a fad would be Croc shoes or smock waistlines.  Wearing too many fads can be inauthentic; your image will come and go each season just as the fads do, creating no lasting impression.  Wearing trends or classics – those lifelong style staples – with a fad as an accent is the best combination to have a lasting style and image. Jennifer Lopez and Liz Hurley are good examples of women that have maintained a particular theme and style that ensures they never go out of fashion.  People that recreate themselves constantly never appear genuine, unless they are simply having an up-date as trends change.

Artificial Enhancement – Artificial is the key word here. It is the antithesis of authenticity. If you have suffered a medical situation where artificial enhancement is recommended, then that is of course a completely different scenario. But to take a natural state and change it to a part of whole artificial state implies a lack of understanding of the natural state. Who you are, and what god has given you, is enough to be beautiful and fabulous in your own right. You simply don't need any artificial help, you just need to understand your own 'natural state' better so that you can optimise on it. Everybody could benefit from a make-out as I would call it rather than a make-over. Authenticity really means following your nature style and beauty.

Communication – Everything you say or act out communicates your image to others. Research shows that 75% of a first impression is based on your appearance and only 2% on what you say.  Your personal style therefore says a lot about who you are. The idea that you can not judge a book by its cover is unfortunately not the case when it comes to first impressions. People do look at your appearance as clues to who you are, what you do, what your intentions are and how you may behave. It is quite natural to do this. So, consider when you meet someone for the first time that your appearance will play a big part in what you are saying and to consider this.  There is no point saying 'I just don't care what I wear'; you will actually be communicating you 'don't care' about the other person.  If you believe at any time that someone may have got the wrong impression about you, then communicate with them immediately to correct the situation, for your own sake.

How ever you choose to express yourself is solely your choice. Your image should be a reflection of your nature and personality.  That is your prerogative and your gift to others.  It is a precious part of you that should be valued and not played around with.  How Dan Brown and Heather McCartney-Mills image is affected will depend on how they communicate now and how authentic their image was in the first place.



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©2006 Sarah Whittaker  [www.thewardrobeshrink.com].
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Sarah Whittaker has been featured in numerous newspapers and magazines worldwide, and writes The Wardrobe Shrink Newsletter full of the latest fashion trends, celebrity style and honest image advice.

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