I am not a fan of convenience.
Sometimes.
When convenience stops us from learning lessons we need, building valuable skills, or facing challenges that we should learn to overcome, it gets in our way to grow. When activities of convenience limit our ability to improve and understand more of our world, I am not a fan.
However, there are some aspects of life where convenience is useful and for me, one of those areas is in what I wear. I do think about what I wear and the impression it is going to make, yet I also look to ways that heavily limit how much thought I have to put into looking okay for the situation.
I used to have a lot of clothes that varied a great deal, but now I have a lot of the same kinds of clothes and for what I don't use often, only a couple items that can be rotated as needed. For instance, I go to work in an office where it is very casual, and most of the time I can get away with a T-shirt and jeans - So, that is what I wear. I have a few in black, blue and white, and they are all pretty much the same. I also have a couple polo shirts also, which are company branded. This way, I don't have to think at all about what I am going to wear.
And it is interesting, because it actually makes more of an impression on people, as they seem to come to expect a certain look from me. And then, when there are other occasions that require for instance a collared shirt, it is a noticeable change and gets commented on. However, I still don't look the same every day, as if I don't wash my clothes.
This is convenient and practical.
I think that good design is not in the looks, it is in the functionality. But, great design is the both functional, and good looking. It is hard to accomplish at times, but I wonder if it applies to humans in the same way.
We probably all know someone who dresses functionally, and we probably all know someone who looks good, but isn't very practical. In Finland, most people dress for comfort most of the time, not looks and it seems that for a long time, the culture hasn't cared that much about appearances. This is changing though, as men in suits are no longer wearing sports tube socks and dress shoes. Well, most of the time they aren't.
And obviously, there are differences in culture globally on what is appropriate when and where, but in general, I think that most places have a localized form of looks matter. I assume there are other aspects as well, for example, smell matters too most likely. While the preferred scent profile might change, there is probably also some kind of sniff test on what is good and bad and there is an impression made that way too.
And, impressions probably matter all around the world, though what triggers the impression can change. So I wonder, do people consider what kinds of generalized impression they are making and what impact it might have on their personal outcomes? Do you know if you are dressed well, do you know if you smell favorably?
@Galenkp lives by the "Design your life, don't live by default" philosophy, and I was thinking if people consider what is "good or great design" for themselves. Are they really paying attention to what is the most functional way to reach their goals and, what goes into making that happen. And it isn't only about looks and smells, it is also about behaviors.
Some people might look at this and consider it "caring what others think" but that isn't necessarily the case. If you are trying to get from point A to point B, considering the most effective and efficient way to make the journey has to consider resource availability and the conditions of the trip. If the road is gravel, if it is winding, if it is filled with pot holes, if it is uphill or down, if it is hot or cold.
At any given point of time, we are all facing current conditions that affect our journey and unless living as a hermit in the forest, the activity of other people are going to affect our outcomes. Activity includes their judgements about us and if we aren't delivering a message that facilitates our cause, we are possibly putting up unnecessary hurdles that we could otherwise overcome.
However, "convenience" can get in our way, as we quickly build habits and become blind to the feedback we might be getting from the environment that we are operating in. For example, perhaps there are some people at work who could help me, who see me as unprofessional if I dress the way I do. Am I willing to give up the convenience and comfort in order to progress my other needs?
It depends on the ROI, doesn't it?
Giving up convenience comes at a cost, but it can also deliver additional value that might not be otherwise attainable. Rather than expecting other people to change for me, it might be that I am the wone that should change, not for them, but to further my cause.
I don't actually have this issue at my work.
However, I also change appropriately, ensuring that depending on the context of the environment, I am dressed appropriately for the occasion. Some people choose to not do this to make a different kind of statement. Other people are largely oblivious to the occasion itself, or the impact they are making.
Some have said that they "don't care what people think of them" and this might be true, but I also haven't met someone who doesn't care about the results they get in life. If then, dressing differently, smelling differently, or acting differently would lead to getting that result and people are unwilling to change, it means that they value their default, their preference for convenience and personal comfort, over getting the outcomes they want. It is a value hierarchy and a lot of people are choosing their personal status quo, over their wants and needs.
The other day I was saying to my friend while we walked around a department store that I need to update my wardrobe a little. Nothing fancy, just an adjustment for the changed environment I find myself more often working in. But, most of it isn't for work, it is in my personal time that I need to update the most. However, I am going to give it a few months at the gym, before I buy anything, because the condition of me is changing too, as is my age. Whatever I end up buying though - it will still be as convenient as it can be, while delivering the value I need it to given the situation.
As an objective observer, who would you rate your own style and the impression you make?
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
