Why Are You So Dressed Up?

by Anderson King

I got a message asking me to write an article and was thrilled. Surely the editor wanted 1000 words on Barbados’ transition to republic status, and the emotional impact on the minds of Bajans as we finally shed the last vestiges of colonial exploitation. But no… they wanted me to write about how I match my pants with my socks.

It’s Living Barbados’ Fashion Issue and I get the pleasure of being selected chief narcissist to answer the question, “Do you consider yourself fashionable?”. It’s an honour, and I’ll do my best to answer that and weave in thoughts about personal branding and how physical presentation, loosely fashion, plays a part in all this.

However, let me get this out of the way.

I want to first say thanks to Zara stores; my granny for making me tuck in my shirt; and all the people who supported me over the years by choosing to dress down while I broke the rules and wore my ‘good’ clothes everywhere. Without all of you the editor would’ve never asked me to write this article and for that I’m super grateful.

In my opinion, to be fashionable should not be just one thing or one approach. Nor can it be found in any of those men’s magazine rules about matching your belt and shoes and all that commonplace stuff. Fashion is ‘You’, your personality, it’s mainly how you express yourself through the things you wear.

I like to think I’m honest and aware of myself so what I wear feels like me. I describe my fashion sense as “neither clown nor wallflower”. I’ll never be able to pull off every trend, nor every fit and I don’t want to. I’ll also never be in any of the men’s uniforms guys wear when being fashionable is not high on the list of how they present ourselves. It’s important to know yourself and your individual style.

Personality may also fit a much broader design aesthetic expressed in a host of other choices you make. This includes but is not limited to the hotels you choose to stay at, the restaurants you prefer, how you eat etc. Fashion (with a small f) is weaved into all those choices.

Personal branding

Which leads me to this truly millennial ideal of personal branding, bless their hearts, but I do like the concept. Whether we like the idea or not we’re all pretty much brands. We used to see brands in relation to how we think about companies and products, but with the advent and domination of social media and how we constantly promote ourselves to our curated communities, understanding the elements of your personal brand is important.

One of the most obvious and effective ways to build a compelling personal brand isyou’re your physical presentation fits in that narrative. There can be lots of other elements, but we haven’t yet found a way to not judge a book by its cover so it’s best to have the cover be the best representation of who we are.

I read somewhere “how you dress is a deliberate effort to create and influence the public’s perception of ourselves”. We understand the importance of a CV being used to showcase our professional skills, expertise, and life’s highlights, but we’re not being honest if we try to remove how we present ourselves as one of the driving factors behind how we’re actually received.

I’ve been told I’m fashionable, that’s as close as you’ll get to me saying I am fashionable without cringing; but if I am fashionable, it’s because I’m being me and putting a little more effort into what best represents how I want to be received.

Anderson King
Brand Strategist, Marketing & Advertising Consultant