Thoughts of a Mrs. Modern-Day Mountain Woman Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Cut your beard and look like you want to do business.

I have never liked tucking in my shirt. I remember when I was partly through college, coming home to visit my folks and my mom being so excited that my shirt was, “actually tucked in!” My children go to a public charter school now where uniforms are a must. They have to have their shirts tucked in and belts on always. It has been amazing to watch them take pride in their attire and appearance. They aren’t becoming arrogant about their appearance, just responsible. They know what it means to look nice when you go out in public and how to present themselves well when they are in school or church. The other day I tucked my shirt in, on a Saturday! My oldest noticed and said, “Oh Mom! Look at you! Good job tucking your shirt in!” It was a change to my normal home attire, apparently, and the kids noticed.

There was a professor at my junior college who would not allow a student into the classroom if they were wearing pajama pants. She would calmly tell them, “when you are prepared to come to class properly attired, you will be prepared to learn.” She would then walk them out the door and lock it. Many of my classmates thought this was unreasonable or unfair when the opposite was true. She was teaching students that in the future, at their job, they would need to dress appropriately to be taken seriously. Learning is a serious business and it is respectful of others and yourself to be serious enough to get dressed properly before leaving the house.

Mountains clothed in God's splendor and majesty.

Judith Rasband said, “The way we dress affects the way we think, the way we feel, the way we act, and the way others react to us.” Ms. Rasband is a professional consultant, teacher, and speaker who has decades of experience in the field of fashion and image education. She understands and teaches others to understand the importance of putting your best foot forward if you wish to be taken seriously. If I were to walk into a lecture hall to speak on an important topic, but I had just gone there straight from weeding my garden and I was sweaty and dirty with my big sun hat on and dirty fingernails and work clothes on, would anyone take me seriously? The opposite is also true. If I were to show up to a volunteer project for cleaning up the rivers and streams dressed in high heels and a suit, they’d never let me near the task. It is important to dress for the job you want and also for the job you have.

I’m not the person who cares if my snow pants (incredibly bright pink- almost neon because they were the best deal to buy...maybe no one else wanted them?!!) don’t match my coat. I choose my outfits based on what is appropriate for the situation. If I’m teaching outdoor education and will be outside in brutally cold temperatures all day, I will proudly wear my florescent pink snow pants because I will be warm and dry. If I am teaching in my children’s school, I will wear business professional because that is what is expected. If I’m subbing at my Waldorf inspired school, I never ever wear white because I will inevitably end up with paint or chalk or dirt from the garden on me. It is important to dress appropriately for every situation. Ginger Rogers is quoted as saying, “I believe in dressing for the occasion. There’s a time for sweaters, sneakers and Levi’s and a time for the full-dress jazz.”