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Pretty Girl Karma

Surprisingly, this post applies to my male readers too – and to people that don’t consider themselves to be pretty (you really are, like it or not).

Writers, freelancers, work from homers – whoever you may be. At some point in your illustrious career, some lovely person has said this to you, “That’s so cool that you work from home! You can just wear your pajamas all day and no one will care or see you!”

Uh huh. It’s true. We could do that. And some days, I’m sure we all do.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and proclaim, superficiality be damned, that what we wear, how we costume ourselves, really does matter. It affects what we think about ourselves, how we act, how we talk, what we say, what actions we take.

When I dress in sweats and running shoes, I’m casual, I slump – sometimes when I look from the work I’m doing on my computer down to my clothes and back up again, it occurs to me that I’m maybe I’m only ‘playing’ writer.

So, I don’t do that anymore. Because when I wear jeans that fit in all the right places, my good bra that erases 3. 5 years of pregnancy and nursing with a single clasp, a beautiful and stain-free sweater and shoes that make me almost as tall as most other people who are on the shorter side of average height – then, I feel it when I’m sitting in this chair.

I’m confident, I’m worthy, I’m an adult, I’m a professional. I’m in touch with my power source. I own it. You can see it in the way I hold myself, in the way I walk, in the way I am and in the way I do. I dare say it’s my pretty girl karma. Because what I put out, comes right back at me – respect, value, compensation for what I’m worth, hotness, good people, great projects.

And in this case, karma is not a bitch. (Unless you piss her off.)

This post is dedicated to the FANTASTIC Kelly Diels who, when I told her that I dressed hot for the big Dragon Tattoo Blog Hunt launch yesterday even though no one saw me all day, remarked, ‘Of course…pretty girl karma’ without skipping a beat – and sparked my brain and ignited this post. Kelly gets it and just so you know, Kelly always looks hot and always shows plenty of Cleavage. I love her to bits.

What about you? Do you have power clothes? A power look? Are you affected by your threads? How?

Image credit: AlyssssylA

Join the discussion 24 Comments

  • nicóle says:

    I agree! I agree! I agree! I’m so glad Kelby introduced me to your blog! I’m smitten!
    .-= nicóle´s last blog ..Blue October “Should Be Loved” Video =-.

  • Ari Herzog says:

    Indeed. I sometimes wear pajamas until I decide to take a shower in the middle of the afternoon… but those are days I’m unproductive. The productive days are like today, when I set my alarm for 7:30 after 4 hours of sleep (due to deciding to re-watch Dracula last night) and showered and dressed and met with some city hall folks an hour later, and been productive since.

    There is a lot to be said for wanting to work if you feel like you are working. Dress says a lot.
    .-= Ari Herzog´s last blog ..How My Blog Reading is Changing =-.

  • Mary says:

    I really love this post. I have worked from home almost all my adult life and learned early on that I am much more productive and CREATIVE when I’m dressed and ready to go. I used to get dressed and still wear my slippers but wearing my shoes actually helps me feel completely ready. I even put on earrings on days when I’m absolutely going nowhere.

    I love how you refer to it as pretty girl karma because being ready, being dressed, really does make me sit taller, feel more alert and more business like even when I’m just on the computer or on the phone.

    I’m curious, have you always done this? I have and haven’t at different times in my life and at this point have really proved to myself that it works…
    .-= Mary´s last blog ..Humility and Gratitude… =-.

  • J. Koyanagi says:

    Definitely. I write from home, and while we do have a “no shoes in the house” policy, I otherwise dress as if I would be seen by my peers. Even if I have no intention of leaving the house.
    .-= J. Koyanagi´s last blog ..Character Art: Elizabeth Hughes and Aspect =-.

  • Julie says:

    You know, I’m of two minds on this. On the one hand, I love to be comfy. But, I have realized that if I’m still in my pajamas at 2 p.m., I start to feel like a loser, which certainly can’t help my writing. I watched an Oprah makeover episode once where Adam Glassman said, “Look cute for you.” Now I meet myself in the middle with outfits like leggings and a tunic. Still comfy, but I don’t have to be mortified if someone comes to the front door. (Right now I have on jeans and a comfy sweater) :-)

  • Definitely, definitely agree with this. Slouching around is great – on your day off. But if you want to be productive you have to feel the part.

  • Van says:

    I completely agree with this post. But ironically, today I’m at the office dressed for success, groomed, and manicured- yet I’m slumping in the chair and feeling misery trying to finish this writing (and obviously flitting from blog to blog trying to get inspiration back). I wish the clothes alone could make you more productive sometimes!

  • I think it’s about consistency. When you wear something different — it makes you feel different and interferes with your habits. I say — wear what works best for you. I work best in workout clothes plus I’m always ready to go work out (and I actually do). :)
    .-= Meryl K Evans´s last blog ..Guest Post: How Writing Helps to Heal =-.

  • Julie Roads says:

    Van! It’s so true – and I almost wrote a disclaimer in the post saying that it doesn’t always work. This is not a foolproof plan, by a long shot. But – more often than not, it works. Look mahvelous, feel mahvelous, baby.

  • Julie Roads says:

    Great point, Meryl! This is totally a to each his/her own kind of thing. It’s about what activates your pretty girl karma – running clothes? a power suit? tight, ass-hugging jeans? It’s all good.

  • Julie Roads says:

    Mary – my 20’s uniform was overalls. Cute, comfy, twenty-something. It worked then. Does NOT work now. I only recently grew up (wink).

  • Yes, definitely the truth. This is why I’m dressed at all times and I’m talkin bout heels at Walmart. I grew up wearing my brother’s hand me down Boss Hogg t-shirt, so I know how Pretty Girl Karma works. As soon as I was old enough to dress myself, my entire life changed (was not a great change at first, by the way.)

    Also has a lot to do with how one feels in those jammies. Makes a big difference if you’re like “I’m wearing my jammies and I am smoookkkin hott!” or “Damn, I should get outta these raggedy jammies.”
    Same concept with cosmetics, btw.

    Thanks for breakin down Pretty Girl Karma…

  • Isao says:

    I always wear office outfit when I write in the morning. Like you said, I feel that I am already a professional writer (= responsible for myself and my readers), and also I can head off to my day job right away. It goes the same for Sunday when I continue writing in a nearby Starbucks. Wait, I don’t own a good pajama. Is that aweful? ;)

  • Alisa Bowman says:

    I fear the day when video conferencing becomes the 100 percent norm, because if people saw what I was wearing while I was talking to them on the phone, their respect for me would drop quite a few notches. I just need to be comfortable for creativity to flow. I only harness my boobs into a bra for business lunches.
    .-= Alisa Bowman´s last blog ..I Want to Be the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo =-.

  • I love this blog!!! Julie…you are so very real! With that…I’m going to confess…I tend to write…in the…ummm….ahem….*whispers* nude. Mind you, that’s likely because I haven’t broken in to the professional writing domain yet :(…regardless…I love to write so I do it in the realest form I know! Love your post as always Julie. YOU ROCK!!
    .-= Farrah J Phoenix´s last blog ..Nude: To Pose or not to Pose =-.

  • Totally agree. Some days, I just want to be the slob with the baseball hat on because no one can see me, but I’m ALWAYS better when I get showered at 6am and start my day not looking like Albert Einstein.

    I’m happy not to have to wear the corporate “suit” anymore but I do try to get dressed for my own self-esteem. It’s huge.

    …and you ARE hotness.
    .-= The Daily Blonde´s last blog ..Thin Mints, Tea and Friendship =-.

  • Julie Roads says:

    Back ‘atcha, Blondie (and we speak the truth since we’ve met in real life and all…)

  • Julie Roads says:

    Farrah – don’t whisper that. That is the ULTIMATE in Pretty Girl Karma. Seriously hot. Thanks for sharing. And your bodaciously sweet words.

  • Julie Roads says:

    “I only harness my boobs into a bra for business lunches.” Oh, Alisa. Only you.

  • Andi says:

    Funny, maybe it’s because I work at a corporate job where I have to dress decently, I look forward to those days working from home when I can be in my pajamas! There have been days when my husband has come home at 6 at night I am still in them!

  • Alisa… oh dear, I hope that doesn’t come true. I cannot read lips on video and video autocaptioning has a long ways to go before it accurate enough to understand what’s going on.
    .-= Meryl K Evans´s last blog ..10 Reasons Why I’m Not Going to sxsw interactive =-.

  • I have found this true for me in my career as a lawyer as well. I worked for a firm where one of the lawyers would throw on a sweater over whatever she slept in and show up for work. I got into a jeans and a sweatshirt habit, but found my work was far more professional when I dressed more like a lawyer. Or at least a lawyer on casual Friday.

  • Walker says:

    As a new working from home individual I’m realizing the importance of what you’re experiencing. Last week I shifted from sofa to table and boy did it make a difference. Hearing this conversation I guess I probably need to abandon the bathrobe before noon!
    .-= Walker´s last blog ..Location, Location, Location =-.

  • Dave Doolin says:

    I never thought of it, but I think you’re right.

    Actually, I’m almost sure you’re right.

    @Walker – about the only thing I’ll do on a sofa anymore is commenting sprees, or super serious hard core coding when I know I won’t be leaving the house for a couple of days. (And that’s not a bad thing in that context)
    .-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..Not-So-Secret Blog Alliances – Kelly Diels bares (almost) all =-.

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