Wearing Uniforms for Weddings and Parties

Two topics in today’s post.  First, what a cute kid!  I loved my Cub Scout uniform.  It was probably not my first uniform, certainly not my last.  Do you wear a uniform?  It can be useful to think we’re always wearing one.

Whatever we wear is a uniform that reminds us about who we are, what we believe, and how we’ll keep our promises.  Much has been said and written about how our self-image influences our behavior.

Despite warnings about “judging a book by its cover”, I find my attire also informs brides-to-be and event planners about how I think and what they’ll expect me to do.  However you make a living, whatever you do, this is likely to be true for you, too.  Like it or not, our friends, clients, and colleagues always need a full and correct impression of us.

Several examples of this quickly come to mind.  You too?  In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Polonius advised his son “the apparel oft proclaims the man”.  49ers fans will remember that Jerry Rice’s uniform was always perfect, reflecting his flawless work ethic.  And remember John Malloy’s best-seller of the 1970s, Dress for Success, and all the “spin-off” books and programs it still inspires?

When I’m “on” a job, I wear either a fresh tuxedo or jacket & tie to nearly every engagement.  When I’m “off”, I always wear Dockers, a sport shirt, and my black Rockports — unlaced.  That’s my casual uniform.

How about you?  What are your uniforms, and what messages are you sending?

What makes a uniform is not only WHAT we wear, but also HOW we wear it.  Style as well as substance, and I’ll save that subject for a future post.

Now on a completely different topic, yesterday (New Year’s Day) and last Friday (Christmas Day) I checked email early and turned off my computer by 9:30am.  A Facebook-free family day!  My wife and I were delighted — surprisingly so.

We’re both self-employed, and we find “taking care of business” can become SO consuming, we overlook the family too much.  So Family Day needs to be a strong habit.

We both have a tendency to make quick, bold decisions about significant issues.  On the other hand, sometimes we’re so cautious we procrastinate and fail to make big decisions about other important matters.  Sound familiar?

With both traits working, we often drive each other crazy, and I’m thinking “Family Day” will be more important — and therapeutic — as the year goes on.  We’ll see.

For now, I’ll be trimming back my social media for a few weeks, risking “computer withdrawal” in favor of some strategic business planning and more Family Days, and then “re-booting” my system.

In the meantime, the band still entertains somewhere nearly every day, and I’m always on the lookout for our next opportunity. If we can help you, please call us at 408-245-9120.  Visit MagnoliaJazz.com for our schedule, and catch us at a public event soon.

Happy New Year and thanks for reading my blog.  Please take a moment to share this post, subscribe, and send me a comment.  I’ll reply promptly.  Ooops, there I go again, I’ll reply in two weeks.

Related posts:

1. High Hopes for Weddings and Parties
2. The Endless Search for Weddings and Parties
3. “Searching” for Weddings and Parties
4. Walking the Talk for Weddings and Parties
5. Weddings and Parties: "Keep On Keeping On"

Tagged as: Jerry Rice, John Malloy, Shakespeare

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