I’ve you ever get a chance to meet me in person (lucky you), I have a pretty good idea of the first impression you’d get, at least as far as the visuals are concerned. And I’m not sure it would be a great one. I reckon the first thing you’d notice is that there really isn’t all that much to notice.
If your focus is on the exterior, particularly on my clothing choices, you’re not likely to see much to arouse your interest. When it comes to the clothes that I wear, I have two main preferences – dull and boring.
I’ve never been one to put a lot of effort into the way I dress. At this stage in my life, I seem to have developed two distinct styles. One I would call dull casual, and the other I would call dull professional. There isn’t really anything in between, and there’s certainly nothing much on either side.
So what does dull casual look like? Pretty much just jeans and t-shirt – with some sort of jumper or pullover if the weather isn’t looking so great. That’s how you see me on most weekends. It’s also how I’ve dressed myself through most of my professional life as well, as I’ve been lucky enough to avoid the need for more formal wear over most of my career (if that’s what you could call it).
In this new job I’ve just started, it was suggested that jeans would be a little too casual. This left me with no choice but to revert to dull professional. This style is basically a pair of dark trousers and a business shirt (with a white t-shirt underneath for those colder days). A bit of a shock, but I reckon I can manage it.
Treating my wardrobe in this way is great. I might not pull off a figure of sartorial excellence. I might not attract admiring glances from all who pass me by. But gosh it’s simple. It means I don’t have to agonise about clothing choices every day. It reduces the number of decisions I need to make throughout the day, and the stress that can be associated with that.
Because, no matter what people think, I am creative and imaginative. It’s just that I’m choosy about how I apply that creativity and imagination. And by not investing some of it in the way I appear to others, I have a whole lot more saved up to put into the areas that I think are really worth it – like my work and my relationships, and, of course, my stories.
Hope you all have a creative week as well, no matter what you’re wearing.
Posted by Jonathan Gould and tagged as