Of all the things you need in your ‘looking great’ bag of tricks, one of the most essential must surely be your full-length mirror. Without a full-length mirror, it is impossible for you to see yourself top to toe before leaving the house. If you get dressed each day only seeing your top half (or less if it’s your bathroom mirror) you won’t see yourself as others see you. You need to know that the person you are sending out into the world is the person you think you are.
I occasionally get asked for help by employers who are struggling with how members of their team dress. The first question I’ll ask them is whether they have a full-length mirror in the staff bathroom. Chances are, if the gal who persists to wear her skirts too short and too tight saw how she really looked each day she might re-think them.
Here are some other reasons you need a full-length mirror:
- You need to check the scale of the print you are wearing: if the print is too big for your frame, it will overwhelm you and you will see the print before you see you. Likewise, if the print is too small, it can make you appear larger. Rule of thumb? Larger gals should go for larger print
- You need to see how your accessories work with your outfit. Do you need to add a belt? Is that necklace too overwhelming (or too small)?
- You need to see that the shoe you have chosen is the ‘right’ one. I’ll often put a different shoe on each foot in front of the mirror as I decide which one looks best with my outfit.
- You need to see if what you are wearing is see-through, too short, too tight, too long or too big for you. All of which can easily be missed in a smaller mirror.
Jackie O’Fee is owner of Auckland’s leading personal style consultancy, Signature Style. If you’d like some real, down to earth advice in your wardrobe Jackie would love to help! Further information can be found on her website: signaturestyle.co.nz or give her a call on 09 529 5115.
