„Anyone who has ever wondered if they can change the world with their own style should come to the stage now. Anyone who has ever wondered what they wear and whether it’s for others or for themselves and what they stand for should also come to the stage now.“
With these words, I gave a Power Talk at the Pre-Loved & Vintage Festival in Vienna on November 8th. CHARISMA RE:STYLIZED invited. At its core, the question was: Can you dress up in charisma?
What am I wearing?
As a model, I know how much fun it can be to play a role with clothes. I can overdo it with a look, provoke, seduce, or experience myself completely differently for a moment. And yes: I sometimes also get dressed up because I want to please others. I find that humanly acceptable. After all, clothing is also a way of interacting with others.
It gets interesting for me when I realize that I’m already interacting with an imaginary audience in front of the mirror. Is that too obvious? Too elegant? Too much for this occasion? Sometimes it’s just a matter of feeling the situation. But sometimes I take away exactly what makes me happy about a look.
Then another question helps me: What should be visible about me today? Maybe it’s my playfulness. Maybe it’s my determination. Maybe it’s just the desire to look glamorous on a completely ordinary day. And whatever that „vibe“ is: what should always be visible?
What clothing can show
A piece of clothing can help me show a side of myself that I rarely ever expose to others. But even in the most beautiful outfit, what happens between me and the people in the room remains open. Am I listening? Am I letting myself be immersed in it? Am I daring to say something that is truly important to me?
In my opinion, that’s the difference between a successful performance and a moment that leaves a lasting impression. The look can attract the first glance. What I do with that attention depends on the encounter.
What does this have to do with the world?
I like beautiful things and the abundance of possibilities that fashion offers us. That is precisely why I am interested in the difference between the pleasure of wearing an item of clothing and the hope that a purchase will give me a better sense of myself. On the outside, both can look very similar. Behind my own wardrobe, I sometimes feel the difference very clearly.
Here my Charisma concept and walk4future® come together for me. I can express what’s inside me through clothing. And I can decide how I get to this clothing: whether to combine something new, borrow it, have it repaired, or find it used. None of these decisions alone changes the world. But they do change what I support in my everyday life and what I spend my money on.
If you want to try it out, start with a piece that you already own. One that you love and maybe wear too rarely. Put it on and observe what changes: in your posture, in your willingness to show yourself, maybe even in the way you approach someone.
If you want to delve deeper into the question of your impact beyond the wardrobe, you can find my answer here. Personnel Impact Check: How do I affect others?.
