Fashion 101: The Language of Self-Expression
By: Mariam Rabah
Photographer: Vereena Bishoy
There are no second chances to make a first impression – first impressions do last. In the fashion world, there is a chance not to impress, and how one chooses to dress determines their reputation and self-image.
“Fashion is a language, an art of how to express yourself in life. It’s the strongest language that shows one’s personality, and as an employer, it’s what makes me accept or refuse to employ someone,” said Amany El Cherif, the founder of a luxury fashion house in Egypt.
El Cherif was the presenter at a workshop called “Dress to Success” that took place in “The Power of Her” event on October 14.
With the support of the National Council for Women, Galleria 40 hosted the event in collaboration with the Woman of Egypt Initiative, aiming to empower women in its community.
The Power of Her event’s mission was to represent pioneer examples of women in various fields like government, corporate industry, entrepreneurship and sports. Dress to Success was one of the workshops offered, showcasing the importance of fashion in expressing oneself and succeeding in life.
El Cherif started her workshop by highlighting that clothes are a reflection of people’s personalities.
“From the first few seconds I see you, I can tell who you are based on what you are wearing; I can tell whether you are practical, professional or attentive. It’s all in the details,” she stated.
El Cherif emphasized that attention to detail is a critical success factor throughout the day.
She mentioned that structured details in one’s outfit lead to uniqueness and is enough to attract attention. These details start from how your hair looks, the cleanliness of your nails, your scent, and the material of your clothes to the simple accessories or statement pieces of jewelry you wear, depending on how you present yourself and
to whom.
“You should know your audience and dress accordingly. You need to know where you are going and who you will meet to decide how to dress. The clothes you wear to meet your friends and family are different from what you will wear to meet an employer or a client,” she said.
El Cherif also discussed how one’s self-confidence is directly related to their clothes.
According to Fashion Psychology, an online research platform on style and industry, clothes strongly impact self-confidence; clothes can help boost your mood, become a better negotiator and feel powerful.
“Confidence is the second language to express ourselves. When we dress well, our self-confidence is elevated. When you are satisfied and comfortable with what you are wearing, you will naturally become more self-confident,” she emphasized.
The conversation then shifted to the importance of colors when one of the attendees, who were primarily women, asked El Cherif about some tips for coordinating different colors together.
“Colors also depend on where you are going and who you are meeting. If you are going to a job interview, pastel or neutral colors are your go-to; they are peaceful, relaxing and more professional. You can’t go to a job interview wearing red, for example, it’s triggering,” she replied.
Questions were raised by participants, each asking about certain colors and sharing their experiences in job interviews. One of the attendees, Psychology junior Mahitab Elhelow, was especially engaged in the discussion.
“We care too much about what we will be asked in interviews and our answers that we totally forget about how we dress, and we give less attention to the details. I really enjoyed the workshop because it highlighted the importance of your overall look and reminded me that how you dress is one of the gates to success,” Elhelow told The Caravan.
Unlike the apparent satisfaction and engagement of all the female attendees, the only male attendee in the workshop, Mostafa Sherif, a Biology junior in AUC, was highly dissatisfied by the discussion, especially the point that clothes can determine one’s career, not their qualifications.
“I like receiving tips about dressing appropriately and the benefits this has on my confidence levels. But one thought kept on bugging me throughout the session; isn’t it weird that we have to ask ourselves how dressing well, neatness, and overall appearances empower us and help us ace job interviews? Shouldn’t the real question be, why should our physical appearance enable or hold us back from working the jobs we love?” Sherif told The Caravan.
