Excellent post! SO very true!

~michelle

Nancy - Your post is so funny but soooooo  TRUE !!  Guess I will have to sell some furniture.... Do you think Saks Fifth Avenue would trade me ???  LOL !! God bless,

I struggle with the clothing issue - had a baby in January and STILL can't fit into many of my clothes.  Also I "stage" at most of my appointments or at the very least am on my feet so much that I really prefer my tennis shoes, although they don't really go well with dress pants or skirts.

I love the story about your sister.

Cheryl, try Nordstroms!  Too funny!

Great post and a truly good reminder.  Our websites should be "staged" our apparel should be "staged" and we will be our own walking billboard.  I love it.  Great reminder. 

Terrilynn, you ALWAYS look beautiful and, you realtors have the appearance thing down (except for that one lady that didn't dress up for the Tuesday meeting)!  Us stagers need to follow suit, no pun intended. 

Nancy,  What a fun post -- and every word is true.  We must look the part to establish our credibility.  I keep putting off buying new clothes until I'm the size I dream about ... no more!  I'm off to find Eileen Fisher! Have I seen that line at Nordstrom?

Nancy: What a laugh. I love that you equated clothes with how many sofas or lamps they would cost. You are truly a professional home stager. Who else would think in those terms? Thanks for the post.

Very cute! Well written-I often have other shoes in the car for a quick change! Thanks for the light touch.

Tori, wear that extra weight proudly!

I agree.  I know if I look at a picture of someone in a "artsy" type field which includes home staging and they look outdated I start to wonder just how good could their taste be?  Of course, it could be excellent but as we know first impressions count.  I always try to dress up for the consult but tend to dress down for the actual staging portion.  I have even had clients comment how nice I look and I tell them "that is because next time you see me I won't be looking quite as good as I will be dressed to move furniture".

Sandra, yeah, we can clean up quite nicely when we have to...

Good post Nancy!

When we look better we feel better and it really has nothing to do with fashion but caring enough about ourselves to make an effort. No matter what your size or shape, buy what makes you feel confident and secure, even if it means buying a size larger - it's the person inside the clothes that make them however think like a queen instead of a pauper!

Karen, you are so right, we have to exude with confidence, belief and professionalism.  That sells us so we can sell our services and they can sell their home.  It is a trickle down effect.  Beautifully said, Karen and Nancy.

So true that first impressions do count...especially on us! Who cares about a few pounds I say! As others said, wear them proudly, not like you are ashamed of them but you are such a fantastic stager that you are living the "good' life, so what if it shows a bit as long as you carry it with class!

That said, I lock the doors and don't let anyone in while I'm staging! If the doorbell rings I "try" to look fantastic! I may be changing out of my levi's, applying fresh lipstick and frantically brushing out my unkempt ponytail while I remove rubber gloves and spray myself with "pure ayre" but as long as it works, so what! As stagers... we are "aka" quick change artists from time to time.

Lisa

Now here, it's helpful to be close to New York.  I wear black.  All black, and sometimes, I'll opt for naby blue, but even then, it's ALL navy.  I have the washable black for staging and the dry clean only when I want to look like a realtor.  I have found over the years, that if my clothes are neutral, my jewelry can tell the story and my face and attitude carry everything else.

However, the more I think about it, the more I remember how awful I do look and how embarassed i feel when my grey hair shows through.  There again, it just means that I've been busy and that in and of itself is a good message, no?

The dividing line... the real debate for me is NAILS!!  How can you possibly be much of a stager if your nails look perfect?  My mother had a friend whose nails were so strong she used her index finger as a scre driver!  Gels make your nails so thick though that that won't work... so nails?

I leave it with you! Perhaps you can advise me --

Juliet

Nancy, great Sunday morning read! The worst is when you get that call from a Staging and have to go right to the bid! It happened on Thursday and Friday this week and I am so happy that I hang an outfit in my truck closet and a pair of shoes.  It has come in handy so many times!  Now I just need to remember to put in makeup and hair brush!

Love it!  I have 7 blouses in my closet that I call my bid shirts. I don't wear them any other time and I take them off when I get home...Ann Taylor on sale all of them, but when I put them on its like superman and his cape I am ready to fly in, scoop down and shine :)

Great Post! PS Are we EVER at our ideal weight? I am seeing a new post brewing. Kym

Karen, words of wisdom.  Thank you.

Terrylynn, you walk the walk!  Can I walk with you?

Lisa, yep, "livin the good life".  Thanks for the reminder.

Juliet, well, when I was a corporate type, I had beautiful hands and nails.  Then I bought a home, had a kid and dug in the garden and canned fruit.  The nails got lost.  Now, I take my calcium pills, file my nails when needed and basically keep them clean.  Now, the toes are a different story.  I do splurge on the pedicures but, in all honesty, have had 3 in my entire half-century+ life.  But, I am hooked.  Someone told me, and I don't know if this is still true, and it may vary in parts of the country, that you are supposed to put color on the toes and clear on the hands.  Seriously, I'm a newbie to the culture of nails, so you tell me!

Kym, Love Anne Taylor, too!  Thanks for the reply.  Love the comment about ideal weight.  I guess it's all relative as long as we are healthy and happy!  Great to hear from you.

Great post! I think it is not just an appearance industry, but a professional industry and we should put forth a professional appearance and attitude whether we are meeting new clients, going to staging jobs, out shopping, or even driving in our cars.

I never know where my next client will come from and I distribute business cards at  stores, the cleaners, etc.  I make an effort to dress and act professionally when I'm out and about making contact with the public, since essentially, I am always representing my company.

Nancy, love the name by the way.  You got me.  I need to broaden my look to include all that you have mentioned.  I don't dress up but I like to think I look preseentable for the grocery store.  Thanks for the input.