Does your outside match your inside?

Freshly inked and very ouchy

I had a debate with myself last week. If I had tattoos done on my feet, and they showed at work, would people judge me?

Would they think I was any less credible or professional?

I decided that tattoos are much more mainstream now than they were twenty years ago… and perhaps less remarkable. And I didn’t think my colleagues would judge me (after all, they have accepted me in all my ‘Jen-ness’ in the four months since I started my new job). But I did still think twice before I set off for the ‘chair of pain’ (as my tattoo artist cheerfully described it).

For they say ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’... but we all do it.

But what matters the most? How other people see us, or how we see ourselves?

Our packaging, how we choose to show ourselves to the world, says a lot about us. It’s our shop window, and nine times out of ten it’s linked to our pride in who we are.

And the way I see it, life’s too blooming short to play it safe or impersonate someone else for fear of what other people think.

My clients and I talk a lot about identity. Often when they are feeling lost or lacklustre, their style reflects this. Without even realising it, they have slid into a safe zone of bagginess, subdued colours and items they just shove on in the morning because they’re clean.

They’re also no longer making the effort they used to with their general appearance - either because they don’t feel they have the time or because they haven’t gone with their gut and presented themselves the way they really want to for a long time.

You may not feel subdued or unclear on your identity - but even so, I challenge you to take stock. Do your outsides fit with your insides? Does your appearance fit who you are? Whether you love monochrome or purple, do you wear the colours that make you feel just right? Do you feel like you can put your chin up today as if to say ‘This is me guys, aren’t I fabulous?’

For as much as people say: “It’s what’s on the inside that counts”, I would like to argue that outsides matter very much. How I look is crucial to how I express myself, how I feel like me - is it the same for you?

If so, I’m not suggesting you go and tattoo your feet (if you do fancy it, perhaps neck a bottle of gin first, it flipping hurts). Just pay attention and be a bit braver when it comes to your window dressing. Or maybe just treat yourself to a new pair of shoes that make you smile (go on, do it for me - because I can’t wear anything on my feet for a while).

P.S. My new tattoos represent my two little girls and their favourite colours. They may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but they mean a lot to me… and I can cover them up at work if I want to… but I think I’m just going to wear them with pride.