Powderpuff Mae

Despite having quite a bad memory, I still could remember the first seminar on Image Management I attended 7 years ago. It was conducted by Dennis something something, an image consultant from New Zealand.

I always had an interest in beauty and image and I suppose that is the reason why and how I could remember some of things Dennis said. There are 4 things I remember from this class.

1. Round, round. Square, square.

If you have a round face, wear a round spectacle. Similarly for people with a square face, a squarish shaped spectacle would be more suitable. Dennis belongs to the first school of thought.
However, according to Wendy, who belongs to the other school, felt that round and round is abit over, as such she would recommend a slightly squarish spectacles for a person with round face and a more oval specs for a person with squarish face.

2. Invest in a few pairs of good shoes, preferably made from genuine leather.

Dennis quoted Dr Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lamb. It was Clarice Starling's first interview, and Hannibal sizes up Clarice and said these famous lines "You know what you look like to me, with your good bag and your cheap shoes? You look like a rube. A well scrubbed, hustling rube with a little taste".

Incidentally this seminar was organized by my ex boss. This man really needs a total makeover. He was an asian scholar and is known to be a brilliant man amongst his peers but when it comes to decent dressing, this guy needs to go back to kindergarten. Even Jesse knows how to choose his own clothes and protested vehemently when he was forced to put on his kindi uniform. Back to my ex-boss, he had a pair of black shoes. He wore them daily to the office. It would have been a respectable pair of black shoes save for the fact that he destroyed it with sheer laziness and with his own two feet. Instead of wearing them a shoes, he slips them on like a pair of flip flops and that was the exact sound we heard when he walked around the office "flip flop, flip flop".

After the seminar he bought something to replace the junk. I would have expected him to get at least one good pair from Bally, since he was the boss or maybe something more modest from Bonia, but he got himself a pair of black cowboy boots accessorised with something like silver spurs at the sides. Instead of "flip flop" it was now "cling clang".

Jesse's new uniform...you can't blame Jesse, can you?

3. Proper dining etiquette. Always bring the food to your mouth and never bend down to your food.

I told James about this new piece of information. One lovely evening at a fancy restaurant, with great enthusiasm, we sat at the dinner table brimming with poise and grace and we were all set to put our newly acquired dinning etiquette to practice, we failed miserably. We had soup and food remnants spilling onto our clothes and most of which missed our mouths by just a few inches. Results were dirty chins and shirts and even dirtier napkins.

4. Try to play down your looks especially when you are beautiful.

Dennis said people tend not to take a beautiful woman seriously. She advised all beautiful woman to look more “ah soh” like buning or tying up the hair, wear less make up or maybe wear a pair of spectacles.

Looking back, it was indeed an interesting and informative seminar. Surprisingly it was well attended by many company directors and top executives who needed an entire day of lesson on how to look presentable.