By Claudia Batten
As a somewhat dedicated follower of fashion, I have always been mindful of key ?rules to live by? when it comes to my personal dress code. Kind of a WWAD ?what would Anna (Wintour) do? for you Vogue geeks out there. These guidelines primarily serve to prevent me from being a fashion train wreck ? at 6?1? in heels, I stand out if I get it wrong. I am less interested in conventions (of the ?never wearing white after Labor Day? ilk) than I am in guiding principles. Standbys to guide me when I am not 100% sure what to do. Which got me thinking, how do my ?fashion rules of thumb? apply beyond the wardrobe? I don?t think it is too much of a stretch, see what you think.
Good quality is elegance, not extravagance.
In an economic climate where we are all trying to make our dollars stretch as far as possible, this rule is critical. It is so tempting to choose the cheaper item, even in business, where marketing and advertising budgets are being slashed and staff are being streamlined to conserve cost. But cheap doesn?t last, and it shows. Invest in key services from quality vendors. Don?t do yourself the disservice of picking based on price. Buy less, get more.
When in doubt, wear black.
This may be the ?first principle? of fashion, and I am not sure if there is any more elemental rule. ?First principles,? a term I learned as an attorney, means breaking the problem down to its most simplistic and analyzing it from there. When dealing with people, break down the complexity by assessing their motivation. As you start a new project, prioritize where you?ll have the most impact. And, when negotiating, establish whether all involved parties are on the agreed-upon path. It?s not a panacea, but a starting place that you can build from ? just the same as a little black dress. Your tried-and-true business strategies can save you when you are stuck for inspiration.
Before a purchase, ask yourself, will this item change my life?
For me, this rule is the easiest: Don?t buy anything you are not passionate about and can?t live without. In a recent meeting, a client trying to choose between two equally loved advertising campaigns told me, ?It?s one thing to pick the campaign we think works better, but we are challenging ourselves with what we will feel sick about if we walk away from it.? Always be sure you can?t live without it. If not, it?s just something that will clutter your business world, just as that ?80s-inspired jumpsuit will clutter your wardrobe.
Methodically remove old stuff.
This is the cutthroat rule, and it?s a great one. I am a big believer in maintaining a well-edited wardrobe and, equally, it?s a fantastic business rule. From clients that are not working for you to employees, tools, systems, and processes, in driving for results, there is little room for error. Everyone and everything around you must support you.
Look in the mirror before you go out and remove one accessory.
I am constantly stretching myself too thin: adding one more thing to my day, getting one more thing done. I am starting to see that as a mistake ? and I am starting to adopt a ?remove one thing? philosophy. I ask, what is that one thing I can delegate, push to tomorrow or simply not do? Look at your agenda and take one thing off. Give yourself time to be a little creative, hit the pause button and make room to think about things from a different angle.
Source: http://www.advertisingweek.com/blog/2011/08/31/business-lessons-from-the-catwalk/
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