Red Shoe Diaries and the Power of First Impressions
đ Lucky Dorothy. Her homemade blue gingham dress got a glow-up when she put on those glittery ruby pumps.
Those shoes had superpowers to transport her to the place where she most wanted to be, into the circle of the people that she most wanted to be with.
âąď¸Also, those powerful shoes helped her travel through time and shortcut out on all of the flying monkeys, the creepy guy, and the perils of that witchy-witch.
Am I advocating for you to wear gingham and glitter together? Not unless youâre doing a whole cosplay thing and thatâs another conversation for another day.
I AM telling you that shoes can change your life.
đOr at the very least, they can help to speed you forward toward your goals and avoid tangling with the pesky flying monkeys.
Thereâs some solid research out there documenting that we are, in fact, judged from the ground up.
đ¤ŻIn the Mid-South, where I grew up, youâre taught from an early age that you can determine whether or not someone is worth your time by looking at the heels of their shoes.
WTF?
Scuffed-up heels, laces looking a little bit frayed, and, worst of all BORING SHOES? Those are clear signs that the other person is not serious about your time.
Because:
- she doesnât pay attention to details.
- she doesnât care what people thought about her.
- she lacks self-awareness of the vibe that she is sending off
Hey, actions taken on first impressions are real and you can use them to your benefit or your detriment. You get to choose.
Sitting at your desk, looking down at your feet right now and thinking,
âHuh. I wonder. What do these turquoise rubber flip-flops I bought at Whole Foods say about my capabilities?â
Maybe youâre also making this face. đł
Am I advocating for this outdated system of judging each other?
Hard no.
But what you and I both know is that sometimes (frequently) business interactions move so quickly that snap judgments are made, and in that quick second you want every detail that you can control to be working in your favor.
Your client has 21,000 unread emails and a text notification bubble thatâs on fire.
Make the job of choosing YOU easy.
You know that you want them to take the time to get to know your heart, your values, and your ability to solve their biggest business challenges.
And you also know that the majority of communication is nonverbal, so if that prospect sees you as not quite pulled together, or worse yet, someone who doesnât care about perceptions? Then theyâre probably not going to feel confident trusting you to come into their inner circle and help to solve their problems.
Why make the work of connecting harder than it has to be?
Put on a pair of shoes that will get you in the door using these 4 guidelines:
First, opt for color. An outfit built from neutrals gets a punch of excitement when you finish your look with a pair of shoes in one of your ideal colors. Wearing dark denim and a neutral top?
Grab a pair of flats in your best green or pink. Your outfit will look more intentional and great shoes are an easy conversation starter.
Second, choose a modern silhouette. Those round-toe ballet flats from 2010 have seen better days. Choose an almond-shaped or square-toed version to look more in style.
Third, choose comfort. I promise that youâve never had the best day of your life in shoes that hurt your feet. Make sure that you can walk a city block in those shoes without getting a blister.
Fourth, if sustainability is your thing, choose a brand that uses recycled materials. There are more great choices that check this box every season, so youâve got lots of options.
Here are 3 brands of shoes that I recommend for my clients to take baby steps into upping their shoe game.
Rothyâs – colorful, comfortable, sustainable, machine-washable flats
Vivaia – colorful, sustainable, machine-washable flats, heels, and sandals
Birdies – chic, comfortable flats in luxe finishes
Each of those links will give you $20 off of your first purchase, so your day just got a bit more fun!
Was this info new to you? Drop a comment below and let us know if you found this info useful.
Always cheering you on!
Xo-
Stephanie đ
