Visually, we all want to make an impact on others – be it our family, friends, colleagues or suppliers as people tend to take mental notes internally and score others.  Like it or not, our world bases its first impression on that split second. This is true regardless of whether you are hiring, dating, selling or befriending. 





 

Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all? This often quoted line from Snow White still holds much relevance in our everyday lives. The truth does hurt but knowing the truth allows us to make adjustments and seek improvements. 

The mirror is our good friend as it does not lie. And our best friend is the full-length mirror as it shows us in all our glory – both flaws and perfection exemplified. Yet it’s interesting not many of us enjoy looking at ourselves in the mirror. 

Like it or not, we all have some amount of fat hidden somewhere around the body – it could be in our tummy, thighs, arms or butt. And as we grow older, it just seems harder to expel this fat. Add to the point that despite constant reminders to exercise at least three times a week, many do not citing a lack of time as the most common factor. Summing it all up, that makes it even more important, doubly important to wear the right clothes!

Whether you are a busy executive on the go or a professional speaker like myself, chances are you are never without a modern mobile device like a laptop, ipad or tablet. In an increasingly wired-up world where we need almost instant access to our presentation slides, documents and information from the web, mobility is the key.

In Singapore’s unpredictable weather where it can be sunny one moment and rainy the very next, the last thing I would want is for my precious mobile device to be subjected to the harsh conditions of the weather by carrying it in my arms. 

The solution: I need a carrier of some sorts. And if I have a choice, I would want to be seen using a carrier that is stylish, practical and water resistant. These are very valid concerns for any layman.

Introducing the Versatilo. As its name suggests, one of its greatest plus points is its versatility. Touted as the all-in-one bag for the modern executive or professional, the PadTabBag impressed me with its super light weight, generous space and clever innovations. It is also the first ever bag design with dedicated compartment for iPads, tablets and notebooks.

When invited to shoot a series of ads for PadTabBag, I experienced first-hand the inner workings of this new entrant. Particularly pleased was I of the laptop compartment as I was able to store my 17” laptop in there snuggly. 

 

There is also a good play of colours. The classical black exterior (I understand more colours are on the way in the very near future!) is juxtaposed against the bright cheery orange interiors which rely mainly on the velcro-driven safety compartments to keep your stuff secure. And depending on my moods, I can choose to carry it in one of many ways – either as a messenger bag slung across the shoulders, a briefcase or as a backpack (should you choose to unveil the hidden compartment containing the backpack straps).

Always one to testbed new ideas, I was quick to persuade and convince the PadTabBag team that it was more than a bag that meets the eye. Most people would use it hold their tablet or ipad or laptop. But just be a little creative and see what I’ve got? A gym bag!

Yes, by further harnessing the full potential of PadTabBag, it can coolly make the transition from office to gym effortlessly. In fact, I had little difficulty stuffing my entire gym gear (shoes included) inside the bag!

 

Initially apprehensive to volunteer themselves for the demonstration, the apprehension melted away instantaneously when one brave lady stood up and walked to the front to become my first model. And you can guess what happened thereafter…Response was doubly quick and queue numbers had to be given out.



  

And even after the hour talk was over, some of the ladies lingered on in their seats and wanted to be tested in private, away from the eyes of their colleagues. And of course, I was more than happy to oblige to analyse all of them.

It’s gratifying to see so many happy smiles leaving the room today. And no prizes for guessing what the participants will be doing next – they will be planning their shopping trips in the next few days with similar skintoned colleagues at the newly opened Changi City Point, which is a stone’s throw away :)

It’s interesting how all of us have our own preconceived notions of what looks good on us. This is perhaps a universal truth that I’ve undiscovered.

To be honest, this can be a double-edged sword as it may or may not always work in our favour. Because of our preferred choices, we make decisions based on our gut feel which may not always be the right choice. And the actions are perpetuated over and over again.

Because of our pre-conceived notions of what looks good on us, our wardrobes are inevitably filled with most items in that colour. And this very often turns out to be the colour black. In the minds of many ladies, they feel black is a slimming colour and is the best option for them to wear if they want to appear slimmer. And thus they stock up on black dresses, black blouses, black tops and black jackets.

But wait, before you shop for more black items, ponder and think about it. Is black really the colour that flatters your skintone? Do you shine in black or pale next to someone else wearing another colour? Is black the one and only colour for you?

Very often, when participants go through some thought-provoking questions which I ask them, they become half convinced.

And to make them fully convinced, I work my magic through my colour swatches and drapes in my colour analysis workshop. This thrilled the ladies as they understood first-hand how it worked. And more importantly, they saw the results from the eyes of their other colleagues in the audience who gave constructive feedback on which colour shone and which colour didn’t.



 

In a world filled with colours, I strongly encourage my readers to explore the universe of colours besides those you always wear. Because one fine day, you will realize, as my participants past and present have from image consultancy, that a professional image is created each time and every time you meet an external customer (think a client) or an internal customer (think your colleague or boss).