Dear Freelance Laptop Nation:
I saw you. Yes, I did. Right there in every coffee shop and in every free WiFi spot in town and all around the region. You were sitting there with me, vying for that one outlet to share among a dozen laptop users. You thought you had it figured out, didn’t you? No client could see you, none knew you were working in your track pants, unwashed hair, and in that one case, sporting a major butt crack and looking like a chewed hairball. Your work is virtual and there are no cameras on you, you say? I know the idea is to be comfortable, but guess what? I’m about to steal your clients. Let me tell you how.
See, I showed up at the coffee shop dressed for work. My hair was neat (and combed – please, people), my clothes were coordinated, clean, and appropriate should I bump into a client. Unlike you, I went dressed to impress. I had my casual work clothes on – jeans, but nice dark denim, a shirt that didn’t scream office, but did say put together and with nothing inappropriate hanging out. I had on heels. I had on makeup. And I showed up to work, minus headphones with wafts of music blaring out from my ears, for headphones make it impossible for potential clients to talk to you. I had a pile of business cards in my laptop case and I left one behind on the coffee table as I left. But while I was there, I did my best to avert my gaze, for your “day look” was torturing me. And if I couldn’t bear it, how could a potential client? News flash – they couldn’t. And they wouldn’t. I wonder just how much business you may have lost because potential clients took you as seriously as you took your appearance? Hmmm…
When you take your laptop out, you’re in the public. Did you forget that? Business people lunch where you suck up free WiFi. Corporate types talk about projects within earshot, but how are you to hear it if your iTunes are playing in your ears? See, that’s how I’m stealing your clients. While you’re there living the stereotype, I’m there scoping for possibilities while I get some actual work done. And if that client happens to walk in, which of us do you think will gain his/her attention – someone wearing sweatpants and sporting five-o’clock shadow at lunchtime, or the one who put on deodorant and presentable clothes?
Really, I’m okay with you hanging out wherever you like in your jammies. In fact, I encourage it. I could use the extra work right now, and you’ll be helping me out immensely.
Smooches,
The working writer
Again, it comes to self-respect. When you respect yourself and your work, you look professional and put together even if you don’t look corporate.
When you don’t — it shows.
: )
But chewed hairball is my “look.”
I didn’t realize how I’d let my work wardrobe slide until I took up a new gig as an assistant to a lit agent and have to go into the office a few days a week. It’s good to at least have a couple outfits to wear to meet a client.
“Smooches,” that made me laugh out loud.
At least they were wearing pants? At least they left the house?
My mind is racing to the (dare I say) bed-dwelling freelancers….and it’s not a pretty thought.
ballywick, BARELY wearing pants. One woman had on – gasp – yoga pants that were stained with lord-knows-what and she wasn’t bending over and “assets” were showing. Uh, yuck.
Amanda, I’m all for the chewed-hairball look at home in front of the computer, but I’m too attached to cleanliness. 🙂 Oh, there are days this face doesn’t get washed until noon and the teeth shortly thereafter, but I’m not leaving the house like that EVER unless an ambulance is hauling me out unexpectedly.
Glad you smiled, Amie. 🙂 You too, Carrie. 🙂
Devon, maybe it’s because it’s too easy to just frump it up that I go out of my way not to. I don’t go ANYWHERE unkempt – even when I had to go to the hospital, I washed first and put on makeup. People have to look at you, for crying out loud! 🙂
My friends tend to think I am kind of snobby because I always insist on dressing nicely and doing my hair and makeup, even if I am going to the grocery store. However, I find that, the worse you look, the more people you run into that you know or would like to know. So, even if I have on jeans, I also have on heels and a sweater or blazer with a shirt underneath and clean, fixed hair.
I do have to admit that sometimes I am bed-ridden when I work from home. I have Lupus and some days, I can barely walk. It’s either work from bed or don’t work at all.
I never thought of it as an opportunity to meet clients, but I thankfully am not one of those clowns you describe. However, small closets and owning a horse have also contributed to me not caring as much about my clothes as I used to. My usual outfit consists of nice jeans, a fitted T-shirt with a sweatshirt or a sweater over it if it’s cold, and tennis shoes (or sandals in the summer). I’m bored with my hair lately so it’s usually pulled back, nothing fancy. And I’ve never worn makeup… can’t stand having anything on my face.
I’ve kept a stash of nice clothes — a few business casual pants and tops, and a couple of suits — and I wear those when I feel it’s necessary. Most of the time, though, jeans and a casual top work fine. This is, after all, Denver — and you’d find it a real challenge to locate any place in town where there aren’t people wearing jeans.
I’ve seen your face, Katharine. You don’t NEED makeup!
That’s just it – jeans and a nice top are fine. What isn’t fine is a stained track suit, a ratty sweatshirt that’s too big, too small or too faded, or clothes that don’t fit or have holes or stains (or all of the above). The day I showed up at the coffee shop, I was wearing a pair of dark-wash jeans, a new t-shirt, and a fitted jacket. The jacket made everything else, which was clean and the right size, look like a “look” more than a run-out-the-door-in-my-sweats look. I put on heels because I just got them and I love them. 🙂
Leigh, you’re no snob. You’re presentable. They’re just pissed because you’ve raised the bar. Women amaze me – if we look like pigs, they’ll gossip and snipe. If we dress a bit more presentably, they’ll gossip and snipe. Forget them. Do what makes you feel good and let them do their thing, as well. Not everyone has to be dressed like a sewer rat when they go out.
I've been doing that "give 'em the benefit of the doubt" thing lately.
Having gone through a rather tragic time in my personal life recently, I have woken up to the fact that life needs to go on, groceries need to be purchased, laundry needs to get done, projects need to be finished — even when it is the LAST thing in the world you want to do. So, maybe some of the slovenly are temporary slobs — maybe he or she just needed to get the hell out of the house. Maybe that disgusting slob is coping with things you can't even imagine. Maybe he/she needs to lurch down to the local cafe and be surrounded by humanity — not necessarily participate actively with those humans, but going to a cafe, even if dressed horribly and unshaven and unshowered — well, it sure beats the hell out of feeling trapped in the house & feeling desperately, dangerously alone.
I understand what you are saying & have also felt that self-righteous smugness you describe regarding professional appearances and whatnot, but sometimes people who look like disgusting slobs are fighting hard for some sort of normalcy.
What is "presentable"?
What is "normal"?
We're all struggling. I like the idea of compassion and getting rid of instant judgment and condescension. Some days are hard – it would be so nice if we could recognize and appreciate that in others a little more often.
Thank you for a different perspective, Carrie. I hope that you’re wrong about these people’s appearances. I’d hate to think that many are suffering such loss.
Presentable = clean
Normal is tougher to define. But it’s as Devon says – personal respect. We all know there is no definition of “normal” that fits. And I’d never use the word “normal” to describe what a person should/should not subscribe to. I’m here to help other writers improve their businesses and their careers.
I understand what you’re saying. Believe it or not, I do practice a lot of compassion for others in many ways. This post wasn’t directed at the general public and those suffering tough times – it was meant for the working writer out in public who needs to understand the importance of appearance. As much as it pains me to say it, clients do indeed judge us on our appearances.
Self-righteous smugness? No. Common sense advice based on exactly what I describe here. The world DOES judge us by our appearances. While it’s great to thumb our noses at that once in a while, I’m pointing out here that it’s detrimental to careers to take appearances too much for granted, especially when you’re in a public setting conducting business. Is that wrong? Not from this chair.
Since we’re talking about freelance writing advice, how about a post sometime soon on freelance writers don’t follow instructions?
I’m the ME of a content portal and I give very specific instructions on what is permissible and what is not. I routinely have people submitting articles that in no way, shape, or form fit the guidelines. Then I find posts on different forums complaining about me and how I don’t give these people assignments.
Oops. I meant on HOW freelance writers don’t follow instructions.
I knew what you meant Leigh. 🙂
Send me an email – want to ask you something….
Ya gonna turn this into a writers magazine article? With the current financial situation, it should make a quick sell. 🙂
I should, Angie. Thanks for the notion! It’s about time my rants make money for me. 🙂
I am finally responding to your comment, Lori. :o)
Thank you for the compliment, but I must say that the flip side of not wearing makeup is that I get asked — frequently — questions such as what high school I go to. (Got that one just two weeks ago — and I turn 29 this month!)
As for the heels — oh, I completely understand that one! Owning a horse has made me very minimalist — both because of the expense and because of the likelihood of getting dirty — but I used to be very much the shoe fanatic. :o)