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When You See Me, What Does My Body Say?

     Tattoos.  Piercings.  Wigs.  Weaves.  Hair dyes.  Colored contact lenses.  Shades.  Suits.  Stilettos.  Excess weight.  Muscles.  Gold teeth.  Sagging pants.  Dreadlocks.  Afros.  Cornrows.  Diamonds.  Perfumes.  Body odor.  Halitosis.  Plunging necklines.  Thigh-high skirts.  Blonde hair.  Scars.  Cigarettes.  Stained teeth.  Shirt & tie.  Creased jeans.  Polished shoes.  A frown.  A smile.  A hoodie.  Sleeveless denim vests.  Ripped jeans.  Trimmed beard.  Toned body.  Heavy makeup.  Plain.  Eclectic.  Vibrant.  Drab.
     Any of these can be found on any human being every day all day long.  When we see it, we immediately make an assessment of the individual.  Positive, negative and neutral, we think we have people figured out to some degree when we see them.  A young person with violet hair and a tongue piercing may make a baby boomer shake her head.  A young African American male with sagging pants and a gold grille in his mouth may cause a police officer to slow down and watch intently on his patrol.  A middle-aged woman with a toned and trim body could spike interest from a man who thinks she believes in taking good care of herself.  Without uttering a word, a body and its upkeep say a lot to onlookers.  It's not always about your facial expressions or posture.  It is also about how you present your physical appearance that says more about who you are.
     We look at people who are well-dressed, polished, groomed and smiling and we say, "They are professional".  We look at a female with a short skirt and cleavage and say, "She's a cheap trick."  We look at a guy with a tailored suit, expensive-smelling cologne, and big diamond pinkie ring and say, "He must be paid well."  What you show is all we know.  We will judge, assume, analyze.  To some degree, we'll be correct in our assessment.  Therefore, if you want people to judge you well, consider what you're saying to them via your body habits.  Enhance your reputation with your swag.  You don't have to look rich or important.  But always consider what your body is saying to others because, ultimately, it's talking about you.

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