| First of all, why is personalisation important? To | | | | valid as a musical composition or a novel. |
| answer that, you'll have to ask yourself that same | | | | Don't be afraid. The only thing you have to fear is |
| question, for no-one knows you better than yourself. | | | | fear itself. Think of it like this: Would you feel more |
| You may feel a burning creative urge every time you | | | | comfortable looking the same as everyone else, or |
| see a poorly-designed advertisement, or laugh at | | | | dressed exactly the way you feel? And if you feel |
| extreme fashion designs on the catwalk. When you | | | | bad having to suppress your individuality, don't you |
| see two dresses side by side, you may wish you | | | | think others will feel the same way? |
| could combine elements of the two, but don't have | | | | Won't my unique style hold me back from being |
| the know-how to make it happen so leave the idea | | | | successful? Well there are two ways to look at it. |
| to fade away. You conform when you wear | | | | From lower to mid-level management, obedience is |
| off-the-shelf clothes. You demonstrate individualism | | | | highly rewarded, so if you try and steer away from |
| when you use them merely as tools for your own | | | | the pack you will be classed as a threat to the status |
| design. | | | | quo. |
| Why do we conform? Well, it's easiest. Least hassle, | | | | However look at the captains of industry, the |
| more predictability. You want to belong to a system | | | | successful entrepreneurs who are at the top of |
| that works, but you don't want to be a sheep. | | | | Business. Do any of them look like sheep to you? |
| However to learn new things you have to get out of | | | | They may be a lot of things, but not that. I won't go |
| your comfort zone. You have creativity, you have | | | | into detail proving their individuality, but look at the |
| ideas, so why not use them? The mass-market has | | | | luxuries marketed to them. All of them are aimed at |
| an important role to play, but it doesn't have to be | | | | exclusivity, prestige from the fact no-one else can |
| your only choice in life. | | | | obtain them. Be it price, look or function, a measure |
| Customization can be an effective way to show your | | | | of success is in obtaining unique things that then |
| creativity. In a world that pretends to value | | | | make you look special. |
| obedience but rewards risk, make a defiant mark and | | | | But it isn't just through looks that you can express |
| stamp your authority. | | | | yourself. More important is what you can do. At |
| So how can you be individual? Start with the clothes. | | | | some point there will come a time when you have to |
| Identify your own style. Ideas can come from | | | | demonstrate better skills than other people around |
| anywhere. Movies, TV, magazines, Internet, friends. | | | | you. Knowing how to dance well would certainly |
| Don't be afraid to experiment, to imagine the unusual. | | | | come in handy. Cooking, speaking, building, writing, all |
| After all, those clothes made an impression on you | | | | these help enormously in defining how others see |
| precisely because they are different. It's not bad to | | | | you, and how you see yourself. It's not only how |
| refuse to conform to the norm, it's not wicked nor | | | | you look, but mainly what you can do that defines |
| stupid. It's merely a form of expression every bit as | | | | who you are. |