Is What You Wear Important?
One of the most asked questions in recent times, especially from the Gen-Zs, is the question “Is What You Wear Important?”. Danielle Rodriguez was my guest recently on the Tailoring Talk Podcast - she graduated from Carleton University with a Bachelors Degree with Honours, concentrated in Forensic Psychology with a minor in Law.
In late 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, she moved from her native Canada to London in order to pursue a Law Degree at London’s City Law School. Relaying her experiences of life in a new country and navigating her new City by way of food and dress, Danielle answers the question “Is What You Wear Important?” perfectly in this extract from our interview.
Danielle Rodriguez (Instagram @danielleinlondon)
Roberto:
You always look amazing. The way you dress, you're always on point. The way you coordinate your colours and the fit of everything you wear. Where did that come from? Were you inspired by anyone growing up? Or is that something you've just had this innate ability for?
Danielle:
It's actually a long story. When I was doing my undergraduate degree, I worked at a very high end hair salon for three years. It was very, very high standards for the employees. To the point where if you would show up with your hair just thrown up in a ponytail, they would send you home. So very, very high stakes and obviously I didn't want to get sent home in minus 40 degree weather during the winter in Canada.
So I got into a routine, it became part of who I was, I always had my hair done. I was typically going from work to school, school to work. And so it just became part of my day, it wasn't like, I went home and changed or anything like that.
So I think that foundation kind of laid the basis for who I am today. That sounds very dramatic. But after that, I actually started my career. Right after I graduated, so very young. I believe I was 20 years old. So I started at entry level and worked very hard to get in where I wanted to. Starting your career at 20, in the business world, you have to present yourself in a way where it says, “Hey, I should be taken seriously. I have something to say. And I want to be part of the conversation”.
And the way that I figured out to do that was through what I wore, how I showed up and how I presented myself so that people could be confident when they were sending me to meetings in their place, or when they were sending me to conferences.
So that worked really well for me. I found I was also working with people who had children my age, or around my age. So I really wanted to do something to distinguish myself from their children in a way that made sense and was affordable enough.
So every paycheck, I would put some money aside and just start saving for this wardrobe fund to create this this workwear wardrobe where I could pair different pieces together and I was all over Pinterest and YouTube. When you when you talk about inspiration, it really came from those sources. And there was a small community at the time of women who were going into Law giving an idea of what to wear during the week, an idea of something that would go from daytime to after-work drinks. So I just ate that up. And I think that's really where everything came from for me.
Roberto:
You look at shows like Suits. And there was another show on Disney Plus we were watching recently about a another female lawyer. And, you know, just looking at the outfits, I'm like, wow, they just always look so amazing. But nobody in the real-world dresses like that. But I imagine that at some point in the future, if you were ever running your own law firm, that you would dress like that!
Danielle:
I would think so. Maybe this is right or wrong. But I feel very confident when I feel put together. And I think that helps me stay focused and do a good job. Even working from home, I need to get dressed in order to do my best work. And that's not the same for everyone. But I think it's definitely the case for me.
Roberto:
It's highly topical at the moment, though. I mean, first of all, when I was younger, I did exactly the same as you. I would put any spare money from my part time jobs aside. I would always wear a suit because invariably, especially in the first work environment I entered, I was definitely the youngest, people would refer to me as the baby. Although we didn't have to wear a suit at that place, I would just dress up anyway, because I just felt like I needed to elevate myself and be taken a bit more seriously.
It was an IT firm. It was so funny when customers would come into the office, you know, the other older sales guys would go to greet them, and then they would see me in the background, you know, suited and booted. And they’re like, “I want to speak to him”.
My colleagues would say, “He's just a kid, he doesn't know what he's doing.”
And the customers would say, “Okay, I'm not gonna take your word for it. I want to speak to him. He looks like he knows what he's doing.” That set my path going forward.
The Tailoring Talk Podcast is available wherever you like to get your shows, or head to https://tailoringtalk.buzzsprout.com for the full-length audio of this interview
The video version of my full interview with Danielle Rodriguez is also available at https://www.youtube.com/@robertorevilla
