by The Savvy Broad

I volunteer as a personal shopper for Dress For Success. As a personal shopper, I help women who are trying get that lives back on track put together interview outfits. The experience is rewarding and the ladies are inspiring. However, I must admit, the experience is also a window into the psyche of the average woman. Invariably these ladies walk in worried about their figure flaws, not expecting much. Sounds familiar? Fortunately, the Dress for Success personal shopper is able to highlight their client’s true assets and, if just for a moment, the client sees herself as a beautiful, strong and empowered woman.

Invariably, as women, our self image tends to be very different from what others see. We are acutely aware of our perceived flaws and tend to be blind to our assets. And when we do recognize a positive, we get a little carried away – perhaps to balance out all those darn negatives.

So, if you suffer from this common affliction, try this fun exercise. Go shopping with a friend who has decent taste, an open mind and an average body. The twist is that you guys will pick out outfits for each other. You might not be caught dead in the outfit and don’t have to buy it, but the exercise will demonstrate how distorted your self image might be and get you to try on new looks and proportions. Just be open minded and maybe margaritas before you get started would be a good idea.

In short, try seeing yourself through the eyes of another real woman and you might like what you see.