The following article was written by Barbara Bundy-Jost, the President of Manitowoc Aluminum Kitsch-Mas Inc.
Dress for Success by John T. Molloy was published in1975. The book was all about the effect of clothing on a person’s success in business and personal life. It was a bestseller. Bottom line: individuals who “dress for success” can project confidence, competence, and a positive image, thereby increasing their chances of success in personal and professional situations, often based on the idea that first impressions matter significantly.
Makes sense, doesn’t it? Since the beginning of time, clothes have conveyed their purpose. Monarchs, military personnel, religious leaders, actors, and a bevy of other professions are easily identified by the clothes they wear. Many proudly wear their garb exemplifying the “dress for success” philosophy behind Molloy’s book.
As luck would have it, I am someone who shares a moniker with one of the most famous fashionista dolls in the world. The Barbie doll undeniably knew what was up when dressing for success! Over 60 years of matching shoes and bags, color coordinated outfits and timeless style. Barbie went from casual to business to formal within minutes as I played with her. Many asked if Barbie had any influence on MY choices in life. Back then, I would deny the doll’s influence on my life. How can an 11” tall plastic doll have any influence on a living doll???
As I reflect now, Barbie’s fashion sense has been with me since the day I was born. My professional days started by conversing with students about what fashion choices we made that day and the strength of our dynamic compositions chosen so early in the morning. This daily icebreaker developed relationships and often opened the door to the day’s lesson.
Barbie and I and a sparkling tree named Evergleam hit the scene with tons of space-age glimmer setting hearts aglow. Christmas in the late 50’s featured a tree like no other before it. Aluminum Specialty dressed their aluminum Christmas tree for success! At first, sparkling silver, then pink, green, gold and blue frost—the trees were fat, flat, slim-lined, short, and tall. You could dress them up with rotating stands, spotlights, rotating color wheels and ornaments of all colors! They became big fashion for holiday fun.
While the trees dressed for success, people followed suit! Literally! Men dressed in their finest suits, shirts and ties, children wore their Sunday finest and the ladies donned their party dresses with crinoline slips to accentuate the volume of their skirts. Many of you reading this article may have vintage photos in your memory albums featuring your loved ones decked-out near a sparkling tree in the living room. Dressing up was the norm for special occasions. Many a scene in those photographs may feature kiddos in brand new pajamas scampering under a sparkling tree to unwrap new trucks or Barbie dolls wrapped under the tree.
I will NEVER forget the matching skirts my mother and I wore back then. Kathleen knew the power of having fun while dressing for holiday success. Those felt circle skirts with green felt trees made me feel special. Friends and family loved it! Clothes—a powerful asset when used to draw attention to you and your message. We’ve got to wear them. Why not dress for that success?
How about that big guy that runs around town this time of year? He’s clad in a bright red suit with fur trimmed cuffs! You can’t help but appreciate such a bold choice on a full-bodied man. His jovial good cheer embodies the reverie of his “dress for success” outfit. People grin from ear-to-ear when they see him. I guess his dress was a success.
This holiday season, once again, is when Manitowoc Public Library SPARKLES with “Frankie’s Forest” of Enchanted Evergleams. Look for members of our community who “dress for success” as they take advantage of our vintage living room vignette to snap their holiday photos. Pay special attention to the JOY they exude. You’ll appreciate the domino effect their joy has on you! I can pretty much guarantee that you will be grinning. Hopefully from ear to ear. Their dress could be YOUR success!
Visit the library often throughout the time that the Enchanted Evergleams will be on display—November 27, 2024, through January 5, 2025. You may see Dr. Evergleam and Nurse Sparkle
dressed in their finest lab coats helping people in the Evergleam ER or catch a flash of Barb and Jordan sparkling in their Mad-for-Plaid vintage outfits while they gush about the history of Aluminum Specialty and the engineering of their Evergleam designs.
Ponder this as you reach into your closet this Holiday Season: May how you dress, make YOU a success each-and-every day of the year. Have a Gleaming Good Holiday!