taming of the shrew

being in business for myself is drastically different from working for someone else in so many respects. not only can i make my own hours and am accountable only to myself, but my professional image has had to be revamped. when i worked at the drug clinic, we could come in jeans and t-shirts. if we looked too nice or professional, the clients would get intimidated and never come back. now that i am my own representative, however, i've found that i need to look "put together" most of the time. first impressions are important - and who'd want to pay to see a counselor that looks like she needs massive therapy herself? [as a side note, i do believe that everyone can benefit from therapy and i'd have a therapist myself if i could afford it]

i remember years ago, i was helping a friend out with his photography business. he was practicing with lighting and filters, etc. i was his guinea pig. it was fun drinking champagne and being silly for the camera. anyway, i remember him telling me that i needed to pluck my eyebrows. i did not respond in a positive manner. i didn't understand why someone would purposely cause themselves such pain. when i got the call to go to new york, i knew i had to cave on this issue. i didn't want to look like bigfoot on national television. so, i went to a salon and had my eyebrows waxed and had solar nails put on. and i liked the results.

so now, i have incorporated bi-monthly trips to the salon to get my nails refilled and my brows tamed. i have always been a chronic nail biter and that has bothered me in the past, especially when i am trying to help someone control their anxiety. i wasn't setting a good example. the solar nails help me keep my fingers out of my mouth. the eyebrow thing is more of a "you can never go back" situation. if i didn't keep up with them, they would start growing out and i'd look like monkey-woman. plus, it does add to my self-confidence. i think i look better this way. other people, including captain crotch, have remarked that i have been looking good lately. i don't think they quite know what has changed, but they know something has.

so i have gone from a tightwad, only get a haircut every 6 months type to getting regularly groomed as an investment in my business. who woulda thunk it? what types of things do you do to keep your appearance up? do you consider these things necessities or luxuries?