Appearance Matters

I went to a terrific workshop at the Harris County Democratic Party Headquarters on appearance and the media. It was for candidates, but non-candidates were invited.

Got great advice from Chris Bell and Joe Householder. Truly invaluable stuff. And yes, Chris, I am very insightful.

Chris talked about the old adage that you only have one chance to make a first impression. And that if you are not on your A game, if you are ever mailing it in, be aware that you are making your one and only impression with most of the voters at that event. And that can really come back to bite you in the . . .

Reminds me of a CASE IN POINT. Shelley at that Memorial Day ceremony two years ago. It was just the craziest thing that there was this blond woman dressed in pink from head to toe amidst all the suits. Even more unbelievable was when I realized it was an elected official - Houston City Councilmember Shelley Sekula Gibbs. I had to get MUCH closer to convince myself it was her. Finally, I got a great close-up photo.

She definitely made a bad impression on me that day. She looked like she was ready for a tea party at an antebellum mansion in Natchez, Mississippi (and not in a good way), but not dressed up enough. Not in those pink sandal/flip-floppy things. This was a woman who was running for U.S. Congress! Looked like she was running for yard of the month.

This circles around to a piece of advice I gave the workshop participants today - you never know when a blogger with a camera is in the audience. You don't want to become the next Pink Sensation.

(Pink text is in memory of Shelley's recent political death at her own hands - err, the hands of Pete Olsen and the Republican voters. Our week of mourning ends Tuesday at midnight.)