I wasn’t in an off-shoulder dress, a knee-above skirt, or two-inch heels.
I was in a saree — crisp, comfortable, and unapologetically mine.
But apparently, that’s not what my bio made people expect.
Which is fascinating, because nowhere in my LinkedIn profile have I ever typed:
“Fashion icon with a fondness for runway-ready entrances.”
Yet, here we are — living in a world where résumés carry not just your achievements, but other people’s mental wardrobe catalogues.
The London Coffee Stereotype Olympics
A few months ago, I was in London, sipping coffee with friends, when I was hit with this back-to-back double whammy:
“You don’t look like a Delhiite.”
“You don’t sound like one either.”
We weren’t in Delhi. We weren’t even within GPS reach of the Yamuna.
But somehow, my supposed Delhi-ness (or lack thereof) was on trial.
Naturally, we had to investigate.
“What exactly does a Delhiite look like?”
Apparently, extra confident.
“And sound like?”
Apparently, traffic rage in human form.
“Tushar, she looks like one.”
“Preneet, she sounds like one.”
I laughed.
“Maybe I should start carrying a Delhi Metro card — you know, for credibility.”
Then Tushar spoiled the mystery:
“Well, she’s not. She just grew up in a quieter town and came to Delhi for higher education and work.”
Ah yes, the quieter town origin story — where people apparently store their humility in mason jars and release it slowly over a lifetime.
Fast Forward to Faridabad
Just a few days ago, I was conducting a workshop for a group of visionary school principals.
After my session, one of the senior principals came up to me and said:
“When I read your profile, I expected someone high-headed, modern… maybe walking in wearing an off-shoulder dress, a knee-above skirt, and two-inch heels.
But when you arrived in a saree, you felt simple… like one of us.
And the moment you began speaking, I knew—ah, that’s whose profile it is.”
Cue the mic-drop moment.
Translation: My bio painted me as a possible fashion-forward Bond villain, but reality served them a relatable, no-frills educator in a saree — and it turns out, that was more powerful than any outfit they imagined.
Why We Judge Before We Know
We do it all the time.
We meet someone for the first time and instantly slot them into a category based on how they look, dress, or speak.
It’s not always malicious — sometimes it’s just lazy mental shorthand.
It reminds me of an encounter a few years back with a man named Ashish.
He showed up in a dhoti-kurta — humble, traditional, unassuming.
I didn’t think twice about it. But apparently, when he saw me, he whispered to a common friend,
“She’s too simple to do business.”
Ah, the classic case of judging a book by its plain cotton cover.
What he didn’t realise was that simplicity is often the best-kept armour in business — it keeps the noise out and the focus razor-sharp.
There’s a strange myth out there: that simple people can’t crack billion-dollar deals.
As if a person needs sequins and stilettos to negotiate contracts or raise capital.
Newsflash — your bank balance doesn’t care about your dress code.
Here’s the catch:
those quick assumptions often have nothing to do with who the person really is or what they’re capable of.
I’ve learned this — and proven it — over and over:
Appearances might start the conversation, but substance is what finishes it.
Authenticity Wins Every Time
The truth is, you can’t dress your way into credibility.
You earn it by showing up — prepared, present, and passionate.
I could’ve walked in that day wearing exactly what they imagined.
But my impact didn’t come from meeting their dress code.
It came from connecting with them, speaking their language, and delivering value they could take back to their schools.
And here’s the beautiful part:
When you Lead with authenticity, people quit imagining who you might be — they start listening to what you actually know
The next time someone makes a snap judgement about you,
smile — because you’re about to surprise them.
And when you do, remember:
The real power move isn’t walking in with stilettos and sass.
It’s walking in with substance so strong… style starts taking notes.