The Necklace/Photo Motivation Pact of 2008

Allow me to begin at the beginning for those of you who are confused, which is most likely all of you.

After careful consideration and discussion amongst my friends and colleagues, it has come to my attention that I am considered somewhat of a style icon in our little community. That being said, when I am present at Potter-related and other functions, I try to look my best and represent the site I work for and those I work with by being polite, well-spoken, and dressed appropriately.

Now you may ask, “But Jennifer, why on Earth do you give so much credence to what others think?” Well, my first response is ‘why shouldn’t I?’ and my second response is as follows.

Imagine yourself out at a party. Lots of “important” people are there and you want to dress to impress. So, you put on your finest and march yourself over to the venue promptly so as not to be more than “fashionably late”. After much conversation and compliments paid, you are positive you’ve achieved your goals in making a good impression on all you met that evening. What you don’t consider is what’s most important: The aftermath.

Now, I’m not talking about the little words of gossip thrown round from here to there about who wore what and why. That’s not as vital as what can happen once your image is reproduced…on film. That’s right. All that primping and preening has been for naught if you’ve been caught by the cameras. We’re not talking LA paparazzi here, far from it. No, this is more the casual snapshot of yourself with or without others that can find its way onto our little friend the Internet.

So, while discussing the slew of events taking place this Spring and Summer, a few of us decided on a couple of absolute truths:

1. No one can look a hot mess at a Ball. You all remember the photos taken before, during, and after the Balls last summer. Some looked good, some looked great (including yours truly) and some looked drop-dead gorgeous. However, somewhere between the first round of pre-party drinks and the Time Warp, everyone in the room fancied themselves Annie Leibovitz. Flashes were going off everywhere and if you weren’t aware of it then, you were aware on August 15 when you checked your Tag Requests on Facebook.

2. We could all stand to improve ourselves. Sure, we’re happy with how we feel, but I think on some level everyone knows that they wish there were some part of their appearance they could alter or improve upon. With work, one can achieve such a goal. It’s not easy, though.

3. People will want to take your picture. Regardless of who you are in this Fandom, be prepared to say ‘cheese.’ Everywhere you go this summer there will be videos and photos being taken of you, especially those that are candid and unseen. It’s not about who you are or who you’re with, it’s about wanting to capture the moments and the memories that are sure to be a part of an unforgettable season of events.

With that, my friends and I have decided to form a pact. We took objects (dresses, necklaces, bathing suits, etc) that we found reminded us of the upcoming event season and made the promise to ourselves that we would use these objects (and the thought of a hundred flashbulbs going off at once) to motivate ourselves to strive for better health and fitness in order to look our best this Summer. We call it The Necklace/Photo Motivation Pact of 2008 (NPMP08). And we think it’s going to be a terrific success.

Remember how many people were at last year’s Decade of Enchantment Ball? Think 3-5 times that amount for this year.

What’s your motivation?