Today, I was at the Judicial Courthouse supporting a friend going through a difficult time. In the building, the only folks who can use a cell phone are attorneys. While in the elevator, I noticed a young woman wearing dressy open toe sandals (more for night wear), very worn jeans and a makeshift jacket who tossed hair and shifted her armload of papers and began using her phone. I casually asked, “You must be an attorney? “Yes,” she replied. I was thinking OMG.

When I got off the elevator, I saw that my friends’ attorney was wearing a lightweight dark suit, modern under pining and great ALG flats. She had long hair and was beautifully groomed.

We saw an attorney (with a phone in her hands) on another elevator ride who gave off an air of poise and confidence. I would hire her in a minute.

My friend thought maybe the first attorney I saw was only an associate. That may be true but it is still no excuse; you always want to look like you are ready to take the next step.

In the movie Blue Jasmine, Cate Blanchette’s character, Jasmine, has fallen on hard times. She carries a Hermes bag which turns out to be her symbol.

What does the bag you carry, whether is a purse, brief case or backpack, say about you?

Recently, while waiting for my flight to see a client, I surveyed the bags folks carried. With the elegantly appearing men and women, their bags were never seemed overloaded. They were in good condition and in some cases bore an immediatly recognizable designer label.

However, there were too many folks who had over-stuffed bags and in some cases multiple bags. The old perception was that people with bags like that were hard workers. Today the thought is that they appear unorganized and a bit overwhelmed.

Then, there are the backpack folks. They are saying “I am current and I am cool”. My thought was: When do you give up your college days?