5 ways to Unlock the Power of Disguise
Have you ever wanted to slip into a crowd unnoticed? Or rather noticed as someone else?
The secret is you can. And you hold the key to your own transformation and likely do not even know it.
I’ve worn, or rather become, many disguises in life here is what I have learned.
- Dress Up/Down to gain behind the scenes access
- Alter your facial hair, alter your identity
- Change your Hair Color to go un-noticed
- Accessorize to fool anyone
- Confidence unlocks most doors
1. Dress Up/Down to gain behind the scenes access
Get at least one nice outfit. You’ve been thinking about it for years, now is the time to actually do it. Simply clipping on a tie or in many cases just slipping into a button-up shirt with a collar will do the trick.
It may be a sad reality we are living in, but the wonders and access a clean shirt can afford you cannot go unmentioned.
Feel free to flip this one on its head and “dress down”. I live my days mostly dressed down, and don’t think there is a level below my standard attire. But if you wear a suit and tie every day, grab a hoodie and some jeans and slip into the crowd.
2. Alter your facial hair, alter your identity
If you have facial hair this is one of the best-hidden disguise options you can employ. It certainly takes commitment. But it is a real winner. I recently went from a full beard to a boss-level mustache and totally changed my appearance.
This is a good exercise for anyone to go through. Whether you are trying to actively disappear with a “new you” disguise or just trying to mix it up. Too often it is easy to be overly connected to our “look”. If you willingly make a drastic change like this from time to time. You will be better equipped to bounce back from that “not so great” great clips haircut.
3. Change your Hair Color to go un-noticed
This is actually the oldest trick in the book. But it simply has to be on the list due to the breadth of its use throughout the history of disguise. Spies today actively change their hair color when getting in character.
Although this can be accomplished by donning a wig, a full send on hair color is a sure-fire way to go “unnoticed” as your former hair-color self.
4. Accessorize to fool anyone
Throwing on a little bling can really change your look. If you take the Chotchkie’s flair rule minimum (thank you Office Space) 15 pieces of flair should do the trick.
This point of disguise is really best when combined with at least one other approach from the list. Taken by itself it may not have the full power to make you disappear into the crowd.
5. Confidence unlocks most doors
If you want the ability to disappear into plain sight and you don’t have time for any of the above approaches all you need to do is “act the part”. Whatever “part” that may be, if you move and speak with confidence you’re in. I mean, what are they going to say, “excuse me, are you really a doctor?”
When is the last time you ever thought to ask your “doctor” that question? This lesson is classically demonstrated with the true story of Frank Abagnale. And so beautifully portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in Catch Me if you Can.
Conclusion
We love the individuality in our day and age. And we are quite good at expressing it, maybe too good. But we also tend toward caring a bit too much about what others think of us (yes, even you who just repeated that old refrain, “I don’t care what people think.”) in your head.
Is that so? Well, shave down into a mustache and see how you react to what people think? Or take a risk on a haircut or hair color and learn to deal with not looking exactly perfect in front of others. These are easy examples of facing a little uncomfortableness on things that actually grow back pretty quickly.
It’s fun to wear a disguise, but let's make sure we don’t leave it on too long. There is only one you! And if you are wearing a disguise I will never get to know the real you.
