"Image Conscious"

Today, I had a little phone briefing with a woman that I work with. A very attractive woman at that. And we were talking about how I had gotten credentials to go to Miami Fashion Week. She asked me if I had ever been and I told her I hadn't, but I have been to Miami (LOVED IT!). I asked her if she had been and she said no, no to the show, not to the city, but she figured it would be like any other "full-scale fashion show." However, she told me to be careful because people in Miami are "image conscious." Image conscious? Image conscious? IMAGE CONSCIOUS! Say what?! I told her I didn't care, I went last year and was well received and she was like "Well..."
Grunt. GRUNT! If I worried about how image conscious people were in the world around me, I would just crawl in a hole and die. Die! I don't know a lot about a lot of stuff, but I do know that I have come to far in my career (transcribing and doing busy work at internships), and in my life and with my own self-esteem, to be hinted at in a pretty tone by a pretty lady that I am too fat or too ugly or too whatever and to be weary when working because people are image conscious!
I am fat. True dat. No denyin'. I am often the fattest person at the events that I go to. Whatever. And yes, I am totally aware and I am totally aware that those around me are aware, no biggy. I make contacts, and do what I need to do, fat in all!
Am I mad at my co-worker? Naw. People in Miami are image conscious. I am just irritated that she felt the need to warn me, as if I'm oblivious of my own size, and I am annoyed that she would think it mattered enough to me to be warned! As Lauren would say *Kanye Shrug*. Guess she just doesn't know me that well.