If I understand the likely context of the manner in which the OP described being told this I think this was very rude if not even stuck up. I sure would be hurt if someone told me that - especially if they were giving me the brush off.

That said, several other posters pointed out that we all to a degree have images we wish to uphold in public. I agree. But I sense from the OP that the scenario of 'image' was not about wearing a more confident persona, etc. I just assumed they were encountering someone extremely shallow and fake.