Personal Image and Branding has always been something that I am really passionate about, and maybe that is what led me to my love of Personal Styling?!
Over the past years, personal image and branding has become increasingly more important and is now a must for everyone in business. Yet to many, it is still disregarded as an important role to your business and your future! Personal image is not just for large companies and celebrities, it is for all of us! The business owners, employees and startups. It really is for everyone, it is who we are, what we show people and also how we want them to see us!
When we meet someone, the first impression has already been made of us within the first 7 seconds, either consciously or subconsciously. Your appearance makes a statement about who you are, either in a positive or negative way, and what is great about that, is that you are the only person who gets to decide each and every morning what that statement will be! People can only make a judgement with the information that we are giving them, so let's make it count, because as we know, you can never get back that first impression!
Your style and image illustrates your ability, attitude, values, age or perceived age, motivation, success, how well you know your craft, your confidence - or lack of, honesty, and trustworthiness. All of that in just an instant! I know that it might sound daunting, but all it comes down to, is being well presented, showing your personality, using certain techniques when putting your outfit together, and also paying attention to the small details.
Let's say you are wanting people to pay attention to you, and maintain their focus. Wear a statement lippy, it could be a red, pink, dark plum, or even a stunning orange. A colour that will demand their attention, yet is still on brand with your personality and business. When you wear a lippy like this, people will be naturally drawn there, and will remain focused on what you are saying. A strong lip colour also represents your confidence, your belief in yourself and your business!
At networking events where you are meeting people for the very first time, or when you're meeting a client for the first time, wear a v-neck or open neck top which reveals your vital v, which is the area from the top of your chest to the top of your head. You will naturally come across as open, honest, and approachable. You can try this with a scarf or a roll neck jumper at home in front of the mirror. Just look at yourself in a v-neck top, then cover that area and you will instantly look much less approachable.
There are so many details to an outfit that can give people the impression that you are wanting to give them! Just like the very popular cape, they are perfect for you to appear in control, confident, powerful, current, yet still very approachable. They also show a lot of your personality, which is always a great thing!
What I discuss with my clients, is how do they want people to see them, and feel about them. This is what you need to think about. For me, I like people to see me as caring, happy, confident, relatable, professional, honest, and trustworthy, plus I like to show them a whole lot of my own personality! This is what I think about when I put an outfit on, and when I am shopping and deciding on pieces to add to my wardrobe. It is so important!
Think about your logo for your business, your business cards, your website and your packaging. They are incredibly important to your business and how it is perceived, and we all take time to consider how it will look, or how it will feel when our clients or customers hold it, or look at it. And for most of us, we would hire someone to make sure that it is exactly what we want. And considering that we are our biggest, walking, talking business card that you will ever have, we need to be spot on, and also invest in ourselves!
I have created Styling Packages to suit all budgets so there is definitely something that will suit you, and your needs, so feel free to check them out or contact me if you have any questions.
Personal image isn’t only important when you're socialising, it is also for all of us who work from home too. It can be really easy to think, oh well, no one is going to see me today, so i’ll just stay in my trackies, but the difference to your productivity is huge when you dress up to go to work. You have more confidence, you are more focused and you are in the mindset of being at work, not at home. I don’t mean that you have to pop on your high heels and a dress, just some well presented clothes that make you feel confident, in control and ready to take on the world! I would love for you try this next time you are working in your office, even if its for an hour, you will feel the difference! When I work in my office (which is at home) I dress like I am going to see a client, I do the whole thing, makeup, hair, lippy and outfit, because I know the difference that it makes to my work day - I am in the zone, and I can do anything! I’m not saying that you need to take it that far, but just remember that it doesn’t take us any longer to dress well, and the results can be incredible!
Your personal appearance can also open many doors for you in the business world. There are competitors out there who are doing the same thing or something similar to you, so you need to stand out and show the very best of you. There is no one out there like you, so love that, be confident about that, and dress to smash it! You may need to step out of that nice and warm comfort zone, but once you do, you will love it, and you won’t want to go back! xx