How do you add personal style to your personal brand? Here’s an excerpt from tips I shared at a Metta Value Personal Branding weekend.
Starting to incorporate style into your personal brand
Everyone has a personal brand, whether they believe in it, like it, put conscious effort into it, or not. A personal brand is simply how others see you, and it’s based on your values, personality, experiences, expertise, achievements & actions. Creating the visuals to accompany your personal brand is one of the final phases. Still, many people, especially business owners, find the thought of incorporating personal style into their personal brand very scary. The most common reason people link the two and actually spend time thinking about their personal style in relation to their personal brand is when they need to get new headshots taken. Side note: you can read all about that here.
Elements of Style
The nitty gritty of personal style can be broken down into a number of elements. Here are my favorites:
- Silhouette & Fit
- Contrast
- Color & Print
- Fabric
- Texture & Finish
- Accessories
- Personal adornment, including hair & makeup (Bonus: Natalie Setareh shares her top 5 tips for prepping hair and makeup for photoshots in this guest blog) .
Pick One Thing
If you read that list and felt overwhelmed, the generic keep it simple advice also applies here. You don’t have to do it all, just pick one thing to focus on. Do you love color? A certain color? A lack of color (white)? A specific color combination (e.g. monochromatic)? That can be your thing! Or perhaps you love baggy clothes, a certain fabric, wearing a noteworthy accessory (e.g. large bags), or having a skunk stripe in your hair. That’s all you need — one thing to be known for.
The Metta Value workshop attendees asked me, “But can it only be one thing??” No, your personal style is yours to design, so that if feels like authentic self-expression. You do you!
Comfort
Above all, your personal style needs to feel comfortable. But I want to differentiate “comfort” from “familiarity”. When you’re developing and expanding your personal style, it will probably not feel comfortable at first. New things are unfamiliar, and I would even argue that in order to grow, you first need to be uncomfortable. Try out different looks using the elements of style list above. Don’t just look in the mirror. Also notice your emotions around a certain look. When something feels good, snap a selfie so you can easily repeat the look.
Create Your Signature Look
Could you use some help updating your personal style so that it’s aligned with your personal brand? Natalie and I will deliver the total package. We’ve created an eight-week VIP online program, working with you step-by-step to Create Your Signature Look. If you want to know more, click here today and book a quick call so we can answer your questions.
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