Brand my Style

If you've ever struggled with what to wear, you are not alone.  Many people go into their closets, see their inventory of choices and just don't know what to put on.  They are unsure.  It's not always because they are unskilled at putting ensembles together, it often has more to do with how they are feeling.  "What do I want to wear today?"  "I don't feel like getting dressed up."  "It's not worth the effort." "I want to feel comfortable."  "I want something to make me feel happy?"  "Does this make me look pretty?"

While using your daily emotional barometer as a tool for choosing how to dress isn't necessarily as bad thing, I would suggest it is not the most effective way of creating a powerful impact with your appearance.  A better way to approach the decision of what to wear on a daily basis is to think of your brand and your projected goals.  Ask yourself "How do I want to be seen?" "What impression do I want to make on my customers?"  "What do I stand for?"  "What are my career goals?"  "What kind of people do I want to attract into my life?"  

When you start to think about these bigger questions it shifts how you make your daily decisions.  If you, for example, say your brand is sophisticated and modern and you want people to see you as a leader and a forward thinker, you will be less inclined to reach for faded jeans the next time you get dressed to meet a colleague for coffee.  Or perhaps your goal is to become known as the go-to person for financial planning in your community.  Next time you reach for something in your closet, ask yourself "Would you trust your finances to this person?"  If you are dishevelled or dressed too casually you may be repelling the very people you are trying to attract.

It may feel like what I'm suggesting is over thinking, however, it actual simplifies the process of choosing what to wear.  Instead of following the roller coaster of emotions we all go through, you can ask yourself one simple question.  "Does this reflect my brand and serve my goals?"   The trick, of course, is knowing what your brand is and where you want to go.  When you do, everything else becomes more simple, including getting dressed every morning.