By Isabella Brusati – Guest Editor
In a very competitive market where jobs are becoming scarce due to the economic conditions, it is mandatory to build a strong personal brand and keep your name and profile under the radar of those who can support you in building your career.
It amazes me how many women believe that personal image is not important and that planning strategically the way that they look is frivolous. It takes only 5 seconds for an individual who has never met you before to form an opinion about yourself. And this happens even before you have started a verbal conversation, without knowing anything about your experience and skills.
Human beings are visual and the way that we look and present ourselves speaks volume. Communication occurs not only through words, but also via body language and personal appearance: clothes and grooming do matter. Decisions about people are made unconsciously. Try this simple exercise. When you travel on public transports or walk in the street look at the people that you meet and notice how the perception that you have about a specific individual leads you to form an opinion about that person. Is that woman wearing a short tight skirt: what is your perception of her? Is that man wearing sandals and shorts: what is your perception of him?
Image is a fundamental element in building your personal brand. In addition to your professionalism, technical and relationship skills, the way that you portray yourself with your clothes, shoes, bag and grooming reflect your professional standard.
Quality is much better than quantity. Even if you are just starting out with your career it is a savvy move investing in good quality key pieces.
How do you build the perfect visual brand? There are several elements that women have to consider.
1) First of all the sector in which you operate. If you work in financial services a more traditional and conservative look (that meaning a sharp and fitted suit with coordinated shoes) will take you much further than a casual and relaxed look (for example jeans and a crisp white shirt). On the contrary, if you work in the creative industry a suit is likely to be inappropriate and make you feel out of place.
How do you find out what is suitable for your sector? Look at what the women at the next level to yours in your company are wearing. You will notice that there are some common elements: take them as an example and build your wardrobe accordingly. Your personal brand has to match your company brand.
2) Quality is much better than quantity. Even if you are just starting out with your career it is a savvy move investing in good quality key pieces. A suit that fits your figure (you can buy a jacket and trousers + skirt of the same model that you will rotate), a beautiful coat for the winter and a trench coat for the spring and autumn and quality leather shoes. A note: if you buy hills they should not be higher than 6cm. You want to be able to walk comfortably. The high street offer a wide array of choices and brands like Hobbs, LK Bennett or Karen Millen are good starting points. As you progress in your career you will be in the financial position to buy more expensive basics. On the other hand, you can save money on shirts. They have to look pristine and you would have to replace them as soon as they show signs of wear. Also accessories such as earrings, bracelets and brooches can be bought in shops like Swarovski – there is no need to buy Cartier to look polished. With regards to the bag it is much better to have only one quality handbag than three cheaper bags.
Never wear jeans in the office and always wear a jacket.
3) Casual Friday: this is cause of plenty of headaches, especially for women. Some companies may have dress code policies that provide guidelines on how to dress during casual Friday. If this is not the case I suggest to dress as you normally do during the other days of the week. Or, if your boss and female senior member of staff adopt a more relaxed approach, to go for a separate jacket and skirt. Never wear jeans in the office and always wear a jacket. It may sound unfair but women are judged more harshly than men when it comes to image. Studies show how a man is perceived by his peers and superiors if he goes into a meeting without a jacket. He still retains strong authority. On the contrary, if a woman attends a meeting without a jacket her level of authority declines exponentially.
4) There is more than black in life: If you watch women who work in The City you would have probably noticed that about 95% wear head to toe black. It is unfortunate that those women do not use colour to their advantage. Colour has a psychological effect and knowing the meaning of colour will give you an edge. Have you ever tried wearing a red jacket when attending a particularly tricky meeting? Red is perceived as an aggressive colour and the subliminal message that you will project is “I am ready for the fight”. But do not over use this trick!
let your personality shine through.
5) A little bit of makeup is better than no makeup. This statement may sound controversial to some of the readers but a touch of mascara, sheer lipstick, a little bit of natural blush and a neutral eye shadow will make you looked more groomed than a bare face. If you are uncomfortable or not accustomed to makeup pay trip to the counter of Bobbi Brown or Laura Mercier. They have a wide array of natural colours and textures that are perfect for the office look. They will also teach you how to apply the products.
In this article I have touched upon the main elements of how to build a powerful personal brand by carefully planning the way that you dress and your grooming. Just one last thought: let your personality shine through. You have to be comfortable in your clothes and wear them rather than your clothes wearing yourself.
Isabella Brusati – Guest Editor
International Stylist
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