A big mistake I see women making is waiting to invest in their image. Waiting until the promotion. Waiting until the weight loss. Waiting until their life 'one day' becomes more fancy/special/important.

I recently started working with a new client who is an emerging leader in her space. Over the years, her role has become increasingly more public with industry and client speaking engagements. Recognizing that if she wants to be seen as a leader in her space, she needed to up her image.

You may be thinking, well that doesn't relate to me because I don't have a high profile position. Fair, but developing a strong personal brand and image that communicates what you choose isn't just for professionals and corporate growth. It is proven that greater than 93% of communication is nonverbal. A first impression can be made in as little as 7 seconds!

Impacting your first impression is:

55% is what they see
38% is how you speak
7% is what you say

So maybe you're a mom who wants to advocate for your community at a PTA meeting. Depending on how you choose to show up, your image could either amplify or undermine your message.

Last Friday, I gave a talk to a group of professionals on dressing for success and making a professional impact through your wardrobe. And while yes, the talk focused on how you're showing up to work (even on Zoom) it also crossed over to personal lives and the impact that your image has on your mood, your actions and the people around you.

Here's another example. You're a real estate agent at the grocery store wearing your bummiest house clothes. You run into someone you haven't seen in a while. You're more likely to either avoid them all together, or when you do converse, your eye contact isn't great, you're fidgety and make excuses for how you look. The conversation is short. With a polished image that communicates the narrative YOU decide I'm sure that conversation would unfold much differently. Maybe you saw that that person has been renting their second home recently on Facebook. In your polished image you have the confidence to grow that connection and ask if they considered selling their home. You stand tall and speak with confidence. A lightbulb goes off for this person and they feel confident in trusting you to be the listing agent on their beach home. Your polished image communicated that you're a successful real estate agent who could get top dollar for their home. While the first example in the house clothes may have communicated that you're just doing this on the side and you're unorganized.

It’s an unfortunate truth, but we all create perceived truths based on what a person looks like. Fortunately, you have the opportunity to create and control the narrative that others will receive. Use your wardrobe as a tool to propel you towards success. No one is saying you need to be in a suit every day. But you have a choice each day when it comes to what you wear.

Check out these two catalogs that feature 2 of my favorite retailers here and here. Each look tells a different story, do any align with the narrative you're looking to tell?