So I broke down and hired a stylist.
And I’ll admit, I feel kind of fabulous saying that. And even more fabulous having photos like these of my own clothes:
I should back up a bit. And explain why I felt the need (and could justify the expense) of hiring someone to essentially pick out my clothes.
I used to feel so put together back when I was what I considered my perfect size, weight, and when I was doing exactly what I wanted to do with my life. I was about 22-years-old and I felt I had figured everything out. I had done pretty well with college, become this rock star English major who consistently wowed her professors with thoughtful papers on Post-Colonialism, the concept of “the Other” and the Negritude movement. I was, in my opinion (with all of the perspective a 22-year-old can muster) at the height of my writing and focused on pushing the envelope in both literature, cultural criticism and journalism. I was confident and sassy with an artsy twist. But at the same time, I was about my business.
I was this girl:
Then…something changed. As quickly as I found Amanda, I began to lose her. I struggled to eek out a career path that included my interests in creative writing, content production and business. I started out doing public relations work with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, then I worked for a while at a lobbying firm, and got to travel abroad and do some important networking and learn the ins and outs of consulting with government agencies and foreign countries. But soon that didn’t allow me to flex my creative muscles often enough. So I started freelance PR writing on the side. And then when this story was published in the Sunday Washington Post, I got the journalism bug. I began putting myself out there and building my portfolio of clips. After a while, I landed a journalism fellowship to Northwestern University’s Medill School that opened the door to a coveted staff writer position at the Washington City Paper.
During all of this change, my style was in limbo, but it didn’t really matter. Because no one was really looking at me, or so I thought. I was simply the writer; the vessel charged at getting the story out into the world.
Fast forward a few years. I’m on maternity leave, and my editor is calling me to let me know that my paper is making further cuts so I have a decision to make: I can give up my job or stick around and take someone else’s spot. I pass on filling the space since I was contemplating getting back to my PR.
By this time I was a mom, and totally without a sense of style. Marriage, another baby, a blog, and a company later puts me here before you, the same soulful writer who is not (as I waxed poetically back in 1999)
in my milieu
I want
to pack a lunch
and head for the high grass.
I want to slide my Doc Marten’s on
then kick them off
to wait for me outside
the enchantment of a grass-covering blanket.
But I can’t do that now. Doc Martens? Yeah right!
This stylist is amazing. She told me candidly: “Amanda, you have to represent your company, now.” Recently we were preparing some looks for my upcoming trip to San Diego for the NABJ Conference. I’m speaking on a panel about Turning Your Passion Into a PR Career, and I never know what to wear to these things.
We picked out a few different things to wear and Robin, (the stylist), helped me pair everything together with accessories and the right shoes. When she pointed to pair of wide leg black pants and said “You can wear these on the plane, with a nice cardigan…” I laughed.
“I can just wear my yoga pants,” I said.
“Amanda,” she said sternly. “You’re going on a business trip to make a presentation. Who do you think you’re going to see on the plane? Your audience. You can’t look great at the event, and look a mess on the plane.”
That’s what she said. But you know what I heard?
Keep your branding consistent.
Is your branding consistent? You may have the most amazing logo, the most clean copy writing and beautiful brochures. But what about you? Is your personal presentation pulling the package all together? Or are you failing your brand, causing the house you’ve so carefully built to fall apart once people meet you in person?
Ouch.
So now, I try to be cognizant whenever I leave the house because while I may have the heart of the poet, I have to have the sheen of your publicist.
I’m interested to know how you are navigating this terrain. Is your branding consistent? How much time/effort do you put into your outward appearance and how important do you think it is? Have you had to do a rebrand?
Want more heartfelt observations from the front lines of my PR path? Order my book, The Mopwater Manual.
Amanda, this is a great blog!!! My style (read:branding) could use a little consistency, if you know what I mean.
Thanks for the reminder.
~Michelle
Hey Amanda:
Even I fell into what I call the wifey/mommy look coma for a while in my personal life, until one of my friends told me that Juicy Couture sweats were fine for mommyville but did not count as an outfit!
Marrying your style and your message is so important and when you get into a rut sometimes you have to bring in reinforcements which is where a stylist comes in to help you evaluate, create and harness your image into a polished, powerful brand.
I am so glad you had a good experience. Please post some photos of your new look! I can’t wait to see it.
Tonya
Amanda!
This is so on point! I wanted to add that consistency in branding matters not only to your audience, but, perhaps most importantly, to you. It serves as a constant reminder of what we are aspiring to do. No matter how our roles or situations change, we are still to move constantly towards ourselves. Don’t throw the Doc Martens out with the bath water!!! Who said the Scarlet Letter had to be a bad thing? The homie Hester P. could never forget! As vain as it may seem, we are what we wear! Keep being fabulous, inside and out!
@Michelle: Thank you. Consistency is key when it comes to branding. Just think: if Volvo cars were only safe some of the time, what would that do to the brand?
You’ve got your shoe game strong judging from your Facebook posts!
@Tonya: Oh, mommyville…I will keep you posted with photos as I go
@Reisha: We really are what we wear. And a little vanity makes the world a more beautiful place, doesn’t it?
Thanks ladies for your input.
LOVED this post! And found out you are even more fascinating than I already know you to be! We must be on the same wavelength because ironically, I just wrote a post about brand consistency: http://wp.me/pXpo0-1a
A-Mizzle: what a great read! I totally agree with everything you said. Hiring a stylist can make you feel very luxurious (luxurious: one of my 5 fav words for 2010)…yet practical. And while some may not agree hiring a stylist is practical, in some cases, as you pointed out…it is absolutely ESSENTIAL.
Two thumbs up!
Hi Amanda! Great to see you yesterday btw.
Love this post and can totally rate. As someone that double majored in both Marketing and Fashion, I live in the world daily that your personal brand in how you dress is certainly part of the “marketing package”. I come from a family that my grandmother would put her wig on and get “proper: just to do laundry down the road as her home did not have a washer and dryer. She never left the house without being put together (we would joke that if anyone has a pic of her in sweats to send it). Ha! She has passed away, but she would always say “dress for the job you want and create your personal style”. It’s just interesting how your post is so true in how your style relates to the image of your business. After I had my son, I did a similar thing. I had a funk that I hated all my old clothes and wanted to be a “hip business mom”. I think just like your business brand, your personal brand will always evolve. Kudos for your post!
Amanda,
You’re always so timely w/your posts. And as I pulled this one up today and read it, it’s no different. Coincidentally, I’m on my way to a 10 a.m. meeting today with a client to take a look at her wardrobe foundation and pull together some pieces. As such, I’m thinking about my outfit today as well (as the image consultant) to set the tone/example. Thx. again;)
This post really spoke to me, I know that sassy girl with an artsy twist all too well and yoga pants make flights so much more comfortable! But ultimately we do have to represent our personal brands well and consistently, especially if we’d like others to entrust their brands to us as PR and marketing professionals. I think this is something alot of people struggle with as the lines between downtime and business time get blurred more and more. Btw..the panel sounds really interesting, would love to hear how it went.
This post was so on it! I am at this stage as well, well… minus the kids and married and all. LOL…
I am at a point in my career where I am looking to get back into PR full time, detouring completely away from what I am doing now which is not in PR. In the office setting that I work in, it is pretty much laid back. To the point where some employees have come in with leggings and a long shirt/dress deal on.
Now, me personally I wouldn’t do that even if I could. There is a time and place for everything. I believe that a new look and/or adjusted view on your current style can even help motivate you in your desired career!
I have a friend who is a stylist so gratefully I don’t have to pay! She has been working with me here and there and it has been a tremendous help!
Thanks again for your post!
@Michael Thanks for the comment, and for reading Mopwater! “Luxurious” I love it! I think I will adopt it into the mogul vocab.
@Maurisa Can I just tell you how embarrassed I was to see you after I wrote this post and thought I could dip out of the house for one hour to get some things copied at Kinko’s before my trip. “I won’t run into anyone…” I thought. And then I saw you. Like I told you “This never happened…”
@Kim Thank you! It’s always fun to hear from an actual stylist on a subject like this.
@Khalia The panel went really well and I can’t believe I wanted to wear yoga pants. The clothing I wore event while traveling were comfortable yet made me aware that I was not traveling for leisure so I kept a professional demeanor at all times. The panel was excellent, and now I’m finishing up an e-book on the topic. I will post video footage of the actual panel later this week after I get it edited.
@TMarie Sometimes you have to just have to rise above your surroundings and remember your own standards. Even when the people you’re around are lax, you can’t be lax yourself. Remember your goals and stay focused on those. If those other folks want to look a mess, that’s on them.