Guest Post by J. Lee of Strategically You

What if you could engage and positively connect with people immediately? Studies have shown that we all form our first impression of someone in under 30 seconds – often before they have even had a chance to say a word. It’s critical that what we convey visually represents truly who we are internally. If people ‘get you’ instantly, there is an instant flow – you do not have to work as hard to develop rapport. On the other hand, when our image does not align with who we are being (our inner personality), people can sense that something is not quite right – even if they cannot put their finger on it exactly. This compromises trust, making them suspicious or skeptical, and sets the relationship on a rocky foundation from the start. My mission is to help women avoid this pitfall, but most importantly, to own themselves, honor who they are, and authentically represent themselves in their visual expression to the world – personally, professionally, and socially.

Your authentic self is the person you are on the inside – your inner personality. Your style persona is the person you reflect to the world through your visual appearance – your outer personality. Are these two in alignment?

You can achieve this alignment. Think of your image as a communication tool. This is NOT about dressing to impress, but dressing to impact or influence. The process of cultivating your authentic image is multidimensional, incorporating 6 key ingredients which also serve as a framework for establishing your wardrobe master plan. While each of the 6 components are critical, defining your Persona will most significantly influence the process of establishing your authentic image. You can be beautiful, professional, AND authentically represent who you are and what you are about. You need not feel as though you are putting on a uniform or mask. You also do not need to compromise your physical comfort. This is about being true to you.

There are 7 dominant fashion personas – which can break down even further into subcategories: Classic, Naturalist, Romantic, Modernist, Diva, Emotionalist, and Trendster. You likely have traits from more than 1 of the 7 fashion personas, but have one primary dominant trait, along with a secondary trait or two. It is not a matter of narrowing yourself down to only one persona. We are diverse individuals. We have different aspects of who we are, that manifest in the different roles we have in our lives – both personally and professionally. Sometimes it’s a matter of which persona we are in a certain arena or role in our life. You need to understand the % of each trait you have which will correspond to the % of your wardrobe that needs to be allocated to each of these personas.
Do you like to experiment with your style – your clothes, hair & cosmetics – or do you tend to keep a relatively traditional and steady image from year to year? Or perhaps anything low-maintenance is your creed?
Do you focus on wearing outfits that are appropriate and suitable for your audience or do you choose clothing items that express your mood and personality at the moment? Or is your comfort most valued and trumps everything else?
Do you like simple, understated modern clothing or do you prefer highly patterned or embellished feminine pieces?
Do you work within a regimented, traditionally conservative field or in a creative, unconventional or unstructured environment?

There is no right or wrong answer above, but a result of your persona. Your wardrobe needs to be congruent with who you are – and your shopping method needs to be in alignment with your wardrobe strategy. In my coaching programs, I take clients through a process of clearly defining these personas and allocating the proper percentages of their wardrobes to support these in their life. This removes enormous frustrations from their lives. Once you determine and understand your Persona(s), you’ll know what specific styles best reflect who you are. Of course you will build upon these further, by customizing your look specifically your way, but they serve as a great framework.

When you shop for these styles, you’ll also want to make sure that your selections are in garment cuts that work best for your body architecture and in colors that enhance your natural coloring. No one has the perfect body, we all have features we are looking to highlight and camouflage – striving toward presenting ourselves in the best light. My desire is to help you to rise to your higher self. Combining all of the 6 components will yield the best results, which is why I bring them all together in my coaching programs.

To learn the 6 critical components for establishing your wardrobe master plan, sign up to download your free report “10 Secrets to Becoming a Strategic Shopper” at http://strategically-you.com/transform/free-style-guide/. You will also receive 10 key tips for reducing your time and budget expenditures while building your wardrobe.

To learn more about the programs I offer, visit http://strategically-you.com/transform/programs/. If you plan to sign up for one of my programs, you will receive a 20% discount between now and March 15, 2012, as a valued Paper Tree House reader. Please email (jlee@strategically-you.com) or call me (512-240-2418) with the code: ‘papertree’ to receive the extended discount. If you would like more clarity about how the program(s) could work for you, contact me to schedule a complimentary strategy session for more in-depth information.

Bio:

J. Lee, creator and founder of Strategically You, leads image coaching programs for women to demystify the timeless, foundational principles of image, style, and wardrobe mastery for her clients so they are able to confidently create their authentic image and build their wardrobe strategically. She believes that when women reclaim their wardrobes, they also reclaim their lives – healing how they see and feel about themselves and ultimately healing their souls.

You can connect with J. Lee at http://www.strategically-you.com, http://www.facebook.com/Strategically.You, or on Twitter as @StrategicallyU.