How using personal style can help you and your business stand out
Do you dress to blend in or stand out?
If you’re like most humans, the former is probably your prime motivator when getting dressed. Why? Growing up, you're taught that if you want to be safe, liked, and successful, you need to downplay your distinctive features and personal style to look like everyone else. It’s how you avoid getting teased, being made fun of, or ostracized on the playground. By looking like everyone else, you show that you truly belong.
Ironically, like most things in life, once you get out into the real world and start #adulting, you learn the opposite is true. In order to get anywhere in life, you need to stand out.
You need your business to be attention-grabbing enough to stand out from the hundreds of others. You need people to remember you for being different from everyone else they met at that networking event. You need to show off your personal style and what makes you unique in order to set yourself apart from every other entrepreneur out there.
The entrepreneurs who have thriving businesses, make great money and are the most successful in their area of expertise are the ones who others easily recognize because they are not like their peers. They take a different approach that is uniquely their own - and you can extend this same philosophy to your style.
Take a look at these two photos as an example:
In the first photo, I'm wearing a stand-out personal style. In the very literal sense, I’m actually standing out from everything else around me but I’m also standing out because my style is unique, bold, and fun. It catches and captivates the eye.
And looking at this picture, what might you assume about me? That I’m bold, confident, and fun? You nailed it! I don't even need to speak to express who I am, my clothes allow me to do that without having to say a word.
In the second photo. I'm wearing a style that is cute but much more neutral and ‘safe’.
The background of the photo is exactly the same. Yet I look like an entirely different person. You might notice me, but you probably won't remember me and you definitely don't get the full essence of my personality at a glance.
This seems so simple, doesn’t it? Yet it’s anything but!
Here’s why it’s so hard to make the shift from blending in to standing out.
When your goal is to stand out, it requires you to go against how you're wired. Back in the prehistoric cave person-days, being different was not a good thing. In fact, it was downright dangerous. It meant you were tossed out of the group and without a group supporting you, you were as good as dead. Being able to blend in and belong was a necessity for survival that made the difference between life and death.
That’s why going against the grain, in any area, feels so scary and uncomfortable. Putting yourself out there produces physical symptoms of sweaty palms, a racing heart rate, and faster breathing because it produces a fight or flight response. Your body is getting you ready for survival mode at the perceived threat of getting rejected from the group.
This doesn’t just happen with the big stuff. This happens with anything that you perceive could result in rejection.
Think about the last time you got dressed for an occasion and felt sure you were over or under-dressed. Did you start imagining everyone staring at you as you walked in and picture them whispering about you and avoiding you? Did you get incredibly nervous the more you thought about it and start experiencing those very real physical symptoms? You can thank your brain for wanting to keep you alive! Our brain still carries that ancient instinct with us because while times have drastically changed, our brains and bodies have not. It will do everything it can to convince you to look like everyone else so you can belong and stay safe.
Blending in may have been a good survival tactic back in high school and college but as an entrepreneur, it’s your ability to set yourself apart that will help you survive, and thrive.
How standing out from the crowd benefits you and your business
When you dress in a way that is unique to you with clothes that light you up, it helps you shine brighter from the inside out. This magnetic energy coupled with a unique, memorable personal style is what sets you apart and draws others to you.
When you look back at the photos above, besides one being more memorable visually, can you spot the other way I look vastly different in these two photos?
If you said my overall energy and presence, you got it! I didn't even try to look more lively in the stand-out photo. It just naturally happened because the vibrant colors, bold patterns, and fun style brought out the fun in me and enhanced my personality! It changed how I feel, which changed the presence I’m exuding, all because I tapped into my personal style.
Dressing to stand out in a way that naturally reflects your unique personality doesn’t just help you look good, it helps you feel good too!
And when your unique personality is on full display on both the inside and the outside, your ideal clients will be drawn right to you.
You become a magnet to others who are inspired by the whole, authentic essence that comes off of you in waves. They don’t even have to meet you or talk to you to know what you’re all about. They can look at your Instagram account or hop on your website and instantly see a kindred spirit. Then, when they start reading your content or learn more about your products or have that consult call, the additional info solidifies and reinforces what they initially experienced at just a glance.
Start standing out by making bolder style choices that suit your personality. This will help you stand out from the crowd in a way that feels effortless and authentic, not forced.
Here are two tips to get you started.
Use the power of accessories
If you feel like everything you own looks just like what everyone else is wearing, start by adding a few accessories. This is a great way to dip your toe in the water because they’re usually less expensive and make up a smaller portion of your outfit so you feel comfortable trying new things.
For example, if your go-to look is skinny jeans and a striped top, try adding a pair of red ballet flats instead of the black sneakers you usually throw on. Even that small change creates a more memorable, stand-out look.
Embrace the unexpected
Look for small details that set a piece apart from the rest. Every piece you own doesn’t need to be bold and in-your-face in order to stand out. The most subtle pieces can make a HUGE statement. This could be as simple as a cutout neckline or scalloped hemline on the next top you buy.
If you feel like you already own cute pieces but they’re still not having the style impact you desire, try wearing pieces that don't necessarily stand out on their own, but together create a memorable look.
If you love turquoise jewelry, show it off by layering several necklaces together to kick it up a notch! If pastels are your thing, wear a head-to-toe pastel look - soft blue wide-leg pants with a lavender sweater and chic seafoam green clutch will definitely create a stand-out look.
When that ancient instinct starts kicking you into fight or flight mode, remember that you’re a one-of-a-kind, beautiful human on a powerful mission to change the world one client product or service at a time. At the end of the day, that’s why creating a stand-out personal style is so beneficial. It's not to force you to be something you're not. It's to enhance who you already are so others can see it too, including you! 💕
Written by Guest Blogger, Rachel Michael
