In this conversational video, two speakers explore how a speaker’s wardrobe shapes audience perception and personal branding. They argue that clothing creates a character and can either support or distract from the message. The discussion emphasizes starting with a clear vision of one’s current life and career season, then translating that into a simple style formula: identify signature pieces, favorite colors, and flattering cuts that align with one’s body type and lifestyle. They advocate for a personal “uniform” – a consistent, recognizable look that simplifies dressing, aids photo and social‑media repurposing, and reinforces authenticity. Examples include Steve Jobs’s black turtleneck and jeans, the host’s denim jacket, and the use of distinctive accessories like a bold necklace. The speakers stress dressing for who you are now, embracing your present body, and using clothing to signal the future version of yourself without waiting for an ideal body or wardrobe. Practical tips include keeping the wardrobe minimal, focusing on a few key items, and ensuring the outfit matches the audience’s expectations while staying true to personal style.
Chapters
So as speakers, when we're showing up with our audiences virtually or not, what we're wearing can affect how we feel, but it also makes impressions, right? So we show up as a character there. We're making a statement. Snap judgment. There's a speaker I know who She would wear this like sequined jacket and it was like, whoo! I'm like, hey, if you love it and you feel like a rock star in it, go for it. But just know that sequined jacket is upstaging you and you're gonna have to be as big as that jacket so that the jacket does not become because you'll become the jacket lady, right?
Yes. Yes.
So just really thinking intentionally that our clothes create this character for us. So I don't mind being casual because I want being approachable and making speaking approachable, I think is really important. I'm rationalizing my choice to stay in my workout clothes.
It works.
It works. But you know, when I'm doing something for a different audience, I'm super aware of their expectations and how I need to show up in that context in that moment. How do you help people define their character, like their persona? What's the— what's step one for people if they're like, I don't know, I just kind of wear whatever?
Yeah, yeah. For, for me, it starts with vision, and vision around like What do you see about yourself right now? It's not the casting really far down the road. It's who— what do you see about yourself right now? And really being present to the life season that you're in right now, the career season you're in right now, the right now body that you have, all of those pieces. It's like really getting present and, as I call it, on trend with yourself. Because so many times we're following fashion trends or following what the latest influencer is saying to do, or we're trying to copy somebody else, and we are not aligned from the inside out around who we are, what's most important to us, where does our day take us? Because that's one of the things I talk about is, okay, what is your schedule? What are the things you're getting dressed for? And how do you want to show up for that? Almost like creating a uniform for your lifestyle, for your career. So, and by uniform, I mean just having a very simple formula around what are your signature pieces, what are your best colors, you know, what is your body type and what are those things that are going to, you know, elevate and enhance your best parts and minimize appearance of the things that you're concerned. But that all starts with vision and really just pausing and understanding where you are today and being able to then say, based on what I'm seeing, what are the key aspects of my style? How do I need to show up? What are the 2 or 3 words to describe how I would show up as this person that I am? And then, because people always talk about dress for the part you want to be, but I think it's like, dress for who you are first, because if you don't know that, it's really hard to advance to the next thing. Even if you're not feeling so great about your body, you have to embrace where you are right now, or you'll never come from a whole healthy loving place of building a future version of yourself, right? So, you know, there's people like, well, I'll just— I'll be— I'll get better clothes when I'm, you know, 4 sizes smaller, or when this happens, when— and you're always waiting to be. And it's like, just let yourself be right now. And you never know what opportunities will open up from that. But so many times we're looking ahead, we're looking ahead, or we're looking around. And it's like, just look right here and see what's going on with you. So I think that's an important first step.
So when I think about dressing for— dressing for the right now, and also dressing for what you want to become. This entrepreneurial journey, we're, we're always in the phase of we're becoming something else.
Yeah, yeah, right.
Yeah, because as we take bigger risks and as we build something new, like, in order to pull it off, we become something else. It's crazy.
Yes.
Yeah, right.
You gotta step into it. Yeah, right.
We have to step into it and then we have to bring our clothes with us in a way. And I, I've been thinking about these, these two things connect in my mind, but I've been thinking about, right, Steve Jobs and what, what he wore all the time, every time. We always knew what to expect of him.
Yes, yes.
Black turtleneck, jeans, that was it. And there was some brilliance to the simplicity of that and that, that became his outfit, his uniform, right?
That's the word.
That became his uniform.
Yes.
Do you— is it wise for us, like, because it's part of our brand?
Yeah.
Right. As you say, like, cast your vision. What are you becoming? Do you, do you encourage people to really simplify and show up with just a handful of pieces and be consistent about that. Like, I know people who always wear yellow.
Yeah, yeah, uh-huh.
And I know, like, I wear my jean jacket all the time. Yes, every photo of me speaking, I'm wearing the same jacket. I'm like, oh, turns out I kind of have a thing. I didn't really realize it, but that's the thing I feel comfortable in or confident or whatever. So do you recommend that for people?
Hmm. Yeah, I actually do that. I live it. And that's what I teach is like a style formula so that you can quite simply for whatever the occasions of your life are. And to me, I always— I'm like, as much as you can align your brand and your lifestyle, it makes it easier. To take pictures or to show up places. Because then if you're just hanging out at the lake and you take a picture, it can become repurposed for your social media feeds or whatever. And so there's not this disconnect where you have to be somebody else in all the different places. You can just be you. And then how do you manifest that person who you are in those different situations. But, you know, so color is a big thing. I am known for my big necklaces. Like, one time I went somewhere and I had just— it was a very informal Zoom meeting, but the person I was talking to, she noticed I didn't have a necklace on. Well, I had taken it off because I was like, well, we're just, you know, we're just— it was very social. It was more of a social conversation than anything. And I was just like, I'm just going to take this off because it was heavy and I was ready to take it off. She's like, where's your necklace? And I'm like, girl, I'm chilling. I'm close to pajama mode right now. It's time for the necklace to come off. But she recognized, she goes, that is you. That is signature to you. I need to see the necklace. That's just something. So everybody, when you are able to find those signature elements, as I call them, they're really helpful to creating a uniform. My denim jacket is my BFF. You know, I found that my style in particular is pretty monochromatic where I typically will do like a simple top, a pop of color, or like a jacket or an overpiece. And then, um, like a black bottom or jeans sometimes. And then it's because it's all about my accessories. Right. So for me, I don't need things that are going to steal the show going on all around me because I'm typically wearing something pretty massive. And this one's pretty small today compared to what I usually wear. So, so, you know, so it's, it's that idea of what is, what is you, what's comfortable for you and your lifestyle. You know, I can pop this off and instantly be casual and ready for my day, you know, like to do other things. But it's still again, if I happen to take photos or I happen to go somewhere, it wouldn't be that I'm unrecognizable. So I feel like sometimes people show up one way on social media especially, and then when you see them out and about, it's like, who is that? You know? And so just that alignment and that authenticity can come through something as simple as a uniform. So yeah, I think it's important.
