HOW TO CREATE YOUR PERSONAL BRAND?

WHAT IS PERSONAL BRAND?

If you don’t show up on GOOGLE, you DON’T EXIST….. Have you heard this recently?

It is the most common saying in today’s new age branding. With the rise in Social media and fast connectivity the right presence on these social networking sites does the right justice to your skillsets.

Many people have many definitions and explanations to personal brand, but for me it’s a very simple understanding, something like what Jeff Bezos says “You’re brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room”.

Each one of us is a brand, we need to understand the correct process in order to market ourselves to others.

Experts have identified the 3 “C” of personal branding and if you get these 3 “C” right you geti t right at the very first stage of understanding this concept.

1.       CLARITY : Clear understanding of your ultimate goal.

2.       CONSISTENCY: Ensuring the consistency in the content and messaging that is passed on to the target audience.

3.       CONSTANCY : To keep hammering the target audience within the right time frame.

Remember its not only the celebrities who needs to develop the content for their brand, each one of us need to understand ourselves  first before selling the product or services of any other company. This will only help an individual to landup in the right job at the right time, making the perfect balance and growth.

But there are also some special tips to follow when you are building your personal brand.

1.   BE GENUINE

Authenticity is the key word here, you need to know WHO, WHAT, WHY, and the HOW’s about yourself.

2.   TAKE A STAND

Keep a  consistent principle in life, and ensure that you take a stand at the right time. Don’t try to be wishy-washy, this shows a very weak side of you to others. 

3.   THINK BEFORE ACTING

Before you send out the communication out, you need to chalk the plan in your mind. Once a mistake done cannot be amended.

4.   QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

Keep it less, but keep you content with high quality. It should speak louder than words.

5.   SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE

Keep a slow but steady pace. Hurry can kill the quality of your work and content. Create your brand with utmost care.

6.   RESPECT RELATIONSHIPS

Its only the real world connections who will help you build you brand. In this rat race, don’t forget the genuine relationships. Keep them and take their help to build your brand. Testimonials is the best after service of any brand.

7.   GIVING IS THE KEYWORD

Share and express the knowledge with your network groups. It is about gaining importance by the act of giving.

8.   MEASURE

Keep deadlines, keep targets and ensure that you keep measuring them every now and then.

Self evaluation is the best self help. Learn from each failure in the process of building your brand and learn on how you can make it your achievement.

NEW YR RESOLUTION : WARDROBE WEEDING

This new year’s party did your wardrobe scream “I have nothing to wear!”

If so then you must immediately make a resolution and promise to yourself to cleanse your wardrobe and gift yourself a smiling set of clothes which always have lots to offer on every occasion in this coming year.

1.       Take an expert’s help to establish a personalised shopping list for any must have that you may be missing.

2.       You need to create your own lookbook

3.       Learn to mix and match your wardrobe in order to use all that has been lying in a corner of your wardrobe and never used for years.

This new yr’s resolution should be wardrobe weeding!

The first thing is to start trying all the pieces one by one and separating them in 4 different categories.

KEEP   

Goes without saying, segregate all those clothes that you wear most often. Pls remember any piece of garment that has not been worn for the past 18 months should fall in the other 3 categories but this.

But offcourse, if there are any pieces that needs small repairs and investment in the form of pair or ornament it can lie in this group. But ensure to make a note of the same and immediately act on it.

We Indians have a huge lot of expensive traditional wear which are not worn very often, these can be packed in a separate section of your house, since it needs safe and clean area to be stored. If you pile them along with your daily clothes their self life can be reduced as the wardrobe is opened a number of times during the day which can lead to direct contact of dust and sunlight.

THROW AWAY

All those garments which are beyond repair should be thrown out immediately. Anything that is damaged, stained, with holes and discoloured, throw it immediately.

GIVE AWAY

All the procrastination about “I’ll wear it when I loose some pounds and inches” should be attacked first.

Also give away the clothes that you don’t wear anymore including your jeans, jackets, dresses and sarees. This donation can bring a smile on all those needy people.

SWAP / SELL / REPAIR

Those really expensive shoes, great style designer dress which doesn’t fit you anymore can be swapped with your brother or sisters of that size. The lovely clothes which are in the perfect conditions can be sold on olx and ebay. Earn some money and buy a new pair of clothes which you can wear.

After this assortment, your next step to wardrobe weeding is to arrange and pile all the garments from the keep category to your wardrobe. Arrange them in the category of : shirts, trousers, jackets dresses etc. Even though you may dream of having a walk-in wardrobe, at least with this new set up you’ll never waste your time looking out of the clothes for your next occasion.

AN ANIMAL PRINT SAGA IN THE CORPORATE WORLD!

Be it Europe, Asia, America or any other part of the world. An animal print phenomenon in the dressing is somewhat amusing yet interestingly popular concept for all the fashion designers.

Mostly followed by the women’s wear, these animal prints can make an interesting fashion statement.

The most common animal print is the leopard and which is also one of my favourite.

Psychologically these animal prints can grab a lot of attention due to which this kind of dressing have become very famous at different stage shows and concerts.

But a city job will not welcome these animal prints in their boardroom meetings, therefore they have to be worn in style and twist :

1.       Leopard print over jacket : 

      If you are staying in the colder regions and have to travel a distance before reaching your work           place, this animal print over coat is a must in your collections.

2.       Leopard print heels :  

      Either high stilettoes or smart wedges, your walk can make an impact with these stylist animal             print. You can try it with a solid black, beige or white dress, along with a statement neckpiece can       add on the flavour.

  

3.       Leopard print blouse but combined with a jacket : 

      A great combination of the leopard print along with a decent looking jacket can be a very                     interesting choice.

4.       Leopard print bag : 

      Interestingly even a bag can make a lot of difference to the whole corporate look.

5.       Glasses / Scarf : 

      If you want to be minimalistic in making a statement look, just try either printed glasses or a scraf       around your neck. And you are set to conquer the corporate world.

TIPS TO BRING A TWIST TO YOUR OLD HOME

Shouldn’t your home reflect and what you love?

Your house speaks louder than your expressions. It definitely talks a a lot of your ideology, your customs, your behaviour and also the mannerism.

I would like to share a few tips that can help you revive your old home without much investment.

And yet look very attractive and welcoming for the guests.

Below mentioned are a quick and small tips that can help you make a better experience at home.

Expression wall

Think of a corner or wall in the house where you can hang the pictures of all your loved ones. Different expression and different incidents which have brought new and fresh memories in your family can be beautifully elaborated in that space of home.

 

Art wall

Art can be a very personal choice. Express yourself either in the form of photographed picture or in the form of an art on one of the wall of your home. If you are an artist yourself, use that wall as a canvas to create your masterpiece. It’s your home therefore forget about the judgements.

If your child is an upcoming artist too, you should motivate him/her by making frames of their art on the wall of their room.

 

Go green

Fresh green leaves and fresh green colour in your drawing room can bring a lot of freshness when you enter your home. Clinically it can help you overcome a lot of medical issues like depression, stress, cold etc due to its property to purify the air with lots of oxygen.

Just remember not to keep plants in your bedroom as in the nights the properties of plants are to take in oxygen and give out carbon di-oxide and this can be a little suffocating while sleeping.

Lights…. Drama and action.

The twist in the décor of your house can be done with an exquisite piece of a lampshade or a light piece.

Just by changing the colour of your lampshade you can completely create a difference in the complete dressing of your house. Something like a crystal chandelier or a black piece of lamp can bring loudness to your dead room.

 

Switch from your regular lamp.

On some of your special dinners and occasion light up your house with some special pieces of candles.

You can bring a lot of romance and excitement with just few candles. To add some more life light up the aromatic candles along with the music of your choice.

  

Pot in the potpurri

It helps in warding off the unpleasant smell  and germs from the house. It brings in lots of freshness at home,  while it also brings a lovely fragrance to you house. Imagine the smile on the face of your visitors when they walk in your house and are welcomed by a wonderful fragrance and a warm smile from you. You bet to win them at the doorstep.

 

Dine with seasonal  flavours

You can keep an attractive bowl on your dining table with some seasonal fruits. The more colour to this decoration can be even more attractive.

Create an Oasis

Treat yourself with a spa treatment in your bathroom. Organise your toiletries in a very interesting manner, buy some fabulous overscale towels and colour co-ordinate them with your bathroom décor. Some potpourri, some small plant or few small lit candles can bring a spa come alive.

Rotate your accessories

Keep changing your throw pillows, bed spread very often. Everytime you can make a difference in the statement of your house by these minute changes. If you can keep a second set of few statement pieces that can change as per your home décor it can add a little more interest. Off course the cutleries also make an impressive statement.

 

Mirror drama

Find an antique mirror for your special place. Either near the dining area or your dressing room. The beautiful and vintage look of the mirror helps in hiding the fine lines and wrinkles on your face.

 

Carpet it

A color co-ordinated carpet in your room can add an extra warmth. It feels and looks great to see the house complete with a warm and soft carpet which helps pamper your feet when you walk around.

 

And finally

Sparkle and shine

Clean your house and polish it with to sparkle with shine.

Pure and clean house will make you feel that you have accomplished something.

OVERSHOPPING A SYNDROME OR THERAPY!

Have you ever thought about the reasons for overshopping?

In the past few years i have seen a very drastic change in myself in terms of shopping. Offcourse clothing and fashion has been an integral part of my life since I started to understand what fashion is all about.

I used to think I shopped because I loved clothes and fashion, but I’ve come to understand there is a lot more to it than that.  Many psychologist have proven that being a compulsive shopaholic can go much deeper than just a passion for style.

According to me these could be some of the reasons for overshopping…..

Depression

I think we all go through this phase of depression at some point of time in our lives. And you want to just sit with the feeling of sad and being unhappy. At this point of time if you land up shopping, yes it will definitely help to uplift the mood, at least temporarily. In fact it send the person to an altered state of mind not unlike the high one gets from alchohol or any other drugs. And in this high we tend to overshop without thinking if what we nought is really our necessity.

Loneliness

Despite of a growth in social media and many other ways to be connected with your friends and family, many of us suffer from loneliness and lack of connection. It is a feeling of being left alone within a huge crowd. And shopping can be the best friend to fight against this loneliness, when you visit you mall you tend to see a lot of people around you. The friendly sales team is at your service to help you look better and make you feel less lonely. And this nice gesture of those sales people can lead you to shop things which are not required and not in your wishlist at that moment of time.

Boredom

This is my personal experience, when I don’t have a lot going in my life, I find myself taking small trips to the nearby malls. Its like a crime to even log on to the internet in such times, as the e-commerce websites have such lucrative offers which are just irresistible and you again land up shopping for no reason.

Low Self-Esteem / Insecurity

Most of the people around struggle with the low self-esteem and feeling of not being “good enough like XXX”

In order to look better, we try wearing different styles and cuts. We try the brands which are bought by your friends and families, in this bargain we land up buying clothes which are not required and not necessary.

As every dressing you tend to receive a feedback. If dressed better it always follows with compliments and validation from others. But if that bought dress does not look so receive any special compliments it keeps lyeing in one corner of your closet forever.

Poor Body Image

All of us want to look pretty, thin and in shape. Some people refrain from shopping for clothes when they have gained weight or feel bad about their bodies.  For me, the opposite has been true.  When I feel unattractive or fat, I shop in the hopes of finding those “magical” clothes that will provide me with positive feelings about my body.  In essence, a person is shopping for a feeling more than for actual clothing, but any improvement they receive in their body outlook is just temporary.  For this you must know your body shape and style that looks best on you.

Peer Pressure

This is the regular phenomena in the teenager kids. Style keeps changing every now and then and these kids want to upgrade and update themselves with the trends by shopping the latest version of that clothing.

When women move out with their family and friends they land up shopping more than what they would shop by themselves. We often end up buying too much or we purchase things which really don’t work for our lifestyles or personal style aesthetic.  In addition, if our friends are buying lots of trendy new items, we don’t want to miss out or appear lacking in terms of style quotient.

Pls share your thoughts on this syndrome of over shopping….

TAKE THE RIGHT SHOE AHEAD!

Shoes are the integral part of men’s clothing and attire. You can judge a man by the shoes that he is wearing.

Men who are very particular about the shoes that they wear take pride in the smallest things in his life. Just by one look at the men’s feet you can understand the quality of that person. He may be wearing the most expensive suit in town, but if he pairs it with some cheap and clunky lacetip shoes or the shoes which are unpolished, surely you are not looking back at that man again.

Follow some tips to take the right step ahead.

1.       Classic pairs of Black and brown shoes lace-up shoes every man should have in his closet.

It will works with any kind of dress from a formal suit to jeans and casuals, but it is definitely not the footwear for some special occasions.

2.       Always remember the colour of your shoes should be darker than your pants. The darker your suit, the darker your shoes.

3.       Try and spend equal amount of money on your shoes as much as you would on your dress. You cannot be wearing an expensive suit with cheap shoes.

4.       Never wear socks with flip-flops or sandals.

5.       The colour of your socks should always match the colour of your shoe colour

6.       Formal or dress shoes should always be polished and shining

7.       Never wear flip-flops at work.

8.       Loafers or converse shoes are the best choice for casual wear clothes.

9.       Never wear the cowboy boots with your work wear suits.

10.   A pair of running shoes are must in the wardrobe.

11.   The shoe colour should always match the colour of your belt. The best thing to do is, but your belt at the sametime when you buy your shoes.

12.   Splurge once a year on that pair of shoes which you really want.

AND THE FINAL TIP IS TO KNOW WHICH COLORED SHOWS YOU SHOULD WEAR WITH WHICH COLOUR TROUSER!

BLACK

 

Black                                                 Charcoal






Grey                                                 Lt Grey


   

Brown                                                         White

BROWN

          Charcoal                                         Navy



         Olive                                                        Grey




       Lt Grey                                                     Brown



        Khaki                                                      Creme



       White