PERSONAL SHOPPER TIPS: HOW TO PLAN YOUR SHOPPING ONLINE AND MAKE IT REALLY WORK FOR YOU

My gut tells me online shopping will be the preferred options from the majority of consumers over 2021. Online shopping can be "tricky" so, while I absolutely understand that people feel safer and want to avoid stepping into a physical store (and also, most of them do not allow us to try things on during these times) I'd recommend being careful with shopping online, trying to search specific items and avoid random/compulsive purchases. So here are some tips to help make sure your online shopping experience is a good one!

Write a list

My first tip is to write a shopping list and follow it while researching items. Start your list by going through your Spring wardrobe and find the items you feel are missing that can extend your outfits. Do you have a need for new tops, or camisoles, perhaps you may need a few replacement light cardigans – whatever you feel you may need to add to your wardrobe that would actually work with your current collection will ensure you have a list that works rather than a haphazard approach to shopping.

Which clothing brands do you love?

We often gravitate to certain brands that work for us, and our wardrobe will show us those brands. So, while you’re writing your list, find out the brands that seem to pop up regularly. With this in mind, you can then visit their online stores for their new collections or sale items, that match your shopping list!

What cuts work well for your body?

Our body can look amazing in certain styles, and with a knowledge of the style of jeans you love most, to the dress types that you feel amazing in, figure out the cuts and styles you love to wear and this will help you when searching for items online.

For example, if you feel fabulous in square neck tops – look for clothes with a similar neckline that you know you’ll feel confident in. Perhaps you need a new pair of jeans (now we are finally being given the opportunity to go outside with friends once again!), consider the style of jeans you like, as well as the leg length and waist size, which you can replicate with your next purchase. Flared jeans are coming back into fashion, so if you’ve been desperate to get a pair, now is a great time to invest.

What colours will suit your current wardrobe and personal style?

Another really important part to remember when it comes to shopping is to know the colours you love to wear, and that work with your wardrobe. Many online shops allow you to categorise by colour as well as type, so use this option so you’re not distracted by items that just won’t work with your current wardrobe!

Know your budget

My final tip is to consider your budget. Fast fashion works well for quick required pieces, but with so many of us still being wary of going out quite as much, you may want to step back and consider your budget. With a higher ticket price, you will often find a much better item – and if this means waiting a little while before investing in pieces that you will love, or waiting for a sale, then you will find your wardrobe has more clothing that you want to wear more often. Invest in a few important pieces while online shopping that stay within your budget, to treat yourself, but also to know that they will be worn with love & will work with multiple items in your wardrobe (if you’ve done all the other ideas in this list!).

If you are feeling a little overwhelmed by the thought of shopping online, or perhaps you have bought clothes in the past that you’re not using, please get in touch – I can help you with my online personal style masterclass where we will work together to create a perfect personal style for you. With this in hand, your shopping (online and offline) will be a much more enjoyable experience!

TOP TIPS TO DEVELOP YOUR PERSONAL BRANDING AND ALIGN IT WITH YOUR PERSONAL STYLE

When it comes to running a business, your brand is something that makes you unique. Often, this branding is something that you work on studiously with a professional, so you can ensure that your business shares the right message, style, personality, ethos, values, and attracts the right clients. This branding is something that can carry across to your personal style, and it is something I love helping my entrepreneur clients work on together, so we can align their business brand with their personal brand.

Something I must share before I get into the nitty gritty, is that you don’t have to be a business owner to have a personal brand or personal style. When you discover your personal brand it makes shopping effortless, styling yourself stress-free, and helps you discover the style that you love for yourself, for each day. So whilst this article starts out with the background of business branding for entrepreneurs and how they can align their personal style with it, this can be beneficial to anyone looking to create a personal style that they can feel confident and comfortable in each day.

Authenticity is the base for your personal style

When I co-hosted a workshop with branding expert Marianne Hartley in May 2020, we spoke about the way business branding and personal branding can come together. The first thing we picked up on was the essential element to any personal branding and personal styling journey is authenticity. To be authentically yourself is something that can become a blessing each day. When you feel you can be confidently yourself, you will feel more comfortable, attract the right people to you, and you will be able to distinguish yourself in a unique way, without feeling uncomfortable.

When you can curate an authentic wardrobe that you can go to with confidence, you will be able to be yourself when it comes to conveying your message to new potential clients, in meetings, and through social media. Consider a few questions when starting to discover your authentic style:

1.       What do I feel most confident in?

2.       What style icons do I gravitate to the most, and why?

3.       What message do I want to convey to clients and with my personal style?

These are just a few questions you can ask yourself when you start to take the journey to working on your authentic style wardrobe!

The psychology of colours

I recently shared an article which takes a deeper look into the psychology of the colours we wear, and how they can be seen by others & affect your mood, which you can read here. Colours can be an incredibly important part of your business branding process, as you will discover when you speak with your branding expert. They can have hidden meanings, deliver certain reactions for people, and create an instant response when people see your branding. The same goes for the colours you choose in your outfits. Not only are colours an important part of helping you feel a certain way, as well as helping your specific skin tone light up (which can be discovered through a colour analysis), but they can also develop an instant psychological response by people who see the colour.

With just the above three options I have shared, different reactions to their colour choices for their outfits will happen, automatically and subconsciously within you. They are all professional women, who have chosen their outfits based on their personal style choices, their branding, and their confidence. This is not to say any colour is “wrong” to wear, it’s to consider what colours work best for your business and personal branding, so you can easily and effectively convey your personal message quickly, without having to say a word.

The reason why I love being a personal stylist is that I can work with men and women to help them create a wardrobe that speaks their message, helps keep them confident each day, and help them to discover the joy of shopping and creating outfits. This is never more important than with the colour choices they have – as this can so effectively boost your confidence in a moment.

Clarity and Consistency

My final tip, when discovering how to create a personal brand and personal style for yourself, is that you need to make sure you give the right message through your image, that your image quickly tells who you are and what you do at first sight, as well as making sure that this message is aligned with your brand message. That’s a lot to take in, I know! So let’s just quickly discuss the clarity side of your personal style.

When you work with someone, like a personal stylist, to help you develop your business wardrobe, you will speak with them about the day to day requirements of your wardrobe. You will also speak with them about the message you want to convey to those you meet, whether this is “confident and laid back”, “quirky and unique”, “professional and trustworthy” or any mix of feelings you want to bring to others. With this in mind, you have therefore discovered the clarity you need to have within your business wardrobe, making it much easier to know what outfits and colours can be used to convey these messages quickly to others, just through your personal styling. Just as you would do with a branding expert to create your logo, your website, and your marketing message!

For example, with a quirky, feminine personal style, like the first image above, you can play with the shapes of your dresses, the patterns, and even the colours, whilst continuing to have clarity around the message you wish to convey. In the second styling option, you can convey a professional yet approachable message, with the jewellery being a stand-out piece throughout your styling, and having a more laid-back styling option with your clothes, which you can easily add more professional styling with just with a change of shirt or less jewellery. Finally, a professional and corporate option as with the third styling image, will be easy to continue throughout your outfits with the addition of a blazer, suit trousers, a shirt, or more laid back blazer if you want to remain professional but perhaps a little laid back.

Once you have the clarity around what message you want to give to others through your business styling, you can then create the consistency within your wardrobe. You can have outfits that are easy to create each day, helping you to have a stress-free morning, and you can easily find new options when you go shopping.

If you are looking to develop your personal brand, or create a wardrobe that can be a joy to open up each morning, then I hope this article has helped. If you’d like a little more assistance to help you on your journey to creating a personal style, I’d love to help you. I offer my online personal style masterclass in just 2 hours, which can be hosted online and will help you create a personal style that you feel confident in. Give me a call to arrange a free virtual consultation and we can take it from there!