No matter what your branding statement says, there are some basic wardrobe items that all people should have in their closets according to Sheila P. Coates, creator of B.Y.O.B.-Be Your Own Brand.

Essential items for women:

*Great black shoes – pump or slingback
*A white shirt
*A black shirt
*A black dress
*A black belt
*A pair of black slacks
*Black or white camisole
*A cardigan or v-neck sweater
*A jacket
*A fabulous overcoat

Essential items for men:

*Perfect white shirt
*Black shoes
*Athletic shoes
*Jeans/khakis
*Good black belt
*Black slacks
*Two ties & two pairs of socks, one basic and one with personality
*A good suit
*A good watch
*White & black t-shirts

Common mistakes sabotage image

By Sheryl S. Jackson

We’ve all done it. Picked up the sweater, the tie or the shirt because it’s the newest color or style for the season. There’s nothing wrong with trying on the latest trend in clothing, but don’t buy it if it doesn’t support your branding statement, says Sheila P. Coates, creator of B.Y.O.B.-Be Your Own Brand.

The value of developing a branding statement is that it helps you shop in a cost-effective manner. “You only buy what you know you will wear,” she explains. Following fashion trends that don?t fit personal images is not the only mistake people make that negatively affect their “brand.”

Most common mistakes:

You Segment
Don’t divide your life into different segments such as work, social and family, and then choose to follow your branding statement in one but not the others, says Coates. Be consistent and you will not only feel more confident in all areas of your life, but it will be easier to sustain your brand.

You Follow trends
It may be the latest fashion trend, but if bright purple doesn’t convey the message you want to convey, pass by that tie, shirt or dress, says Coates.

You Imitate
The pink sweater with blue spots might look great on your friend but be realistic about how it looks on you, suggests Coates. Make sure that everything you wear, including jewelry, reflects your attributes and your branding statement.

You Overlook accessories
Branding involves more than just clothes, points out Coates. Accessories can be an important part of communicating your attributes. Briefcases, jewelry, ties, scarves and other accessories should be chosen carefully, keeping your total message in mind.

You Ignore Your Body Type
“Accept your body type,” says Coates. “We are not all the same size or shape and clothing won’t make our body type change,” she says. It’s not just about weight either, she points out. “Demi Moore’s body type immediately says strong and Jessica Simpson’s body type says damsel in distress,” she says. “Recognize what your body type says and dress accordingly to fit your branding statement,” she adds.

Personal branding statement sets stage for success

By Sheryl S. Jackson

A “brand” is defined as a name, sign, symbol, slogan or anything else that is designed to distinguish any product or organization. When created and promoted correctly, the sight or sound of a particular brand immediately makes an audience think of the product, business or service in a positive manner. According to Sheila P. Coates, creator of B.Y.O.B.-Be Your Own Brand, people should also identify and promote their own personal brand.

“Whether you like it or not, other people make assess and form an opinion of you within the first 30 seconds of meeting you,” points out Coates. Because the first impression is based upon appearance, it is important to make sure your appearance projects exactly who you want people to think you are, she says. “You are your own brand, so you should control what your brand says about you.”

There is no wrong age, gender, or profession when it comes to developing your brand, says Coates. “I’ve spoken to ninth graders and told them to start thinking about what makes them unique,” she says. Whether you are just finishing school and looking for your first job, seeking a promotion with your current employer, looking to make a career change, or trying to expand your professional network, becoming your own brand can do nothing but help you meet your goals, she adds.

Becoming your own brand is more than a simple makeover, explains Coates. “I don’t like makeovers,” she says. “Your hair, makeup and wardrobe are all done by a professional so you might look wonderful but it’s a look you can’t recreate every day by yourself,” she says. The reason you can’t capture the look every day is that the look doesn’t reflect who you are, she says. “The first step toward creating your brand is to identify your own unique attributes that you want to communicate.”

Coates uses a lengthy questionnaire to help her clients identify their message. “I ask clients to people to identify an attribute with one word,” explains Coates. Most people want to write an entire paragraph describing their attributes but by asking them to reduce the descriptions to one word, Coates forces people to think carefully and more closely examine the attributes they want people to see. “Some people take two days to come up with their attributes, others take two months,” she says. Examples of attributes that might be used include confident, bold, creative, thoughtful and caring.

The second step of the self-assessment process is to list the three words that come to peoples’ minds when they are meeting the client for the first time. “I ask if these impressions match the attributes that they want to communicate,” says Coates. It’s often not until after they have identified their attributes and compared them to actual impressions that her clients realize why they have not received the recognition they deserve, gotten the job opportunities they wanted, or conveyed the message about themselves, she adds.

The next step is to take the three or four attributes and develop a branding statement, says Coates. A statement such as “I am a confident, creative, bold woman with style” not only becomes a branding statement but also becomes an affirmation, she points out. “I ask people to live with their branding statement for a couple of weeks, repeating it to themselves, and making sure it is exactly who they are,” she says. “You have to believe in your own brand before anyone else will recognize it.”

When you believe your branding statement, you develop more confidence in yourself and your self-esteem increases, says Coates. “This confidence leads to the right choices for clothing, hair, and overall appearance,” she adds.

Finding a way to outwardly portray your brand is the next step. “First, know your audience,” says Coates. A person who wants to be perceived as creative or bold will do so in different ways for different settings. A female judge has to balance her creative and bold attributes with the conservative environment in which she works. “She could wear a simple black dress with a wide, boldly colored belt, or carry a burnt orange briefcase, and still convey her attributes,” she adds. As women climb the ladder of their careers, they often try to look like the men against whom they compete but it isn’t necessary to give up their unique attributes, she says. “You can wear the business suit and add a great ring or other piece of jewelry that shows you know your audience but you are still your own person.”

Although some people may initially think that maintaining your brand means costly shopping trips, becoming your own brand can actually save you money, says Coates. “When you go shopping with a clear vision of what is right for your image, you are less likely to purchase clothes that you’ll never wear or wear only one time,” she points out. “In today’s economy, this is another benefit of branding.”

It is important to realize that buying expensive clothing doesn’t always mean you are buying the right clothing, warns Coates. “You don’t have to be the best-dressed person in the room, you have to be the best you in the room,” she explains.

Another of Coates’ clients came to her because she was frustrated that she’d attend networking events and never really talk to or connect with people. “She wore expensive clothes,” says Coates. “She had on nice pants and a fuzzy, fashionable sweater, but her outfit said ‘comfort food’ to me,” she explains. After talking with the client, Coates discovered that she was very intelligent and very business savvy. Coates shared her initial impression that the woman looked “nice” but not “powerful” with the client. “When people attend a networking event, they want to meet other people who will be good business connections,” she says. “If you just look ‘nice,’ people will pass by you.”

One reason Coates wants clients to live with their branding statements before working on their appearance is the need to make sure the image is sustainable. If your brand truly represents you there will no problem maintaining the appearance, the actions and the confidence that present the image you want, Coates explains. This doesn’t mean that you should never change your brand, she adds. “You should constantly re-evaluate your branding statement because we all change,” she explains. “Do check-ins with yourself and spend $100 here and there to update your brand.”

Personal brand translates into all areas of life

By Sheryl S. Jackson

One of the most frequent questions asked of Sheila P. Coates, creator of B.Y.O.B.-Be Your Own Brand, how to manage different wardrobes for business, personal, and social attire.

“When you develop your personal brand, you are identifying who you are all of the time, not just in one place or on certain days,” explains Coates. Taking an example from her days of consulting with entertainers, she points out, “Beyonce is Beyonce whether she’s a guest on Oprah or hosting the MTV awards,” she says. “She may dress differently because her audience is different, but her personality and her style are the same.”

One of Coates’ clients complained that she had no problem during the workweek. She had developed her branding statement, was confident that she portrayed the attributes she wanted to communicate, and felt good about herself. “She told me that her problem was the weekend,” says Coates. “She had children who needed to be driven to soccer and other events on Saturdays and she was always just grabbing whatever clothes were handy as she rushed out the door.”

The woman did not want to spend much money on a weekend casual wardrobe. The solution was simple, says Coates. “I told her to pick out two or three pair of nice sweatpants and some cool t-shirts,” she says. With neutral colored pants and an assortment of t-shirts that would match any of the pants, there would be no problem finding something to wear, she says. “These ‘go to’ clothes made Saturday mornings less hectic and enabled the woman to maintain her brand, even in casual clothes at the soccer field.”