Your wardrobe is an important part of succeeding in business according to Personal Stylist and Owner of Trousseau Style, Lauren Hartman. But for Lauren, there is no one “right” style that leads to success. The key to a wardrobe that works for you is finding and embracing your personal style because when you feel like yourself you have the confidence to negotiate deals and win listings. Plus, with a well-designed wardrobe, you can spend less time deciding what to wear and more time with your clients. At the first annual She’s Unstoppable conference, Lauren shared the four steps she uses with her clients to help them create a wardrobe that reflects their personality, professionalism and makes life as a real estate entrepreneur easier.
Four steps to an empowering wardrobe
Define your personal style and style goals. To define your style and goals, Lauren suggests asking yourself how you want to feel in the morning. Visualize your highest self on an ideal day and picture what this accomplished individual looks like. Let that vision be authentic and embody it.
As real estate professional, so much of your business is dependent on you. You must relate to your clients and understand their needs therefore, it’s important that, as their agent, they know and understand you. Clothes tell current and potential clients who you are without you having to say a word. Defining your style and goals you want to accomplish with your style helps you create a wardrobe that sends a strong and consistent message to your network.
Declutter and start with a clean slate. Lauren states that most people are only wearing 10-20% of their closet, with the same few items on rotation. Eliminating and replacing the rest of the items that you don’t wear reduces the amount of time spent looking for an outfit freeing up valuable time you can be using for business prospecting. Lauren advises to try on every single piece of clothing in your closet because they hold clues that can help you define your likes and dislikes. When you try each piece on ask yourself: Why did I buy this? What did I like about this? Why do I love/hate to wear this? Don’t be afraid to get specific. And write it down. Keep these notes with you when you head into the next step.
Rebuild with intention. Buying is an extremely emotional activity, and it’s easy to buy things that look nice but don’t serve a true purpose or fit within your lifestyle. To rebuild your closet with intention, start by making a budget, make a very detailed list of items you need to purchase, and only shop at stores priced with items within your budget so you can shop by style and not by price tag. While shopping, try on each item, take pictures of what you like, and then put your favorites on hold. Spend some time looking at the photos and evaluate the cost of each item and the value the item brings to your wardrobe. Return to the store to purchase only the items that fit your needs. This eliminates impulse buying. This business-like approach allows you to stay within your budget and saves you time by not having to return items and money on items you won’t wear.
Styling upfront. Integrate the new items purchased with the existing items you kept by creating outfits and trying them on. Doing this will allow you to see how the pieces work together. While trying them on, take pictures of the outfits that work and save them on a folder in your phone. It is easy to forget outfits and having pictures on your phone gives you an arsenal of outfits you can choose from. Do this for everything from your casual coffee meeting to big event looks. Don’t forget the shoes, jewelry and accessories! Having this outfit library at your fingertips will ensure that you are prepared for any last minute appointments and saves you time in the mornings.
Real estate agents are always on the go and oftentimes unpredictable events occur. Creating a wardrobe that is true to your identity and fits your lifestyle and business needs ensures that you will be ready no matter what call you get. It provides a more empowered approach to tackling your business goals and meeting challenges head on. And having that extra confidence and doing it all in style is icing on the cake.
For more information, you can download the Trousseau Style workbook here.
To find out more about how Coldwell Banker can be the place that supports you and your business, visit CBWomen.com.
