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Welcome to Jon Michail’s Personal Branding Masterclass. Jon is the founder and CEO of Image Group International, an award-winning image consulting and personal branding pioneer established in 1989. This podcast will bring you old-school wisdom, inspiring ideas, strategies, and hacks for the new tech world. Here, you will learn everything about personal branding: the system, the techniques, and the right mindset to have a successful personal brand, image, and reputation.

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Hello, and welcome to my personal branding masterclass. Before we explore today's episode, I'd love to connect with you online. My X is Jon_Michail. My LinkedIn is Jon Michail, and you can find me as image group international on Facebook.  Let's keep the conversation going beyond this podcast. So today we're diving into a topic that's more relevant than ever.  And it's an area that at times people don't talk about and just take it for granted. And that is wardrobe in a digital age. So it's about reinventing the professional presence,  for the workplace and of course for remote work.  So as hybrid work has become the norm in many workplaces, although some of that is changing as well, but let's assume hybrids going to stay for a lot of companies out there, how we present ourselves, whether on screen or in person has fundamentally changed. But one thing remains constant. Your wardrobe is a vital part of your personal brand. It's your image. It's what I call your visual persuader.  So what we want to do is start off with a broken it down to different sections today. I'm going to start off with section one and that is going to be around why wardrobe still matters in a digital age. And the reason it matters is because as I said it communicates before you even open your mouth. So with remote and hybrid work now standard some might wonder does what you wear still matter? Of course, I'll leave the answer to you, but if you want to hear my opinion, considering I do this for a living, then the answer, of course, is a resounding yes. Your wardrobe is an extension of your visual identity, and that identity plays a key role in how others perceive you,  perceive your professionalism, competence, and confidence. And I did say perceive, and of course, perception is virtually reality. For most people on the planet. And as Tom Ford, the famous designer has said, dressing well is a form of actually good manners. What that means is  it's respect. For your audience, no different to if you're going to go to a funeral,  and you go there in shorts and a torn up t shirt, that also potentially could be a form of disrespect and definitely bad manners. So if you take that as a concept, I think it starts to play,  on a deeper level when you look at dress from that perspective, even in a digital setting. How you present yourself signals respect for your role, your colleagues, and the interaction itself. Now, a lot of people,  say to me, John, does that mean I have to wear a suit? Absolutely not. This is not about that. And anyone that says, Oh, this is all about suits, really doesn't understand what they're talking about. This is about, putting,  It's how you want to be perceived in the world.  And of course, that decision is totally up to the individual. So research from Princeton University found that people form first impressions in as little now as one tenth of a second. Of course, our studies showed,  five to seven seconds historically.

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 But with the digital world right now,   the concentrations span has dropped dramatically and decisions are just made instantly and I think at times.  Probably not always for good reasons, but the reality is , that's what actually happens. So in a virtual environment, your appearance offers carries even more weight because it's one of the first things people notice. So it can also become, , a big time distraction. There's a call, there's a concept called the third skin  online. And of course, that's something that.  Can get in the way as a distraction. So what you want to do is really think about this,  seriously as opposed to, I'm behind the screen right now. It doesn't really matter. Now I want to give you a real life scenario.  Imagine a zoom call where one participant in the,  is in a wrinkled t shirt with holes in it and another in the crisp tailored shirt. Who do you think commands more respect and attention?  And it's really interesting because the difference is clear. If you gonna, drop your own.  Conditioned biases around this and say, what? Of course it matters because perception is reality and we know that. And if you don't believe me, have a look at your perceptions and how you make them your reality. So of course it works. And if you even want to go further on that, you only have to look at, , why did,  Zuckerberg from Facebook wear a suit when he did face Congress,  when he was actually,  called, and To give some evidence there or, , if you look at Elon Musk, why did he wear a suit? A few weeks ago at, Mar a Lago when he was visiting, Trump for the celebration of the presidency. So of course it matters and it's horses for courses.  Now I'd like to go to section two.  Adapting your wardrobe for hybrid work. Of course, context is key. Your wardrobe should align with the situation. A client facing video,  demands a more formal look, while an internal team meeting might allow for smart business, casual attire to be, , as a fine,  look. Now the overall here though is, when I say a more formal look, that does not mean a suit. It means something that you feel relaxed about. In confident, etc. So whatever that is for you, but definitely think definitely more crisp as opposed to tracksuit. And for an example,  you might want to think of high stakes presentation,  up maybe for a blazer or a dress shirt. And even, even a blazer you might take off if it's appropriate. And just do it in a dress shirt, but it's horses for courses.  So for a casual team,  catch up, it could be a polished, knit sweater or a,  collared shirt  that could also be,  button down or whatever that could also work. fairly perfectly. So these are the things to consider and also consider comfort and how it meets professionalism because comfort is important. Of course, when you're comfortable, you also feel more confident, et cetera. A core message though here is this  remote work doesn't mean you have to sacrifice style for comfort. Doesn't mean, you present in your pajamas. Okay. And of course, in some of the zooms I have done, especially the group zooms in the last four or five years, especially through the COVID period, there were people specifically that presented that way. And one of the question was, how can I have more influence and persuasion in my communication style? And of course,  one of the first things that they were missing out on was, A lot of, gravitas because of the way they presented and that was their clothes. So choose clothing that's both functional and also polished. Think breathable, natural fabrics, tailored cuts, and of course neutral tones. And the tailored cuts is very important because if you have a look at the young trends right now.  A lot of the tailored cuts are very loose and oversized, et cetera, that can also not really work as per your body shape

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 So remember fashion is in the business of selling you stuff. Okay. That's not what I'm talking about here. I'm talking about style that actually fits with your body shape, your face shape,  even color tones that would be more effective to you than what actually.  The shops are selling. So it's about also learning what works best for you. And I love a quote,  from Coco Chanel that simply said, pardon the pun, simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance. And I actually, agree with that, because being a big supporter of classic, contemporary wear, I would say that works, forever, even in a casual setting, simplicity and refinement can elevate your look. big time. If you do that with,  with some sort of level of finesse with the colors and shapes and so on. So consistency also though means across different mediums. So visually, if you're going to, , present differently,  to a client, let's say in an in the house meeting versus online, the two should be congruent. Otherwise you,  you're. Communicating disparate messages. Now what we will call is incongruency. So your visual identity should be cohesive whether you're on screen or in person. A versatile wardrobe that transitions seamlessly between the two, of course, is the key. My tip, for example, invest in neutral. Colors, , that aren't gonna be too overwhelming,  so a blazer,  , and this could be for men or women, doesn't really matter,  tailored shirts or a blouse,  a minimalist, accessories, , what that means is for work and of course for both digital and face to face interactions. Your clothes should not distract from your message. The moment that they do, what you're doing is promoting fashion, not you. And this is very important. So you know when you meet somebody and their clothes speak so much louder than them? That's not what we're talking about here. We're talking about your clothes are there to be, , a supplementary support to you as the product. That's it. Clothes cannot become the product. Otherwise then you're in, , some other type of business. You might be selling fashion. So, section three,  is the next part. And that's how to enhance your overall professional image. Okay, and we do this on a practical level. So if you're going to do this, of course, online, you've got to optimize the lighting and of course the backgrounds. So,  some practical examples there. A well lit space and a tidy professional background, of course, can dramatically enhance Your on screen presence, and this is very important as well, because let's say all the things that you're communicating, , perfect to a tee, and your background is incongruent, then potentially you're taking away from your personal brand,  and  definitely your reputation. So a practical tip here is invest in, , some form of lighting, a ring lighting could be a good start, and choose a neutral, , background. No clutter. And certainly no distractions and also visually accessorized thoughtfully. So of course for women, , maybe earrings,  or,  certainly, necklace as an example. And for men generally might be, , if they're going to wear a shirt, maybe cufflinks  or something simple like that, but you want to keep it fairly simple. And of course, , a watch also is something that at times could communicate. Effectively as well. If that's part of your presentation, , moving your hands and et cetera. So minimal intentional accessories though, what I would say. Do is add personality without overshadowing your professionalism. And an example of that might be, , sleek classic watch,  I said earrings before, simple earrings though, nothing too overwhelming, unless that becomes your statement or even a statement necklace,  that can't compliment your look without, , overtaking or becoming a distraction. And also consider color psychology. Now color psychology is very important. We take color, , for granted. But color communicates big time. , colors influence perception. Neutral tones, for example, convey authority while bold colors like,  you know, could be red as an example, exude confidence and energy. Now that's not always true if that's the only color you constantly wear. So you'll see a lot of people on stage, especially women presenting red, red, red after a while that. Has lost its power because it's overused. No different  to, , the president of the United States constantly wearing a red tie that also starts to lose its power

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 Having said that, of course that continues wearing it and that's fine as well. But I would say,  you need a little bit of diversity there. Otherwise it starts to look very predictable and boring. A useful stat for interest is this. Studies show that wearing, of course, blue, royal blue, electric blue, French blue, is often associated with trust and reliability, making it a great choice for professional settings. Of course, in the corporate world.  Historically, nothing's changed, of course, is the color of choice,  especially  in the corporate Western world. So this is something to remember as opposed to the European world or even, East, you know, Asian world, because there is differences in color there as well. But from a Western perspective,  Navy and huge  tones of Navy really,  set the scene. Another practical tip is this. Choose colors based on the impression you want to make. So for example, teal conveys, teal is a greeny blue, conveys growth and stability.  So it's perfect for leadership roles. Now, if you go to a store and try to find that color, you're not always going to find it. Actually, , most times you will not find it. So this is where tailoring comes in. So you might need to get that tailored, but teal is a beautiful color at the same time has power and influence. Section four,  is also something to consider and that's,  always be camera ready. So what we would say there is invest in versatile pieces, , staples like classic blazers, like I already noted, colored shirts and structured dresses can also elevate your look instantly. So, , structured dress does not mean, , a big floral piece that's going to overtake the image online. Okay, you don't want to be doing that because again,  the actual dress is talking louder than you.  So Keeping,  in mind a lot of these pieces, , and you might want to do that strategically by thinking of them ahead of time. A tip to consider also is how to dress from head to toe. Even if the camera only captures your upper body, dress in fully. Shoes included can psychologically boost your confidence and professionalism. And this is very, very important,  if you want to come across as authentic. Now, it's funny because having worked in the media for a long time and with a lot of executives, but in the media it was really interesting,  training. A lot of, journalists online and of course, TV presenters,  and at times if you had to look at under the desk or when they were presenting, they might have been in their shorts, et cetera. Look, I would only recommend that for people that are really confident and been doing that a long time. For the. Average executive and leader,  an entrepreneur, you want to be,  fully packaged. So then you have the whole, confidence,  of you,  shine through the actual medium as opposed to. feeling uncomfortable on the lower half. So that's what I would recommend. But of course, , if you've been doing this for 20 years, I'm sure you can, , fake some of that along the way and still come across as fully, polished. But also keep it clean and of course simple and , the key word is definitely simplicity. My tip is definitely avoid busy patterns or excessive accessories that distract your audience. Okay. And this is very important. And if you notice television, for example, they rarely would wear anything that distracts.  Because if they do, then that becomes the focus and the message that's coming out of your mouth is not heard. So regularly refresh your wardrobe. This is very important. Update it, to reflect, of course, current trends. You want to be current and ensure everything is in excellent condition.  And this is important.  The updating is very important. Like you update your knowledge.   Your health, et cetera. Your wardrobe also comes part of that, upgrading your skills. It's part of that. , so don't look at this as you just do this once and that's it. No,  you gotta keep on,  evolve, evolve with it because that's exactly what happens with style and of course trends. As I often say, your wardrobe is an investment in your brand,  so I would say, treat it that way and treat it with the respect actually deserves. This way you'll get better results. So to sum up, wardrobe in a digital world, yes, it's more important than just looking good.  It's a strategic tool for reinforcing your personal brand and of course building professional credibility, no matter how you work. Now, in a time of trust, we know that if you look shabby, you're not going to be trusted. That's the bottom line. If you don't believe me on that, then that's fine. You can, take that on board any way you like. The reality is,  Gravitas has a feel, a look around it.  A sense that something actually works in solid, something that looks shabby looks the opposite and Oscar Wilde,  said a long time ago, you can never be overdressed or over educated. And what that means also is if your blazer, like I mentioned earlier.  On screen looks a little bit overdressed. You could always take it off. And of course you're, , tailored shirt in this case, replaces the blazer as the, as the point,  of,  part of the focus of your communication without overtaking you, that's what I'm trying to say there. So in today's hybrid world, both are truer than ever. And if today's episode sort of inspired you to rethink your professional presence.  Subscribe, leave a review and share it with your network.  For any personalized help in elevating your personal brand and even, seeing if we can do a makeover for you, , reach out to Patricia at patricia.bosa@imagegroup.com au. So until next time, remember, your wardrobe is not just clothing. It's the packaging of your brand. So wear it with intention. See you at the next episode. Have a great week and a big cheerio

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Jon Michail’s Personal Branding Masterclass Podcast is sponsored by Image Group International, a global team of practical, digitally savvy personal brand and image strategists based in Australia, committed to maximizing your impact, influence, and authority in the business world. To learn more and apply for personal coaching, seminars, and group workshops, please visit imagegroup.com.au or call 1800 631 311.