Since clothing has its own language, I champion the notion to use clothing to effectively tell your story.  It’s not easy to teach a broad range of individuals how to do this in a blog post. This is because a specific set of solutions serves to tell one individual’s story, but not necessarily yours.  That’s the point of being an individual.  This also explains why it feels like there are endless choices of clothing between what’s in your closet, and what’s available in stores.

Here are some recent client examples of how to use clothing to effectively tell your story.

One of my most recent clients is setting appointments to meet with officials of a Far Eastern nation. She will also eventually be meeting with members of a Middle Eastern royal family.  How does a typically t-shirt and denim jeans-clad Silicon Valley software engineer show up for such high-level meetings?  Well, in the world of presto-chango quickie transformations, she’s having her own superheroine moment. Late last week, she made final selections of the items that comprise her first wardrobe capsule co-created with me.

To ensure that you use clothing to effectively tell your story, here are some takeaways from her final selections:

– Stay true to your core. You may need very special clothing for make-or-break moments. But, those investment pieces are more meaningful when you also have clothes to blend into your wardrobe for everyday use.

– Clothing that you invest in for those make-or-break moments must adhere strictly to the nature of those meetings. What kind of outcome do you want to have? Wearing the right colors and styles reflect your style, but also display a sense of worldliness. Believe me, when you’re on that world stage, it matters that you show up looking current. When you don’t look current,  others consider your message as outmoded and dated.

Another new client, whose profile is very much on the rise, scored an upcoming profile in a major business publication.  What could you learn from the outcomes of his recent work with me?  Here are some more examples of ways to use clothing to effectively tell your story.

– You might have a closet full of clothing. But, surrender to the idea that nothing you own is ideal for the most important breakout moment of your career.

– People who know you well on a personal basis may have insights into who you are privately. But, high profile moments demand a sense of humility and deference. Suppose that your goal in raising your profile is to impress investors. To succeed, you have to look responsive to the expectations of that audience. Or, maybe your focus is to introduce yourself to many people that would benefit from your product or service. In this case, you need to show those people that you are sensitive to their problems and offer a solution. Either way, you must do this all without saying a single word!

In either situation, you can deduce a crucial underlying factor about how to use clothing to effectively tell your story.  Clothing are merely garments used to cover the body.  However, when clothing is selected with purpose and intention, those “rags” will make your presence known. You’ll reap the benefit that your clothing tells your story, without you ever uttering a word about your credibility.

Joseph Rosenfeld helps successful Silicon Valley technology entrepreneurs and executives discover their personal brands and design their personal styles.  Get Joseph’s free report that helps you know “6 Secrets to Success in Silicon Valley.” Get details about Joseph’s proven program that transforms your life through personal brand and style development.