Recession Dressing
How to manage your personal branding in tough economic times …
Let’s face it. Times are tough. We have entered a phase where you need to get savvy about doing more with what you have. The time has come to be more aware of how to spend your hard earned dollar.
Most people want to do more with less in these tough times. So let’s check it out then shall we? During the great depression of the 1930’s fashion set minimal trends. Shapes and colours had quite a conservative edge to them. Nothing stood out in the crowd – and that was the intention.
Kevin 07 has declared our recession. Despite the best intentions to keep the economy afloat, our media is full of bad news. It’s time to rethink your personal branding to ensure you are ‘top of mind’ for your current employer or in the running for a new position. Employers will rationalise their work force and retain only what they need to keep afloat. Growing the business will not be an option for so many. Investment dressing is the solution. Many will legitimise their human desire to spend by purchasing less and better quality. This means you will wear it longer and the cost per wear will be considerably lower over a period of say 2-3 years. The challenge with this concept is that you will need to get more creative with how you wear these items.
- Discover new combinations within your wardrobe
- Consider bringing some smart casual tops into your suit combinations
- Get innovative with accessories
- Learn how to fashion a scarf into a garment under a suit
- Challenge your hair stylist to try something a little different this winter.
The key to getting this right is to know your personal style expression. This is about combining your career direction, lifestyle and unique personality and values into your personal branding. Once you have this nailed, you actually can survive with less in your wardrobe and discover how to do more with it!
Don’t be frightened to purchase a few quality items. They will speak volumes about the value you put on yourself and the salary you are worthy of. Remember that a huge chunk of your first impression is visual.
Fashion …Recession directs fashion to a return to simple values. We will see purity and simplicity in design. This means less detail – fewer buttons and pleats. Think clean lines – Audrey Hepburn. The same rules will apply to
mens dressing. Consider tie and shirt combinations that will work harder for you. It’s about doing more with less.
The good news is that this is an opportunity to revisit Australian designers. Consider where your garment is made. There are options to purchase Australian made and owned at reasonable prices.
www.australianmade.com.au/australiangrown
www.almarker.com.au
www.motto.com.au
www.fashionreview.com.au/
www.visitvictoria.com/displayobject.cfm/objectid.0007D8DEB563-1A6B-B64F80C476A901F2/
www.constas.com.au
