Office Hours _EDIT_v2
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[00:00:00] Welcome to the Style and Strategy Podcast, where personal brand meets leadership and style. I'm Sonya, a personal brand and style coach who's been exactly where you are juggling career and business success. Personal growth and finding a style that truly fits. After decades in corporate leadership, I've learned that showing up isn't just about what you do, it's about how you align who you are and how the world sees you.
This season, I'm bringing you practical strategies, bold insights, and honest conversations to help you amplify your presence, unlock your next level, and lead with clarity and confidence. Let's dive in.
Hi everyone. Welcome back to another episode of the Style and Strategy Podcast. Something a little bit special for you this week and, it's really a little bit of a behind the scenes [00:01:00] snip of some conversations. I have held, with. My members as part of Activate and, talking them through and supporting them during office hours.
And sometimes those office hours are conversations. Sometimes it's coaching, but this particular one, was an opportunity just to refresh and remind around body shape. So I hope you enjoy it. Let me know.
Hi everyone, I really just wanna spend a little bit of time,~ uh,~ coming back to a body shape. It's one of those. Topic areas that I think, you know, really does impact us right throughout our lives.
Whether you wanna call it body image, body shape,~ um,~ you know, the changing nature of our bodies and the relationship that we [00:02:00] have, with our bodies is something that so many women, young girls, teens really struggle with,~ uh,~ on an ongoing basis. And I know when I'm having conversations either in the dms with clients or potential clients that is, or even when,~ uh,~ I'm working with clients, it's usually a topic area that comes up consistently.
And so today I just really wanted to take an opportunity to remind you,~ uh,~ really again that, uh. You know, we all struggle with body shape. ~Um, you know, ~as I said, it's one of those things that is extremely personal and many of us have been through different,~ uh,~ life journeys you could say, and experiences when,~ uh,~ it comes to.
What we think of our bodies, what we are happy [00:03:00] with, what we are not happy with. And you know that part of my philosophy is very much focusing on can we shift? The narrative around this to start really thinking of those areas that we love, those areas that maybe don't get as much airtime as, the rest of those areas that we don't really like.
And I think it's. A reminder that when you do step in front of the mirror, you know, when it's you by yourself in your own space, outside of the rush to actually take a little bit of time for some self-care. ~Right? Um, uh,~ I know many of my clients have had children and, you know, have, or have potentially lived a lifetime of experience and gone through,~ um, you know.~
Evolving body shape changes of, whether it's the kids to [00:04:00] menopause, to, going through that or just even,~ uh,~ weight fluctuation so when you are taking that time to really reflect on your body shape ~and, ~and maybe looking in the mirror.
Don't forget to remind yourself that this body you've been given, ~you know, ~has been through those journeys and partially, ~you know, ~some of the battle scars along the way. That doesn't mean that maybe you are on a goal or a journey to get fit, fitter, perhaps,~ um,~ perhaps losing weight is on your,~ um,~ goals and agenda, but.
I want that to really be there as a guiding light of what you're trying to get to with fundamentally a health view at, at the end of it. 'cause you wanna be stronger, you wanna be fitter for the people around you, but most importantly for, yourself as well. And [00:05:00] then obviously,~ um, you know, ~if I come back down to that next level, the challenges we have when we are dressing a body shape that.
It doesn't feel like one that we are used to or we might not be familiar with dressing again. So where you are hitting that kind of frame where perhaps you've gotten used to dressing a particular body shape and either you've lost weight or you've gained weight and things have shifted and you are struggling again to dress that body shape.
What I would really say is. Come back to some of the fundamentals, right? So predominantly it's about identifying, well, what are those attributes that I really wanna show off and play up because they're gonna be my key focus areas, and then the areas that I'm not too in love with anymore. Then perhaps it's.[00:06:00]
If I wore a lot of dresses before in a particular shape, maybe I need to start looking at two pieces because they can potentially suit my body shape better and I've got more room,~ uh,~ to play with, rather than potentially a dress which may be cut in a particular manner or vice versa. It may be if you've been used to wearing those.
Two pieces, how do I wear a dress a little bit differently and start to play with some of the proportions? ~Um, ~because really when it comes to body shape, ideally, if you remember that we're fundamentally looking at the silhouette of the body. And how that outfit,~ um,~ really fits and,~ uh,~ accentuates those curves and those attributes that we are looking for.
~So, um, ~when you are going out there and you might be trying on pieces, I want you to remember that [00:07:00] size is just a number. You know, and I've done a lot of podcasts, I believe, as well as, you know, I've talked about it within the activate training that you can walk into one store and you could be a 10 or a 12, and you'll walk into another store and you'll be a 14 or a 16.
The size is just a number, and think of it like a guide,~ right,~ for that particular brand. What we are looking for is the fit. That is what is king. So when you put it on, you wanna be looking at the key things of, is it hugging you in the right spaces? Is it,~ um, you know, ~too much fabric that it's actually making,~ uh,~ accentuate those areas that you didn't really wanna accentuate?
~Um. ~Is the type of fabric actually too silky or is it,~ um, you know, ~mad enough that it actually plays down those [00:08:00] areas that you really don't wanna bring focus to? So really about trying on those pieces and seeing. Does this work, doesn't it? And it may not work for everyone. I know what it's like when you go into the change room and you try on ~piece after ~piece after piece, and it feels completely disheartening to think that I can't quite get this right.
But what I will say to you is it comes with practice. It comes with practice in trying. Different styles on. So you start to become a lot more comfortable with the types of styles that really suit you. So if I think about things like high wasted versus low wasted, you start to get in a pattern around, well, actually.
I have short legs, so I might wanna go with a high wasted,~ um,~ pant. Do I want pleats or no pleats? You know, the pleas are actually just [00:09:00] accentuating if I've got,~ um,~ a little bit of a tummy. So how do I move away from that? Potentially looking at maybe stretchy of fabrics or potentially looking at no pleats.
So again, playing with and trying on different styles like this will start to get you more familiar with what it is that. Works well for you and what you become comfortable with. And the same goes for dresses and the same goes for tops. I'm here to be able to support you, especially where you're not sure and you've put something on thinking.
I'm thinking it's pretty good. I'm thinking it's working. I'm not, sure. ~Um, ~because we know that when you walk into those rooms, when you are on video for something, anything like that, and then even on the weekends, the way in which we feel if we,~ if,~ if those two elements aren't really aligned,~ um,~ [00:10:00] can really put us off our game.
And the objective within this container really is to ensure that you've got the chance to play, to test, to learn, to take the theory that you've,~ uh,~ learn and put it into practice with trial and error. Okay. ~Um, ~because it's not until with anything, you really go out there and you start to practice ~that ~that muscle and that skill becomes,
much more simpler and easier,~ uh,~ to work to that the plethora of options starts to reduce. ~So, ~you become much more confident with the choices that you are making because I think really when it comes to body shape,~ right,~ we've gotta come back down to, well, what is the goal with our body shape? What is it that we're actually looking to achieve?
Are we looking to play up an area? You know, do, maybe it is the goal that actually I wanna look taller. wanna,~ um, you know,~ accentuate my shoulders more. [00:11:00] What is that goal for you? And each one of you will have a different goal and objective. ~Um. ~Also, I think I want to really just remind you about the whole Proportions rule.
'cause this will play a massive role, like not only understanding your body shape and what works on that body shape. And remember,~ um,~ as part of Activate, you would've had your body shape. Guide, so don't forget, which was a separate workbook, um, separate to your normal workbook and make sure you've downloaded that ~and, ~and go back and revisit that as a bit of a refresher 'cause that'll give you those clues you need around what,~ um,~ really suits.
Certain,~ uh,~ areas of the body and your, your body shape. And then the second bit being the proportions rules, right? You know, that I talk about,~ um,~ the rule of thirds, right? As a method to play with,~ uh,~ which always makes an outfit, much more [00:12:00] elevated. And I do see time and time again that .
Where our body shape has actually changed, and we are delving into that wardrobe of before many a time. , So I hope ~ um,~ that's given you a little bit of a refresher and a reminder on Body Shape. Loving and really respecting, , the body we have today and dressing for that body we have today.
And then by the time you get to those goals that you might have in the future, you will be much better equipped to be able to apply those learnings, ~you know, ~as your body shape changes over time. ~Um, ~if you've got any questions on this, , or you wanna continue this conversation please don't hesitate.
. To drop that in the chat and , I'll be happy to respond to any questions you might have. I'll chat to you all soon.
