[00:00:00] I recently flick through some photos of me around about 20 years ago, or maybe just under that and. At the time I had my first son, and looking through those images of the girls standing there, she had a multitude of colors through her wardrobe. She had bold, bright pinks, purples, blacks. Bright greens and then a whole lot of pastels as well.
It was a real mirrored of colors, but the one thing I noticed as I reflect back on that now is the girl that was standing there was still trying to find herself, and it really reflected through her wardrobe or my wardrobe.
I know that when I say I was trying to find myself, it was that exactly I had been [00:01:00] influenced by people around me, the latest magazines, what was in store, but I actually didn't know. And so I was trying and I kept trying to find it, and I would float from one to the other.
In some images, my skin looked dull, my eyes had lost their spark, and in others you could see there was just, I guess a higher frequency there. And all of that is probably. Grounded in not really understanding my identity at the time.
And when I look at that, I can say now that maybe some of those colors weren't so good for me because they actually made me feel invisible, even in a room where I thought I should feel okay.
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 [00:02:00] 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.
Welcome back to the Style and Strategy Podcast. This episode is all about what I like to call strategic color identity, because I hear it all the time.
I never know which colors actually work on me. Sometimes I feel washed out or not confident in how I look, and they aren't just [00:03:00] style comments. Their energy signals, right? They point to something amiss. And when you can't figure out your color and what you really works with you, it can be really frustrating.
So color isn't just color. Yes, we wear color 'cause it makes us feel good and everyone has different color preferences. So I just wanna put out there that I don't necessarily mean that bold is bright and I'm talking about all spectrums of color and all spectrums of brights to mute. but color isn't just a preference as many of us know.
It's also psychology. So studies in color psychology show that really certain hues can impact how we're experienced. for example, navy and charcoal, consistently linked to authority and trustworthiness in leadership environment. [00:04:00] 1 20 20 UK study showed that people wearing like stronger colors were rated as more confident than those wearing more softer tones.
And even when the actual content of what they said was identical color also carries energy, and I know many of you may feel that and. This is where I like to think of color as real strategy. It communicates before you say a word, just like style. There are three ways that I love to work with clients around color that I wanted to share with you.
And I think if you think of them as layered. So the first one being I make sure that we work on what is a client's capsule, color signature. What are those core hues that are actually gonna elevate your natural features, such as your skin tone, hair, and eyes, so that it [00:05:00] can actually make getting dressed easier and more aligned?
So when you walk into that wardrobe. You know that when you grab this piece or that piece, things are going to work together really simply and taking that decision fatigue away. The second layer is this psychological color alignment, so thinking about how do you actually wanna be experienced, calm, creative, innovative, all of those elements.
And thinking about what colors are actually gonna support you in that. And then I like to think of those high impact moments specifically where you really wanna push the authority, right. So what specific colors will work in those high stakes moments from keynotes, boardrooms, media, appearances perhaps, and that really align with some of your professional goals.
And how can we actually utilize [00:06:00] color impact in that way? And when you can blend these three strategies, it's no longer sort of second guessing around it, you're actually starting to curate. A wardrobe and a color strategy that's unique to you. So when you do this alignment, you actually stop second guessing, and those colors in your wardrobe, they really just work.
You feel more confident on camera. If you're on that, maybe in meetings. And of course your presence overall becomes more consistent, whether that's online and or in person. And what you start to do without even realizing it, is you start to build a visual brand that feels authentic, powerful, and really easy to maintain.
And that's probably the most important part. Because someone, you don't want a [00:07:00] hard system around this, sometimes it'll be that the right colors will help you speak on your behalf, and sometimes that's all you need.
So here are two questions I want you to have a think of as you turn your mind. Some of the concepts I've touched on today. What colors make you feel most like you today? Not five years ago, not the last role. Which ones make you feel most like you today and where you want to go? And when was the last time you were reevaluated the color palette that you've got with who you're becoming?
Because. From my perspective, your evolution deserves to be expressed visually, energetically, and doing it in a way that works for you.
I hope you've enjoyed this episode. drop me a [00:08:00] DM or drop it into the comments if you're on YouTube and let me know. I'll speak to you all soon.
