5 Signs You're Ready for Intelligent Style?

What you wear won’t get you to your next level in your career. You have to show up to do the work.

However, studies have shown that what you wear will EMBOLDEN how feel as you do the work.?

Unpopular Opinion: The answer isn’t ‘Executive Presence.’

The traditional ‘Executive Presence’ of Professional Style would have you fit into a mold of ‘shoulds.’

Instead, let’s just focus on the key word: Presence.

Intelligent Style creates connection by being authentic to who you are, how you want to show up, and what you’re here to say. Like Emotional Intelligence, it is a skill and can be learned and improved.

In sum, Intelligent Style? emboldens your presence.

Are you ready for it?

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SIGN #1 THAT YOU'RE READY FOR INTELLIGENT STYLE:

You’ve gotten feedback on an outfit, but you intuitively know that there wasn’t anything ‘unprofessional’ about what you were wearing.

One word: NOPE

Society would prefer that we don’t trust our intuition because that would make us too powerful.

In any situation where a client shared feedback about what they were wearing that was deemed ‘inappropriate,’ they were definitely not inappropriate. But, their presence and confidence took up space in a way that made the ‘leader’ uncomfortable. And why they’re uncomfortable has everything to do with their programming and not your presence.

With Intelligent Style, you create a presence that is authentic to you while creating connection with those you’re collaborating with.

For instance, if you’re told you’re too bright, you have two options:

1. Take the frog in water approach. Slowly but surely add more color to your outfits over time. Let them warm up to the BOLDNESS you own. You may even inspire them to be more bold as well!
2. Find a new place to work that will embrace all the elements of you, including the colors you love to wear.???

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SIGN #2 THAT YOU'RE READY FOR INTELLIGENT STYLE:

You work in a traditional, conservative male-dominated industry and you’re positioning yourself for your next promotion.

Unfortunately, as you rise up in leadership, most places will get more conservative and male-dominated. You’re here because you’re actively changing that.

Instead of trying to fit in, leverage the fact that by default of being a woman, you stand out.?

It’s time to get really clear on what you want to communicate with your presence. Don’t minimize any part of yourself. Men don’t, why should you?

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SIGN #3 THAT YOU'RE READY FOR INTELLIGENT STYLE:

You are a woman leader in a business-casual environment.

You’re working with a bunch of dudes in hoodies, but you’re leading the team. AND, you’re sitting in on management meetings.

How do you split the difference? With Intelligent Style, the focus is on creating connection. Think of it as creating an ‘outfit mullet’ every day … business on top + party on bottom! Basically, you get permission to mix work + play clothes and bring even more YOU into your everyday.

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SIGN #4 THAT YOU'RE READY FOR INTELLIGENT STYLE:

You’ve experienced a few life transitions and nothing in your closet seems to work.?

With the demands on our time for work and family, when are you supposed to shop to keep your wardrobe updated? If you don’t enjoy shopping or don’t have go-to brands that you love and know the fit, it’s likely you haven’t shopped unless there was an urgent time-sensitive need to. And if that’s the case you are not alone.

AND, that is why your wardrobe feels out of alignment.

>> As you evolve, as your career evolves, so does your style.

You’re not the same person and your closet doesn’t match the current version of you.

Growth is AWESOME!

Now, you just need to recalibrate and realign your closet. But don’t go throwing the baby out with the bathwater. You likely have a lot in your closet that does still work. You just need to give it a bit of love and PLAY.

Then, create a list of pieces that would add value.

You don’t need a giant wardrobe to have a great wardrobe. Focus on mixing, matching, and maximizing.

If you’re in a transition with your body shifting, focus on creating a capsule and/or uniform of 5-10 pieces you LOVE and add accessories. 10 pieces can create 30+ looks when you add accessories, too. Plus, accessories tend to be sentimental.

SIGN #5 THAT YOU'RE READY FOR INTELLIGENT STYLE:?

You want to look good, preferably by magic.

In her book, Wonder Women: Sexy, Power, and the Quest for Perfection author Debora Spar calculated that she spent 282 hours to look ‘presentable’ in a year compared to her husband’s 30 for the same year.

Honestly, that’s actually kind of an impressive number when you break that down into time per day assuming that includes doing her hair and makeup each day, perhaps getting her nails done regularly, shopping to update her wardrobe, getting her hair cut and colored – the pink tax on our time and pocket books is REAL when it comes to ‘Executive Presence.’

We ALL want to look good, by magic.

With Intelligent Style, the only thing about how you ‘look’ that matters is how you FEEL.?

How do you look good ‘by magic?’ Get clear on who you are, how you want to show up, and what you are communicating with your presence. The clarity makes it easier to have confidence with each piece you add to your wardrobe, so you have a closet full of clothes you LOVE. And when that’s true, then it’s effortless to throw together an outfit that makes you feel YOU.

Ready for Intelligent Style?

Join Boutique Box CEO & Founder, Catherine Cassidy on January 18th, 2024 at 10 am PST for an Intelligent Style workshop: Dressing for your Next Level.

Catherine Cassidy is the founder and CEO of Boutique Box, a membership for professional women to curate their ideal wardrobe. With 21 years of experience in the Fashion Industry, including 15 working with women leaders to create their Intelligent Wardrobes, Catherine’s writing and speaking offers a unique perspective that leverages behavioral psychology, the history and business of fashion, and organizational design.

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