Today let’s talk about developing your Style Mission Statement. You might be asking, “why in the world would someone want to develop a style mission statement?”. Well, I think it’s a good exercise to help you determine the purpose of your wardrobe, refine your style and help you determine what you should be looking for when you go shopping. Your style mission statement should support the image you are trying to project and inspire you.
I’m a big fan of mission statements. I encourage students in my class each semester to develop their own personal and professional mission statement. (Well, I do more than encourage – it’s an assignment that they are graded on.) It gives them direction, a purpose and a goal to follow as they begin their careers and professional lives. So, what exactly is a mission statement? It’s a statement of purpose for an organization or person; the reason it exists. It guides the actions, spells out the goals, provides a path and guides the decision-making of person or an organization. It’s what a person or organization does every day. I have helped many students develop their own mission statements, I have developed a mission statement for the peer education program I coordinate and I have helped develop mission statements for several organizations. It can be a time consuming and head spinning process at times and you would be surprised how a group of educators and administrators can wordsmith a sentence to death!!
I wanted to save you some of that trouble and come up with a plan to help you develop your Style Mission Statement (just like I do for my students). A mission statement should be short and concise (1-2 sentences, maybe only 8-10 words). It should be something you can remember and relate to that addresses your nature, your values and your work. Your mission statement should answer the “what” and the “how”.
Start by answering these five questions and you are well on your way to developing your own style mission statement.
1. How do you define your style?
- What looks are you drawn to, what do you feel comfortable wearing, what stores do you like to shop in, what celebrity (or other people’s) look do you admire?
- See my previous blog post, Define Your Style in 6 Easy Steps
2. What do you value?
- What’s important to you about your style and wardrobe? What do your values say about you as a person and how do you express those through your style?
3. What message do you want to send?
- How do you want others to perceive or remember you?
4. What is the purpose of your image, style, wardrobe?
5. What’s your signature look/piece?
Now, do some reflecting over your responses. Are there common themes? Did you find words that are used over and over again? Do you have a “what” and “how”? Start pulling all together by writing down the inspiration words and phrases and common themes. Keep re-writing your statement until you feel is accurately describes the purpose of your style and what you do every day.
Here’s what I came up with for my Style Mission Statement:
To project a polished and positive image that is both classy and current which uniquely expresses my fun, creative, and approachable style.
How’s that??? It may still need some fine-tuning, but I like it for now.
I’d love to hear your Style Mission Statement. Leave it in the comment section and we can all be inspired!
