There are many misconceptions about styling. It’s often perceived as something decadent, indulgent, superficial, and fun; a glamorous game of dress up for those who live the high life. If I weren’t a stylist, I might have thought the same.
One of the reasons I frequently style women is to prepare them for photo shoots. Last week, I launched my Model Your Message package that combines styling with a photo shoot to give women a total concierge experience. It was created to provide the highest level of service for a spectacular outcome without the stress of trying to figure it out on your own; I’m there at every step, from start to finish.
The reason I created this package is the struggle I see women face when it’s time to show up and be visible to grow their business. Showing up and being seen in front of a camera can become a trigger for a minefield of issues that were so comfortably lying dormant. The photo shoot exposes those issues and creates discomfort; sometimes intense discomfort…and that’s where I come in.
Last Friday I had the honor of taking my first Model Your Message client through her styling and photo shoot journey. Lisa Steadman is a brilliant best selling author, successful serial entrepreneur, and captivating radio and TV personality. . She has been in discussions with networks for one her books to be made into a reality TV show – with her as the expert host. That’s exciting until one network told her, Yes, we’re interested in signing you for a show but… we’d like to see you look more glam to align with OUR look.
Now that can cause triggers on so many levels.
This type of opportunity can bring up authenticity, beauty, or body issues, and put you in a completely vulnerable space. How much do you compromise, if at all, to please or fit in to represent someone else’s brand without feeling like you sacrificed yours?
With just two weeks to shop and prepare for her glam photo shoot, Lisa reached out and hired me to help her Model Her Glam Message. As we dove into the discovery phase of our work together, it brought up all types of questions that needed answers, and that’s where the styling work began.
Knowing Lisa like I do, I knew how important it was for her to maintain authenticity and integrity. We had some very frank conversations about her vision and how to help her create a look that was the most unique, bright, beautiful, and glamorous version of HER, yet still aligned with the style of the network.
This is where my work gets really fun. I did a head to toe comparison analysis of the current glam beauty trends in network reality TV. An over the top look of super long hair with extensions was the standard. While I knew Lisa wouldn’t want to go Beauty Pageant glam with hair extensions, I quickly discovered she was game to create a real standout short hairstyle to compete with all the long pageant looking hair.
I showed Lisa a variety of short, sexy styles that could work for her face, personality, and brand. She quickly embraced it and promptly made a hair appointment for a color and cut. I was amazed at the ease of how quickly she adapted to the idea of a change. This is not an easy thing to do for most women – our hair is something we’re attached to and won’t easily chop off or change. That’s when I knew Lisa was ready to take her life to the next level.
I created a brand board to show Lisa the clothing options that captured an all out glam look while still maintaining the rocker chic and sexy edge aspects to her existing style. As with many of my clients, Lisa was open to pumping up the glam that was already a part of her style when she understood she could still be HER. Her other request – she wanted to capture the look of a media mogul since this is the general direction she and her brand are headed in.
Lisa used the brand board as a guide when she started shopping. It served as visual support to identify the types of looks that clearly communicated the glam and flattered her shape.
When it was time to start shopping, Lisa went to countless stores, sending texts from the dressing room where I gave feedback on her choices. I let her know if I thought it flattered her body, embraced her style, had enough glam, and was elevated enough to signal the look of a mogul.
There were moments of excitement when she nailed it, when she found a dress that brought in all the right elements and was pitch perfect! There were also many moments when I told her the dress didn’t represent her best self, to keep looking, and hold out for something better.
One day, there was a trip to the mall when she spent the entire day shopping and left empty handed. These are the moments that create discouragement, when a woman needs to be reminded that it’s not her, it’s simply the luck of the draw on that day. Things don’t work out every single time, but in the end, it all comes together beautifully. It’s important to keep going and keep the faith. When you won’t settle for anything less than the best, when good enough is not good enough, that’s when you raise your standards for your style and your life.
These are the most trying of times when shopping can provoke feelings of inadequacy, worthiness, test your belief, and patience. Some of my favorite moments on the journey are surprisingly the darkest. It’s in these moments, when you’re being tested, that present opportunities to learn the biggest lessons. It’s easy to stop, to play smaller, to settle for good enough when you’re tired and frustrated and you just want to go home. This is when you learn about yourself, gain sharper clarity, dig deeper, and see the light shine through for your bigger, brighter future with you in the starring role.
These are all the behind the scene challenges and triumphs that set the stage for a woman to shine when it’s Lights, Camera, Action! on the day of the shoot.
It’s this incredible journey that creates a foundational sense to worthiness and enables a woman to dare to be the brightest version of what she dreamed. By the time she’s on the set, she’s done much of the inner work. She’s stepped into and is owning who she really is.
I think this is where so many women get stuck. Where the fear really resides. We all know the camera doesn’t lie. And if a woman is perpetuating a false self, if she doesn’t believe, the camera will pick it up, because the truth shows in her eyes, and we can see the reflection from within.
The night before the shoot, Lisa came to my home and we did a last looks editing session where Lisa tried on all her potential outfits. We finalized her best looks with all the accessories to get her camera ready from head to toe. It was in this moment, when she started to see all her hard work paying off, and all her glam looks coming together. This allowed her to go to sleep that night with a clear vision of how she would look the next day.
The morning of the shoot, Lisa was ready. Everything that came before this day prepared her to be emotionally available to step into her spotlight. She earned it and she owned it.
As I sat on the set and watched Lisa begin to model her message in the first of her five outfits, tears began to uncontrollably stream down my face. I could see how beautiful she felt, how comfortable in her skin she was, how masterfully she moved her body, how confidently she embodied the best vision of herself that had come to life right here in front of our eyes.
In that moment I could see how the entire day would unfold for Lisa. Right then, I knew without a doubt that all her dreams for this day would be fulfilled. I hold the dreams of my clients for them. I believe it for them. In the darkest moments when it gets hard, I still hold that vision for them and never waver from the belief that we will get there. That was the truth of my tears that day. They were tears of joy at watching a truly special person own all of her gifts and willingly allow them to be exposed to the world. The utter joy to see the life filled with all the potential of a bigger and brighter future coming true. That is the real beauty of the Model Your Message program.
Since the shoot, Lisa has sent me the most loving, heartfelt, beautiful emails, texts, and phone messages about her experience. She even asked if she could share her message with you. Here, in her own words, is what Lisa has to say about Modeling Her Message:
- There really are no words to adequately express my love, gratitude, joy, and giddiness right now. But here goes…
- Today was beyond my wildest imagination. Just pure heaven. Wow.
- Sybil, I could not have gotten here without you. I would not have shopped that hard. Or spray tanned. Or chopped the hair. But more importantly, I wouldn’t have had YOU. I needed you. I prayed for you. You are such an angel in my life. I am in deep WOOHOO for you.
- I am not the same woman I was two weeks ago. Reality show or not, THAT is priceless. And worth every ounce of blood, sweat, tears, and laughter.
- Honestly, all the work we’ve done and the results – the AMAZING results – are worth ten times the investment in you. When a woman is ready, the work is truly priceless.
If you’re ready to Model YOUR Message, I invite you to do this work with me. It really is priceless.
You can get all the details of my Model Your Message VIP Experience here: http://modelyourmessage.com