Five 'W' of your YOUR SEVEN SECONDS

Your Irreplaceable seven seconds

How much do you own them ? 

Five W of first Impressions 

1. When does this happen ?

 The moment that stranger sees you, his or her brain makes a thousand computations: Are you someone to approach or to avoid? 
Are you friend or foe? 
Do you have status and authority?
 Are you educated and intelligent ? 
Are you trustworthy, competent, likeable, confident?

2. What actually happens ?

 It’s not a conscious process, so we don’t even realise we’re doing it - but it goes back to our primitive roots when we couldn't afford to make wrong decisions.’ - clinical psychologist and author of Straight Talking

• 50-55 % The way you appear and behave
• 35-40 %  Tone and Pitch of your voice
• 5-10 % What you say 

3. Why does this happen ? 

This 'Seeing is believing ' neurological reflex might have primarily evolved to identify predatory and non-predatory creatures as quickly as possible. 

Judi James, author of The Body Language Bible, agrees: ‘Judging other people in the first few seconds of meeting them is part of our survival response. So, although we might understand that it’s a flawed and prejudiced way of evaluation, we can’t stop ourselves doing it.

4. Who is in control ? 

YOU ! Work on A , B and C of Image management . A stands for appearance , B for behaviour and C for communication ( Both verbal and non-verbal ) 
Seven Seconds to Make a First Impression

5. Which area needs to be improved ?

It depends on your goal . 

Case 1 -If you are a business person, you need to be in command over your Behaviour and Communication . Appearance too will matter but your body language can make or break a particular deal. You've got 7 seconds to impress me: How we size up men in next to no time

Case 2- If your aim is to look attractive on your first date , you definitely strengthen your appearance . It doesn't mean that behaviour and communication can be ignored but visual appeal takes a front seat here .

Case 3 - A job applicant should be sharp in all the areas to crack the interview. Nail the interview 

Style Cafe 
Visual branding advisor 

Oscar extremes #stylecafe

Oscar extremes - Extravagance Vs Sustainable Fashion

Oscar makes more news and noise on costumes than awards !

We all did witness some extremely magnificent costumes and in contrast there were few diligent celebs who took part in latest movement commonly known as 'Sustainable Fashion '.

There were ladies who portrayed self indulgent attitude and their dresses were highly extravagant .

Lady Gaga wore Azzedine Alaia crystal embellished gown which was was made by 25 people in 1600 hours  

Julianne Moore The long white masterpiece was made by Karl Lagerfeld himself. The organza gown, lined with silk crepe and containing a hidden bustier, featured 80,000 “small white hand-painted resin sequins and flowers made of ivory, beige and black organza, tulle and sequins,” according to Chanel.

Lupita Nyong wore a Calvin Klein gown The white gown was created by Francisco Costa featured cascading strands of 6,000 pearls and was paired with Chopard jewels 

Gina Rodriguez  wore a cobalt blue gown made from 100%  PEACE SILK ( Silk harvested only after the silkmoth breaks out of its cocoon  ) which was finished off with low impact dyes .

 .

Jake McDorman  Tuxedo was made from 100% DEAD STOCK WOOL ( Wool taken after death or slaughter ) . The Jacket lining was made from PEACE SILK . His shoes were too ANIMAL FRIENDLY ( NYC Vegan Footwear ) and his shirt was made from RECYCLED PLASTIC BOTTLES.

Jessica Chastain, wore a fitted dress from H&M upcoming 'CONCIOUS EXCLUSIVE' collection . It features organic cotton , recycled polyseter and polyamide . 

 

Style Cafe 

Visual Branding advisor 

Cool College boy to dapper executive #style Café

How to make a smooth transition from a carefree or cool college boy to a competent and dapper looking professional ?

    TO      

We often meet men who dress like boys even in a profession set-up . 

There are very successful men who managed to write history even with their frumpy fashion style and monotonous wardrobe. but everyone cannot be Mark Zukerberg or Steve Jobs :-)

  

Advantages of style upgrade 

•  You will be able to create first powerful impressions .

•  Industry appropriate dress gives you a sense of credibility .

•  You look more experienced and put together .

•  Your chances of grabbing a bigger role becomes easy .

College to Corporate 

A smooth transition calls for four basic mathematical actions to build up a powerful Image 

1. Addition - A dark coloured formal suit which you can use for evening formal sets-ups and interviews. Make sure that the colour suits your skin one and it fits really well .
 Formal black/brown shoes ( With dark matching socks)are an item which you will rarely find in a boys wardrobe . Find a good quality shoe and pair it up with your suit and formal trousers .

2. Subtraction - Baggy jeans , Loose or hung neck Tees , ill fitted clothes , faded shirts and worn out shoes .  Bright neon or big prints .

3. Multiply - 

a. Shirts -Start with basic staples like a white and a light blue dress shirt and keep on multiplying these evergreen formal pieces . By the time you are two to three years old in your job you can have three to four crisp white shirts( With different details ) which fit you very well . 

b. Trousers -Same multiplication can be done with basic black /grey / beige trousers . 

c. Accessories - Ties , Pocket square , Tie-pins etc 

4. Divide - Divide your wardrobe into smart casual , weekend clothing and Business formal. It will save lot of time and energy . The formal clothing usually comes at a good price , hence keep it covered and well protected . 

Style Cafe

Visual branding advisor

How Mr.Arvind Khejriwal created history with an un-ornamented Image ? #stylecafe

Arvind Kejriwal - Imagified 

In last two years Arvind Khejriwal has emerged as a strong ' archetype of Indian common man ' ! 

Image is a precise concoction of Appearance , Behaviour and Communication .

Mr. Arvind scores high on the later two aspects and emerges as a silent tsunami in Indian politics .

If we scan his appearance , we will not find anything charming or captivating about his outer/visible personality( He does not even matches his socks with his trousers :-) and its rare to find him in a tie or a suit)  He is not khadi dhaari like our other politicians .... but he still managed to struck the right chord ...how ?? 

Appearance 

His aim was to connect with common man and his clothes and appearance speaks the same language ...

a. He looks exceedingly approachable with the way he dresses up ..or we can say he is always dressed down which gives him an aura of person who is well disposed , accessible , sympathetic and friendly . 

b. His favourite colours are Maroon , Navy and Grey .

Maroon says - Do not get in my way ..I am on mission . The colour shows his determination and leadership skills .

Navy says - I am trustworthy , loyal and credible .

Grey says - I am an intellectual and can put my nose into the grindstone. 

Behaviour 

1. Honesty - Being honest can sometime be vulnerable. Honesty helps a leader to develop credibility and trust, which are the foundation to evoke confidence and respect from those around you . Mr. Arvind has managed to score high on honestly bar .
2. Compassion - While many see compassion as a weakness , but he has developed this trait in his favour ,for a strong grip over masses .Good leaders use compassion to see the needs of those he or she leads and Mr. khejriwal managed with finesse to tap into Aam aadmi's pulse . 
3. Integrity -Political leaders who possess integrity can be trusted because he or she never veers from inner values . He partly lost his integrity in people's eyes after resigning , but regained it to a much higher glory by using his personal charisma and through regretful acknowledgement of his past deeds .

4.Confidence - A good political leader needs to be both confident in himself or herself as well in their ability to lead.  He was always confident of his agendas and problems he wanted to address .
5. Flexibility - This characteristic allows political leaders to recognize setbacks and criticism, to learn from them and move forward. He has forged ahead an unestablished path and made many amendments while paving it ...with his own unique style of conviction. 
Communication 
Everyone will agree that Mr.khejriwal communicated with all his might and heart . His verbal as well as non-verbal skills were quite appropriate and he was able to dent into Indian politics with his open style of communication .

Style Cafe 

Visual branding advisor 

Want to say without saying on valentine's day ? #stylecafe

What's your colour code on Valentine's day ?

'Colours are the mother tongue of subconscious' - Carl Jung 

 

Our minds are inherently programmed to respond to the colour . 

What's your subliminal  message to your partner ?

The colour of your dress is capable of sending non-verbal clues and messages to your partner . Here's a handy guide ,which can help you to make a choice from number of alternatives.

Red 

 Red is intense and a passionate colour .Red tends to make us loose track of time ..hence its a good colour if your partner is time pressed :-). Its a powerful colour but the colour will not help you in any kind of negotiations and confrontations .
Disadvantages - Negatives are that that it makes us look demanding and aggressive .

White

 It shows your clean and simple attitude towards life . In some cultures it is associated with virginity . It highlights your belief in minimalistic approach .
Disadvantages -  White tends you to give a distant and cold attitude.

Black

 Black is a symbol of power and authority . It makes you look sophisticated , elegant and timeless. It makes you look slim too :-) 
Disadvantages - Few negatives are also associated with black . It makes you look aloof and unapproachable . 

Brown 

It makes you look honest , genuine and connected to your roots.It shows your friendly and earthy attitude. It can help you set an aura of Ms.Dependable. 
Disadvantages - The negatives are that it makes you look opinionated and narrow minded .

Yellow- 

A right shade of yellow can lift your spirits as well as of your partner . It elevates self-esteem and creates an aura of confidence and optimism . 
Disadvantages - Negatives are that it can make you look emotionally fragile and irrational .

Pink

 Pink is colour of unconditional love ,compassion and intimacy . Its shows your soft and feminine side . It makes you look compassionate and playful. 
Disadvantages - The only negatives are that this colour makes you look weak and immature.

Fuchsia 

The colour will put you in a frame where you look more balanced and practical . It sends out a loud message that you are optimistic towards life .
Disadvantages -  The only negative is that it shows your viewpoint is more important than what other people think about you. 

Green 

 It is soothing and relaxing and used for healing . It can be a right pick if you are planning to sort out some old issues .
Disadvantages -  Negatives are that too much of green can create a sense of boredom and blandness .

Grey

  It will make you look intellectual , conservative and traditional . It helps you portray a kind of seriousness towards your work and in your attitude . 
Disadvantages - It makes you look gloomy or conservative.

Blue 

It is serene and mentally calming and highlights your intellectual side . The colour helps us to concentrate and aids in clear communication ..hence you can go for it , if you give more weight to real conversations. 
Disadvantages - Negatives are you could be taken as unemotional or cold .

Purple 

 The colour is historically connected to royalty and wealth . It has the power to make you look powerful and ambitious . Its often associated with mystery . 
Disadvantages - Its rarity in nature gives it an artificial vibe 

Orange 

 It focuses our minds on issues of physical comfort - food, warmth, shelter . Its makes you look more social and fun-loving .

Disadvantages - It shows lack of serious intellectual values and makes you look egocentric.

Style Cafe
Visual branding advisor

Style-scan radar on our leading ladies #stylecafe

Its called the biggest award night and all ladies and gentleman try to fit in the stylometer . Lets evaluate them on FI meter ( Fashion Intelligence ) 

Black beauties 

 We all know the power of black .....how it helps us to conceal and camouflage figure flaws .
But it can be be too predictive and boring too . 
Tabbu tall and sleek frame got lost in the mis-fitted and drab gown .
Alia Bhatt gown shortened her petite frame. She is too young to sport such a tone less and uninspiring
 gown .  
Kalki tries out an innovative drape and scores extra points on following new Power shoulder trend ..we give her maximum points among five black beauties .

Colour pops 

 Whenever designers and fashion stylists try to ape west and their fashion sensibilities blindly ...they fall flat .
Most of these colours can look great on Hollywood stars or golden haired models , but we Indians have a different skin tone as well as distinct contrast levels . These colours have taken focus away from their beautiful faces ...the fabrics look crushed and outdated .
Sonali saved the look with right styling and scored extra points by following new Minimalistic trend . 
Dia Mirza looked effortless chic and elegant in the silk saree which was teamed with a well fitted and deep hued blouse . Cobalt blue uplifted her look and gave her a beaming glow .

Nudes and neutrals 

Fashionista Sonam Kapoor looked over done with accessories otherwise Anamika khana creation was quite flawless . 

The fit and flare gown did not flatter Kajol's proportions. Her make-up aged her.

  Richa Chaddha's gown was elegant but unsurprising .

We do not want to comment on our most brilliant and extremely talented star ....all we can say is' Vidya Please hire a good stylist !  A stylist who can advise her for Outfits that can highlight her beautiful face and balance her proportions .

Winners 

Deepika Padukone , Neha Dhupia and Madhuri Dixit looked graceful and tasteful  in their respective outfits . Styling , make-up , colours and accessories ..everything seemed in balance .
Fashion Intelligence meter - The colour of the outfits complimented their skin tones . The right styling , make-up and hair styles created the focus at right places . The outfits and detailing were justifying their assets and minimizing their flaws . Confidence and body language was precise.

Style Cafe
Visual branding advisor