Classically Sofia: The Journey of Discovering My Personal Brand

Happy Sunday, friends!

This week, I have learned about opinion leadership, social media, and drumroll... personal brands! The concept of a personal brand is something that has always intrigued me whether I have been conscious of it or not. Allaya Cooks-Campbell's article, "Personal branding: Why you need to control the message" defines personal branding, "Personal branding is the strategic and intentional process of curating a public image to manage people's impression of you" (Cooks-Campbell, 2023). Who would not want to have some control over how others perceive you? What a powerful concept! Ever since I was young, I subconsciously worked to create a personal brand. Here is a bit of that journey!

Growing up, my favorite thing to do was watch "old" movies. It is funny because when I mention my love of old movies to other people my age (early to mid-twenties), sometimes I will get responses like "Yes, my favorite is 10 Things I Hate About You!" or another movie from the early 2000s or 1990s. And do not get me wrong, I love movies from those decades- I am a huge fan of films in general! But when I say I love old movies, I mean the Golden Age of Hollywood. Movies from the 1930s-1960s are my specialty. One of the first films I remember watching was Bathing Beauty, which is a 1944 comedy starring Esther Williams, Hollywood's mermaid. She was well known for the aquatic dance numbers sprinkled throughout her colorful films. Esther Williams immediately captured my attention. She was beautiful, confident, talented, elegant- she had the loveliest clothes and hairstyles- and from there, I began watching any movie I could from that era. I loved the aesthetic of the 1940s and 1950s so much, that I wanted to become it.

In second grade, my elementary school had uniforms. The outfit combinations consisted of a navy, white, or light blue shirt paired with a khaki or navy skirt or pants. However, I wanted to be perceived as elegant, feminine, and confident as Esther Williams. I started getting my shirts with Peter Pan collars, and I would search for navy dresses that I could wear. My mom would fix my hair in big curls with a flower pinned on the side, and I would wear pearls. With my mother’s help, I was unintentionally creating a personal brand for myself! And in 2nd grade, at that!

When middle school and high school rolled around, my style was more vintage-inspired then fully replicating the classic actresses that I had admired, and I maintained a reputation as “the vintage girl” or “the girl that likes antique stores.” I was happy with those perceptions, and I made many friends with similar interests.

It was during high school that I began getting involved in social media. To my surprise, there were people like me out in the world who wanted to be absolutely immersed in vintage style. I remember truly feeling surprised that I was not alone in my infatuation. Not only were there people who enjoyed vintage style, but people who posted as if that was how they dressed constantly- no t-shirts in sight. I was enthralled. I wanted to be viewed the same way that I was viewing these people. I quickly began noticing that there were brands that catered to that lifestyle. Besame Cosmetics, Vulox Vanity, Hadley Smythe, Charlie Stone, and other brands produced replications of vintage clothing and products. To my amazement, the individuals who had personal pages dedicated to their love of vintage were sometimes gifted these products. Late in high school, I decided that I wanted I wanted to be a part of this community, and it was then that Classically Sofia was born.

There is such beauty in the “vintage influencer” community! An article titled “The Rise in Vintage Influencers in 2024” states it perfectly, “Since nostalgia has been linked to psychological well-being, it provides a sense of meaning, connection, and continuity. Vintage influencers provide an avenue for followers to escape the pressures of the present momentarily and dive into the positive aspects of the past” (Nicole, 2023). Nostalgia absolutely has that effect on me, and to possibly create it for others was such an exciting goal.

My first post on my vintage Instagram page was in July of 2019. I began gathering aesthetic pictures of architecture, antiques, historic buildings, and outfits that I put together. I wanted to create an Instagram page that looked like I, too, lived amidst a constant vintage aesthetic. Referring back to Allayah Cooks-Campbell’s article, the section “How to build a personal brand: 5 steps” included step four “Redefine your style,” listing the importance of making your work and presence recognizable through the use of an aesthetic (Cooks-Campbell, 2023). Not only is that a necessary step in creating a personal brand, but also a fun step!

As I continued to curate content, I also grew my community, connecting with users that had similar interests and learning about aspects of the vintage community that grew my understanding of its online presence. Vintage influencers have brought awareness to fashion sustainability, encouraging thrifting and antiquing, as well as the importance of individuality and authenticity in fashion (Nicole, 2023). Jill Avery and Rachel Greenwald write about the importance of socializing your brand, stating, “Personal branding isn’t an individual exercise; you need other people to share your stories, thereby enhancing your credibility and helping you reach new audiences” (Avery & Greenwald, 2023).

As my community grew, I began getting offers here and there where companies wanted to send me gifts to post about. I was doing it! I was creating a brand! I accepted some offers, was gifted some beautiful items, and reveled in my little online, curated, vintage lifestyle. I even created a blog, also called Classically Sofia, for another course that paired along with my Instagram page. You are welcome to look into it using this link! Classically Sofia – Living timelessly in the present. (wordpress.com)

As I continued through college and got better acquainted with my adult life, my Instagram presence fell off. While I still adore dressing with elements of vintage style, watching classic films, and using fun products, I no longer feel a need to be validated in my interests. That was what my personal brand began to feel like to me- I started it for fun, and then I began to feel pressured to maintain my audience by constantly dressing a certain way and gathering content. When I establish a better balance, I would love to pick Classically Sofia back up, but for now, I am grateful that I learned a little about personal branding at such a young age. I also am grateful to have built a community that I can constantly take inspiration from!

Sincerely,

Sofia

Works Cited

Avery, J., & Greenwald, R. (2023, May 1). "A New Approach to Building Your Personal Brand". Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2023/05/a-new-approach-to-building-your-personal-brand

CooksCooks-Campbell, A. (2023, June 16). "Personal Branding 101: Steps, Tips, and Examples". BetterUp. https://www.betterup.com/blog/personal-branding-101

Nicole. (2023, December 22). "The Rise of Vintage Influencers in 2024 - Sammy D. Vintage". Sammy D Vintage. https://sammydvintage.com/vintage-style/vintage-influencers/