By Ann Marie Stonecypher | Photography by Dan Doyle<\/em><\/p>\n I\u2019ve said it before and I\u2019ll say it again: \u201cYou are your brand.\u201d How you dress is an absolute extension of that distinct brand. What are you projecting as your No. 1 Brand Ambassador \u2014 a mantle of self confidence or the air of \u201cI don\u2019t care\u201d? Perception shapes reality, whether we like it or not.<\/p>\n I asked WISE Women\u2019s Business Center director Joanne Lenweaver for her thoughts on this topic, and she agreed. Joanne said: \u201cI believe dressing is design. Design is communication. You communicate a statement, whether you intend it or not. Choose to design your life!\u201d<\/p>\n When you shop at Bloomingdales, Lord & Taylor or any high-end establishment, you expect a certain appearance of both the store and its employees. The bar is set high. That high standard promotes an image of competence and integrity in their brand. Why not steal the concept? It works!<\/p>\n Dressing like a sharp business owner doesn\u2019t mean being stuffy or losing your femininity. The versatile suit on AMS model Amy Freinberg-Trufas is a great example.<\/p>\n Amy opted for timeless gray, adding a bold pop of color and pattern with her lovely blouse. She\u2019s still the star, but her clothing says she\u2019s put together and confident. She puts thought into both what she does and how she presents herself.<\/p>\n Fashion Note: This gray pantsuit is the perfect wardrobe addition. You can wear it in the summer or winter by switching up the accessories. Opt for a turtleneck and boots in the colder months, or a lighter weight top when the weather gets warmer \u2014 just make sure it\u2019s work appropriate.<\/p>\n This doesn\u2019t mean you should dress like our model regardless of your occupation. A creative field \u2014 like interior design or hair styling \u2014 can be reflected in your choice of outfit.<\/p>\n Local designer Michelle DaRin is a perfect example. When you first meet Michelle, you can tell she\u2019s an artistic person. From hair and makeup to whatever clothes and amazing self-created jewelry she\u2019s wearing, everything about her screams \u201cI am an artist!\u201d She IS her brand and represents it to perfection.<\/p>\n Consider this: you bid on a job and bring your A game, but your competition does, too. Your client has to choose who they want to collaborate with and bring in front of their clients. You\u2019re now being considered to represent someone else\u2019s brand. These are the times when personal presentation can play an even more critical role. It\u2019s no longer just about you.<\/p>\n There are many things you can\u2019t control \u2014 your competition, the weather, unreturned phone calls and emails \u2014 but you can control how you are perceived as the single most powerful harbinger of your brand.<\/p>\n When creating a presentation, you take time to pick the right colors, borders and transitions \u2014 why? Because the little details matter. It certainly stands to reason that the details of your appearance deserve the same scrutiny as your PowerPoint, business cards, logo, collateral material and everything else you use to represent your brand. Don\u2019t forget the most important asset you have is you.<\/p>\n Bottom line: As an entrepreneur, you are what you sell. So when selling YOU, the last thing you want to do is sell yourself short. SWM <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Model Amy Freinberg-Trufas courtesy of AMS Models. Hair and makeup by Saadah Aminah. <\/em><\/p>\n Ann Marie Stonecypher is an award-winning business woman and the owner of AMS Models & Talent. She is also a stylist, inspirational speaker, two-time breast cancer survivor and freelance writer. She lives in the Syracuse area with her children Taylor and Steven, and her dog Cocoa. She welcomes your style questions and comments at info@amsmodels.com. <\/em><\/p>\n The Value of You By Ann Marie Stonecypher | Photography by Dan Doyle I\u2019ve said it before and I\u2019ll say it again: \u201cYou are your brand.\u201d How you dress is an absolute extension of that distinct brand. What are you projecting as your No. 1 Brand Ambassador \u2014 a mantle of self confidence or the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":636,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[103],"tags":[127,130,172,173,128],"class_list":["post-610","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fashion","tag-ams-models-talent","tag-ann-marie-stonecypher","tag-april-2017","tag-dan-doyle","tag-fashion-forward"],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Z_Fashion-forward_ONLINE.jpg?fit=5200%2C3498&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2209,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2209","url_meta":{"origin":610,"position":0},"title":"\u2018Live like you\u2019re living:\u2019 Remembering Ann Marie Bick","author":"Sarah Hall","date":"December 19, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Plenty of people talk about making the world a better place. Ann Marie Bick actually did it. \u201cAnn Marie firmly believed that everybody has the ability to do good in this world,\u201d said her husband, Rob Bick. \u201cIf you met her, you could not help but be influenced in a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=99"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/AMS-May-2015.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/AMS-May-2015.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/AMS-May-2015.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/AMS-May-2015.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":289,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=289","url_meta":{"origin":610,"position":1},"title":"Leaving the Color Zone","author":"Staff","date":"January 26, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Color is the New Black By Ann Marie Stonecypher | Photography by Dan Doyle This month\u2019s article could be subtitled \u201cDo as I say, not as I do,\u201d as I\u2019m totally guilty of living in the dark zone when it comes to fashion. I like black and have an obscene\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=99"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Fashion-Forward_0217_online.jpg?fit=1200%2C791&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Fashion-Forward_0217_online.jpg?fit=1200%2C791&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Fashion-Forward_0217_online.jpg?fit=1200%2C791&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Fashion-Forward_0217_online.jpg?fit=1200%2C791&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Fashion-Forward_0217_online.jpg?fit=1200%2C791&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":522,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=522","url_meta":{"origin":610,"position":2},"title":"Fashion Her-Story","author":"Staff","date":"February 27, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The Good, the Bad and the Outrageous By Ann Marie Stonecypher |\u00a0Photography by Peter Levins As a lifetime lover of fashion, nothing is more fun than looking back at its best and worst. We all have our favorite fashion moments. We also have those moments we\u2019re glad predate the digital\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fashion"","block_context":{"text":"Fashion","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=103"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Z_Fashion-Forward_0317_ONLINE.jpg?fit=1200%2C802&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Z_Fashion-Forward_0317_ONLINE.jpg?fit=1200%2C802&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Z_Fashion-Forward_0317_ONLINE.jpg?fit=1200%2C802&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Z_Fashion-Forward_0317_ONLINE.jpg?fit=1200%2C802&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Z_Fashion-Forward_0317_ONLINE.jpg?fit=1200%2C802&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":308,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=308","url_meta":{"origin":610,"position":3},"title":"Workout Wear","author":"Staff","date":"January 26, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Where to Wear and Where Not to Wear By Ann Marie Stonecypher | Photography by Dan Doyle\u00a0 The holidays are behind us. The resolutions are firmly in place. If you\u2019re one of the many who asked Santa for fancy workout wear to help tackle your No. 1 resolution, but are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fashion"","block_context":{"text":"Fashion","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=103"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Fashion-Fashion_0117_online.jpg?fit=1200%2C790&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Fashion-Fashion_0117_online.jpg?fit=1200%2C790&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Fashion-Fashion_0117_online.jpg?fit=1200%2C790&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Fashion-Fashion_0117_online.jpg?fit=1200%2C790&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Fashion-Fashion_0117_online.jpg?fit=1200%2C790&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":665,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=665","url_meta":{"origin":610,"position":4},"title":"Dressing Your Kids","author":"Staff","date":"April 28, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"When to Let Go of the Shoe Laces By Ann Marie Stonecypher |\u00a0Photography by Simply Heidi Photography As a mom, there is nothing more joyous than picking out clothes for your little one. It\u2019s wired into our mommy DNA. We adorn barely-there hair. We fold socks over chubby little calves.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fashion"","block_context":{"text":"Fashion","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=103"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/indikidsedit.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/indikidsedit.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/indikidsedit.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/indikidsedit.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/indikidsedit.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2441,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2441","url_meta":{"origin":610,"position":5},"title":"COVER STORY: Rob Bick, advocate","author":"Sarah Hall","date":"June 1, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"PHOTOS BY ALICE G. PATTERSON PHOTOGRAPHY \u00a0 If you ask Rob Bick, his late wife, Ann Marie, was practically a superhero. \u201cShe had an extraordinary intellect, an extraordinary curiosity, a razor sharp sense of humor and a monumental sense of what the common good should be and a desire to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Cover Story"","block_context":{"text":"Cover Story","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=100"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Husna-Lapidus-09.jpg?fit=801%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Husna-Lapidus-09.jpg?fit=801%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Husna-Lapidus-09.jpg?fit=801%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Husna-Lapidus-09.jpg?fit=801%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/610","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=610"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/610\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":653,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/610\/revisions\/653"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/636"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=610"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=610"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=610"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}