Unbranding myself

when you no longer fit into the old box (and death to the personal brand?)

In my twenties, I was really drawn to the concept of building a “personal brand” online. At the time it was still a relatively new idea and I found it exciting. There was a certain kind of creativity in shaping how you presented yourself to the world, even if it was just through the lens of the internet. I enjoyed the process of crafting an identity and I also liked having a clear separation between my online and offline selves. Online, I wore bright yellow outfits in photos, with black chunky glasses, picked fonts and colours I liked, and curated visuals that stood out. At home, I was still me, but less stylised and amplified.

I remember when Stylist, one of my favourite magazines, interviewed me for a piece called “Why yellow is the ultimate shade for self-promotion.” That was eight (long) years ago. Apparently I had become some sort of self-branding expert. It took me a while to realise that I was putting a lot of effort into building a consumable sellable version of myself. If I packaged myself up nice and neatly, hey, someone/something (another brand) might give me some money.

I am in my mid-30s now and I don’t wear yellow all the time anymore. I don’t work with brands (hardly ever).