Melanie Lippman is a New York-based image consultant and personal stylist. She works with attorneys to stop the stress and overwhelm of getting dressed that holds women back from achieving next-level visibility. She defines their personal brand style in a way that makes clients instantly recognizable, memorable and seen as a leader.⁣ Melanie feels that when you are confident about how you present yourself, you can show up and conquer anything the day brings.

I found Melanie on LinkedIn and thought her posts were terrific. I highly recommend that you connect with her there. Also check out her web site. Learn more about Melanie and her career path.

Why did you choose your profession?

I was raised in the fashion industry… I grew up in my family’s accessory store, went to the Fashion Institute of Technology and worked for designers for 10 years. I was the girl that played with barbies, knew every trend and wore Pantone’s color of the year. I loved fashion, but when I needed it to support me to grow my career, I became completely paralyzed. I was overwhelmed… constantly buying new clothes to try to feel like I belonged in a man-dominated industry while battling my own body insecurity issues. It wasn’t until I came up with my own style strategy that I was able to use my clothes to feel powerful and let everything else go.

I don’t want anyone to feel overwhelmed by their clothes and feel like they need to lose 15 pounds before they can enjoy getting dressed!

What do you love most about what you do?

Confidence and community! I absolutely love the shift that female attorneys have when they can use their clothes to confidently show up. They are so concerned with not making a mistake that they keep dressing in the same way that doesn’t feel authentically to them.

I am also so excited about the community of female attorneys that I have created through my 4-week course STAND OUT STYLE.  The group is made up of female attorneys across North America. They are first brought together because they are building their own powerful wardrobes, but they leave as life long friends.

Do you have a mentor?
Absolutely, I have a mentor and a coach! We can’t be good at everything.  We all have big dreams and want to make a greater impact. Having someone that is already where you want to be can speed up the process and can save you the mistakes they made. The majority of my clients come to me because they are okay at getting dressed, but they know it can be done better. They’ve tried on their own… maybe with a subscription box, a closet edit or a personal shopper.  When we want solutions, not band-aids is we find a mentor or a coach.

Any advice to young women who want to succeed in the workplace?

Your image and how you present yourself is how you can position yourself as a leader early on. Investing in the time and money early on in your career on how you want to show up will save you from continuously trying to reinvent yourself every few years. I’ve spoken with so many women that didn’t know how to use their style strategically. They became a victim to trends and let limiting beliefs get in the way.  Having a strong sense of your own style is powerful.

What do you wish you could tell your younger self?

Surround yourself with like-minded people, ask questions, ask for advice, get a mentor!  When I was younger, I thought I knew everything and didn’t ask questions. Now… all I ask are questions and I get the answers I need.