6–7 Ways To Elevate Your Personal Brand for 2026

A fun, modern, slightly rebellious guide to stepping into 2026 with clarity and confidence.

Edited to add: I might be a tad late on the whole trend of the “6 7” thing, but this felt fun to wrap up in a unique branding opportunity for my readers. I hope you enjoy it, and find it useful at the same time.

Your brand is more than your website or your headshot or whatever trends are swirling around TikTok or late-night talk shows this week. Your brand is how you show up in the world, this isn’t anything you haven’t heard before.

HOWEVER, your brand is the energy you carry into rooms, the details you choose because they feel like you, and the stories you tell without saying a word. That is what we’re diving into today.

If you’re ready to elevate your brand going into 2026, here are 6–7 simple, clever, totally underrated ways to do it.

1. Upgrade Your Specs

New glasses shift the whole mood! They can make you look sharper, softer, bolder, artsier, more playful, or more corporate-like. I was due for a stronger prescription fill for my every day glasses + sunglasses, so I wanted new frames that match my season of color and I must say, I love them! (Best of all, they are all functional for my lovely Rx progressive lenses to help me see near and far!) Whether you need the prescription like I did, or just want fashion frames that bring your personality forward, because you can identify with that small but impactful change, your specs can quietly elevate how people experience you. Fresh frames, fresh energy.

2. Wear Your Brand Out Loud

Logo’d apparel is no longer just for school teams or large corporate events. Challenge yourself to go beyond the classic polo or quarter zip with the logo on the lapel when it comes to wearing your brand. What if you considered a custom winter jacket paired with a clean embroidered tone-on-tone thread color stocking hat, a minimal logo on a sleek everyday layer that harmonizes in your branding/color tones, or even a timeless tote that travels everywhere you go.

I have the quarterzips with my logo and my Instagram handle and website. But I want to elevate my brand with more intentional branded pieces with my logo showing. I’m in the middle of exploring these options right now for my own brand AND in my color harmony and it feels both elevated and fun. (especially the winter jacket. It’s freezing here in Minnesota!) This is the perfect way to show consistency and confidence in what you’ve built for your brand. And - it doesn’t have to be kitschy, it can still speak to you and to those you want to do business with.

3. Curate a Personal Spotify Playlist

Create a public playlist that matches your brand energy. Think café vibes for creatives. Fierce anthems for when you really want to be heard. Smooth focus beats for consultants. Share it with clients. Link it in your bio. People remember how you make them feel and music is a shortcut to connection.
Underrated Tip: Sometimes, if you’re hard at work sitting in your office or workspace, that same Spotify playlist might amp up your productivity because of that one song that pumps you up, or reminds you of why you do what you do. Give it a try!

4. Adopt a Signature Styling Element

Your brand becomes stronger when there is one unmistakable detail people start to associate with you. This goes beyond clothes. It becomes part of your presence, your storytelling, and the way people remember you. Here are a few elevated ideas to play with. It’s a clever way to market yourself.

• A meaningful object you always carry

  A vintage notebook, a bold travel mug, a sleek metal pen. It becomes part of your look in photos, at events, within your reels and TikTok videos, and people start to recognize you by it.

• A name-inspired theme

  Let your first (or last) name guide a subtle motif. Maybe Rose wears a tiny rose pin wherever she goes. Brooks leans into wave-like patterns. Stone rocks textured gray accessories at his consultations. It becomes playful and personal without feeling kitschy. I’ve always said my name is Monday minus the “y” or Ronda with an “M.” But to add an element of consistent uniqueness with my name would also be fun to do!

• A signature silhouette

  Structured blazers, flowing kimonos, sharp minimal lines. Plaid and polka-dots if it speaks to you. A streak of vibrant color in your hair. A certain pop of color in the layers you wear. Choose a shape that mirrors the energy you bring into your work.

• A repeating symbol

  A triangle symbol for someone who works at meaningful intersections. A key symbol for a realtor who opens new doors. A spark symbol for a coach who activates transformation. Think of it as your personal iconography, a visual cue that follows your story everywhere you go.

• A signature texture

  Metallic for boldness. Velvet for softness with depth. Linen for ease and grounded calm. Think of those kerchiefs in a suit coat. That can add a subtle element of surprise no matter what kind of jacket you are wearing. Texture communicates personality more than most people realize.

Adopting even one of these styling elements makes your brand feel intentional instead of accidental. It becomes a quiet language your audience learns to read. It’s another connector for you.

When I was graduating college, personal identity (later years to be known as personal branding) was my favorite thing to focus on with creative marketing. I had to figure out a way to stand out among all of the other graphic designers in the area, not to mention the amazing designers I was graduating with! So I created a prototype for a custom scotch tape reel as a leave-behind, added my own brand packaging of my contact info with the phrase “Ideas That Stick.” It was kind of lame, but I had to think outside the box to find a way where I would stick out (get it!) in those big Minneapolis agencies. If I dig out my old college portfolio, I’ll bet I still have that prototype. I’ll update this post if I ever find that!

5. Start Your Day With a Personal Ritual

This is more for YOU when it comes to your brand, but the rewards will extend well beyond. Give yourself a moment that sets your energy in the right direction every day. Pull a gratitude card. Write a single line in a journal like “Today I will…” or “Today I am…” Let it be simple. Let it be honest. I know every day you’re shufflin’ - but your soul needs this.

Those tiny morning intentions stack up and shape how you move through your day. You’ll be surprised how many small, powerful shifts start showing up when you begin with one clear thought that supports who you’re becoming.

6. Refresh Your “Real World Resume”

I’m not talking about your LinkedIn profile credentials or your “about me” statement. I’m talking about the stories you tell when you meet new people. What’s the two-sentence version of what you do that lights you up instead of shutting you down? Update your go-to intro so it reflects who you are today, not who you were three years ago.

6-7. Audit Your Environment

Your office, studio, car, even the background of your Zoom calls, can scream truth about your brand long before you do. Make small tweaks. Swap out a piece of art, add a plant, place your favorite book where it can be seen. If not for those you are conversing with…for YOU. Those small changes can make a big difference in how you show up. Create environments that support the version of you you’re stepping into.

A Quick Side Note While You’re Leveling Up

Before you run off and start ordering new glasses and curating playlists, take a moment to look at how you show up visibly as your brand already. Your imagery and video matter. They set expectations before anyone meets you. They also influence who leans in and who feels instantly connected...or not.

I’m updating my own personal branding this winter because my visuals needed to catch up with my vision (quite literally - see #1 about new specs!). If your branding imagery no longer aligns with who you are today, a session with intentional personal branding images can become one of the most powerful upgrades you make going into 2026. I’m here for it when you’re ready.

If you use even one of these ideas listed above, your brand starts shifting. Therefore so does your mindset. And then your brand feels more relevant, because you’re feeling that intention.

Use all 6–7 of my suggested tweaks, and watch people start to notice in the best way.

I can’t wait to see what your next level in branding tweaks brings you.

Fondly,
Monda the Photographer