By Shana Lynn Yao

It's hard to deny that the pro fashion bloggers have the magic touch. They have mastered the art and science of the perfect photo, the perfect pose, and have the perfect Instagram feeds. But the truth is, everybody - and I mean everybody - starts as a beginner. So whether you're just starting out or are trying to grow your brand, these 3 secret hacks will leave you looking like a pro in minutes.

HACK #1 - MY LIFE IS PERFECT

“aes·thet·ic /esˈTHedik/adjective - concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty.”

It's called having an aesthetic. As noted above, the definition of aesthetic is literally a focus on beauty and an appreciation of beauty. You don't have to be a fashion blogger to realize that Instagram is a VISUAL APP. That means that all communication is done through pictures.

Having an aesthetic sounds difficult but in fact, it's actually not only simple, it actually needs to be simple.

The human eye is attracted to colors, shapes, movement, and symmetry. We naturally seek out patterns as our brains are constantly looking to make sense of the world around us. And while that sounds complicated, it's not. You can achieve your aesthetic on Instagram to grow your brand by having a distinct style. (if you don't know yours, you must read my article on how to define your personal style)

You can achieve your own aesthetic by your:
1. Color theme - what are your brand colors? (tip: go to Pinterest and search "color theme" and tons of coordinated themes will pop up - go to the ones your eye naturally gravitates to).

2. Style - what is your brand about? Are you a fashion blogger with a minimalistic style? Are you a health and wellness coach that is all about the colors of real food and how to make it look beautiful?

“An easy way to know what your personal style is for Instagram is to actually look at your life. ”

If you look at your home, your closet, and the things you do everyday, chances are there is a consistent stylistic theme. For example, my Instagram aesthetic is light, and glowing. I'm a business and best life strategist, so my clients and followers are people who appreciate beautiful things. And when I look at my home and my wardrobe, it's pretty much filled with lots of white, blushing pink, and girly girl things like pink and nude nail polishes, makeup, and clothes.

So my Instagram feed is filled with the same things. It's how I tripled my following in just 45 days - but being clear about who I was and then expressing it on Instagram.

3. Filters - Look - we all need a little help, I mean, NOBODY is born perfect, even if they look it on Instagram. :) If you notice, fashion blogger feeds all have a consistent color theme - and it's not just the photos they use, it's their filters. Most fashion bloggers killing it on Instagram are using very few if not just one filter to top off their perfect photos. And while Instagram has filters you can use, the truth is, there is A LOT of behind the scenes things that fashion bloggers do to their photos before they post them. Apps like VSCO, Afterlight, Darkroom, and even your own phone (I know - who edits photos in your phone - but the truth is, your phones actually have usable photo editing tools!)

To simplify things - for the purposes of this article, use 1-3 filters on all of your photos.

So what is your Instagram aesthetic? How can you show that on Instagram?

HACK #2 - FAKE IT UNITL YOU MAKE IT

No - i don't own a marble table either. But if you're a girlboss on a budget, there are ways fashion bloggers use to fake it until they make it. It's called faking it until you make it.

1. MARBLE TABLES
If you notice, most fashion bloggers who take product photos usually use a marble surface. First of all, there are marble tables everywhere. Keep an eye out for restaurants that have marble tables.

And when you need a flatlay surface fast, this little hack will blow your mind. It's called MARBLE CONTACT PAPER (<<<buy it on Amazon here).

I know - genius right? But as I said, I don't have a marble table so in the meantime, I bought a roll of contact paper and created a fake marble surface with a large piece of cardboard. What's genius about this is that you can take it anywhere. Just pack a roll in your suitcase if you're traveling, or toss it on the ground so you can take your photo in the best lighting in the world - sunlight.

2. GREAT WALLS AND BACKDROPS

As I always say, every moment is a photo opportunity - so always be looking for marble tables and also great walls, white or solid color backgrounds (that go with your aesthetic).

3. HACK #3 - LOVE YOUR LIFE OUT LOUD

I shouldn't have to mention this one, but the truth is, successful fashion bloggers literally get paid to show how great their life is. And the funny thing is (go figure), people really love seeing that.

It's so NOT funny how so many people try to be successful in our businesses that we sometimes lose focus on our actually lives. And while you may or may not be a fashion blogger, you're human. A beautiful human being who has a beautiful life. And while it may not see as wonderful as those of the famous fashion bloggers, the truth is, it's just that you haven't been looking for what is wonderful about it.

Our human brains have 60,000-80,000 thoughts a day, 80% negative and 95% subconscious. That means if you are only focused on how stressed you are, how you need to do everything, or even caring what other people think - then that's what your online profile probably reflects.

“In life, you don’t attract what you want. You attract what you ARE. And if you want to attract clients, followers, and brands, you need to shift your perspective from what you don’t have to who you need to become...NOW to get what you want.”

Who do you need to become, first in your head, and second in your life, in order for you to reflect that beautiful life online in your business?

That leaves you with a lot of reflection to do if you are trying to grow your brand, but as you can see, once you get that down, growing your brand and your business is actually FUN. Know that the more you can become the image you want to reflect, the better your business, your Instagram, and your actual LIFE will be.

So I want to hear, which hacks are you going to use? Tell me in the comments below and get ready to grow your brand!

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