What Andy Taught Me About Branding (And It Wasn’t About the Clothes)
I have been eagerly awaiting the release of “The Devil Wears Prada 2” and this weekend, I finally got the chance to see it. Before there was the movie, there was the book. Aspiring journalist Andy enters the world of high fashion publishing as a stepping stone to further her career. She’s convinced that caring too much about her appearance is shallow and perhaps a bit beneath her moral standards. By the end of the movie, she evolves to realize it doesn’t have to be an either/or decision.
I read the book “The Devil Wears Prada” back in 2003, and really resonated with Andy, the personal assistant to a demanding boss, a high-powered magazine editor in the fashion industry. In the late nineties, I was the personal assistant to a demanding boss in the dot-com world of entertainment, so I could really relate. My boss’s catchphrase was “Make it Happen!!” as in … I don’t care how. Just do it.
(Don’t worry, no spoiler alerts from the current 2026 film here.)
In anticipation of watching the 20-year-in-the-making sequel, I watched the original 2006 film again over the weekend for the umpteenth time, and one particularly iconic moment got me thinking.
The Cerulean Sweater Moment
The scene: Andy is taking notes during a fashion meeting and snickers at the decision over which of two similar belts to choose — to which Miranda, her boss, offers an education in design decisions:
Miranda Priestly: This… “stuff”? Oh, okay. I see. You think this has nothing to do with you. You… go to your closet, and you select… I don’t know, that lumpy blue sweater, for instance, because you’re trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back, but what you don’t know is that that sweater is not just blue, it’s not turquoise, it’s not lapis, it’s actually cerulean.
You’re also blithely unaware of the fact that, in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns, and then I think it was Yves Saint Laurent, wasn’t it?… who showed cerulean military jackets. I think we need a jacket here.
And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of eight different designers. Then it filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic casual corner where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin.
Miranda’s point isn’t that Andy is a fashion victim of simplistic style. Her point is that visual choices are never made in a vacuum. Someone made a decision that communicated something. It moved through the world of fashion through different levels and landed on Andy, whether she chose it or not.
And that’s what got me thinking. Your brand is already saying something. The question is whether it’s saying what you actually mean.
Andy’s Big Mistake (And Often Ours)
Andy’s big mistake was thinking that caring about appearances is selling out. Small biz owners do this too: “I don’t need a fancy website, my work speaks for itself.” The truth is that the way you show up visually either supports your message or undermines it. Let that sink in.
It’s not vanity. It’s communication.
If you’re looking for new customers and clients, that online impression is the first one someone has of your brand. It sets the tone before they ever experience what you offer. Ask yourself: Does my current online presence really represent the quality of my brand?
The Real World Lesson from Andy’s Arc
By the end of the film, Andy doesn’t abandon who she is. She evolves and adapts as she learns that caring about her appearance communicates who she is in the world and where she wants to go.
She figures out she can be genuine, report real stories with substance, AND look intentional doing it. One doesn’t cancel the other.
Same with your brand: your website and socials can look polished and professional AND still sound exactly like you, reflect your values, and attract exactly the right clients.
It reminds me of one of my favorite phrases: “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.”
And that phrase can be adapted to branding your small business. By carefully and thoughtfully curating your brand to convey your style and direction, you can achieve this, no matter how small you are to start with. Think about where you want to go, not where you are starting from. Because that first impression someone gets of your brand online is visual. It sets the tone before they ever try your product or service. So make it a great one.
Three Ways to Update Your Brand Today
1. Define Your Visual Identity Intentionally
- Pick your colors, fonts, and overall feel ON PURPOSE, not by accident (like Andy’s clearance bin sweater)
- Ask yourself: what do I want someone to FEEL in the first 3 seconds on my website or scrolling my grid?
Pro Tip: You don’t have to hire a designer to start; even a simple, consistent color palette makes a difference. Check out Adobe Color — a free tool where you can explore trending color palettes by industry and create your own.
2. Audit Your Platforms for Consistency
- Go look at your website, your Instagram profile, your Facebook cover photo, and your email header as if you’re a stranger
- Do they feel cohesive, like they belong to the same brand?
- Warning: Inconsistency creates confusion, and confused people don’t buy
Pro Tip: Pick 2-3 platforms and make the brand appearance tight before worrying about the rest.
Not sure which two to choose? Download my FREE Social Media Channel Cheat Sheet
3. Let Your Brand Evolve (Without Losing the Thread🧵)
- Consistency doesn’t mean everything looks identical forever
- Andy’s style evolved. She didn’t dress the same in DWP 2 as she did on day one at Runway, but you still knew it was her
- Your brand can grow with you! Try out some new photography, refreshed colors, and updated messaging … as long as the core look and feel stays recognizably you.
Pro Tip: Document your brand basics somewhere (even a simple one-page style guide) so that your brand evolution is intentional, not accidental. Choose 6 colors that work harmoniously together. Start with two main colors and an accent color, then add some contrasting colors and neutrals that complement them.
Make note of the hex codes (6-digit combos of numbers and letters that identify the exact shade and hue) so you can add them to your Brand Kit in Constant Contact and Canva.
In the end, Andy found both her voice and her style. And neither one compromised the other. Your brand can too, with a little thought and work. It’s never too late to evolve and put your best fashion forward!
[When watching the 2026 film, be sure to catch the nod to the Cerulean Sweater at the very end!]
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