And what can they do for you?
Ah, these are the two biggest questions I hear so I'm starting a blog/newsletter to help answer questions like these and more. Feel free to let me know if there. are other topics you'd like addressed!
The textbook answer is that a personal stylist helps you select and wear clothing that suits you. There's an awful lot more that goes into that, though! A personal stylist is more than just someone who tells you what to wear to create a style. It's someone who shows you what your style is and the WHY behind your style.
First, a quiz! Have you ever:
Opened your closet doors with dread?
Looked through a closet full of clothes but said, "I have nothing to wear!"?
Bought items that you never wore once you got it home?
Paired an item with the exact same thing every time?
Felt like you were stuck in a clothing rut?
Felt that your current wardrobe didn't reflect the real you?
Overpacked for a trip and still had the wrong outfits?
So many questions! I hope you're not flustered if you've identified with even one of them.
The underlying reason for any "yes" answers is that you probably haven't had the opportunity to focus on solving the issue of How To Dress. While we can take trainings in pretty much anything these days - including how to style yourself - it's hard to carve out time when you've got a million other things on your plate plus you feel it might be perceived as a little vain to focus on how you look.
You have to get dressed every day, and while some people just effortlessly throw on the perfect outfit, the rest of us have to stop, set time aside, and really put some thought and practice into it. And at the beginning of a day that's already pulling you in multiple directions, you likely don't have the time or energy to do that.
And even if getting dressed isn't a particular pain point, are you feeling like you're not dressing for the person you're becoming due to life changes?
As with most self care and personal development, often it's better and easier with a professional by your side. Online trainings are great, but having a person standing next to you explaining why something looks good (or not) gives you the instant feedback and information tailored to your specific needs. How is an online stylist going to explain fit without adjusting that top while you're wearing it? Or that there are multiple ways of wearing an item?
As a personal stylist - armed with a tool kit - I go through each piece to make it work best for you. And then give you permission to let it go if that's not possible. Clothing is designed for a mannequin, not human bodies with varied shapes, curves, lengths and proportions, and I'll teach you how to show off what you want to show, minimize what you don't, and express yourself through clothing.
Taking the time to focus on this isn't selfish. In fact, it's freeing you up to put energy toward the things you want to do. Additionally, you're not suddenly going to look like a completely different person a la What Not To Wear. You're actually going to look more like you. Why? Because we work with your own clothes, the ones that you obviously liked enough to spend money on and have kept in your overstuffed closet.
Of course, you will eventually add new items to your collection, but you'll buy them with an eye to what suits you, what you like, what highlights the essence of you. You'll save time and money when shopping - no more big hauls where you return 80% of what you bought! Or worse, don't wear and it ends up hanging in your closet, taking up physical and emotional space.
A personal stylist gives you clarity, answers, and understanding about how clothes reflect the real you. And that knowledge is something that actually saves you money, time, frustration, and a pile of discards on the floor.
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