Strangely until I trained as a Personal Stylist, I really didn’t understand the impact stylists can have on their clients’ lives.I thought it was all about high fashion, expensive labels and “the beautiful people”.When I reflect on that, I have no idea what drew me to the role!Whilst I love designer labels like Gucci and Valentino, the reality is that most of us don’t have the lifestyle (nor the money) to warrant investing in them here in the land of the long white cloud.
I still love fashion — watching what’s trending, what’s “out”, and different interpretations on current trends — but it’s not the be all and end all of the stylist’s role.One of the things I particularly love about the current fashion is that pretty much anything goes.You will read that boho is strong in one publication, then it’s all about bold colour in another, and of course coming into spring/summer we have the soft pastels, or the natural palettes of taupes and whites.This can be confusing for some, but a stylist can help you understand your style preferences, what colours make you feel great, and the best fit for you and your lifestyle.
In my experience, most women seek the guidance of a stylist because they have lost confidence in their appearance, aren’t sure how they should be dressing for their age, or have changed shape (ageing does that without even changing weight!).Did you know that women add up to 35% of their size when looking in the mirror? That’s why it’s so important to sing the praises of our sisters and not judge — we are hard enough on ourselves!Sometimes I see young women wearing short shorts, and their thighs are rather full and dimply — my first reaction is surprise (I was raised when Twiggy was “it”), but then I give myself an internal slap and congratulate them on their healthy body image. I was shopping with a client once and a sales assistant came over and said to her “we have bigger sizes over there”.My client had lost 45kgs and was crushed — and definitely not in need of “bigger sizes”.We left straight away, but not before her confidence was hammered.We do not know someone else’s journey, so don’t judge.
Anyway, back to the cost of a stylist!When I’m doing wardrobe refreshes it is rare for us not to discard a piece with the price tag still on it, or items that have barely been worn.My clients will often comment they don’t know why they bought it.Generally, it’s because they have bought it in a sale when the emotion fairy leapt up and down on their shoulder screaming how much they were saving.Sadly, the practical fairy gets drowned out when saying “but it’s not even your style, and you have nothing to wear it with”.Often we shop with emotion — retail therapy — but the best way to shop, is with “intent”.Know what you need before going shopping; understand your personal brand, how you want to wear it (layering, casual, formal?), and whether it’s an investment piece or something for a season or two.Stylists know where to find these items, and are often able to source great buys that most women don’t have the time or energy to find.We help you get the best fit for your shape and lifestyle, pieces that mix and match with your existing wardrobe, and meet your budget.This saves a huge amount of money and time — clothes that you will wear well, feel great in, and extend your wardrobe with added flexibility, with no need to get overwhelmed looking for a needle in a haystack with no idea where to start.
Really, can you afford not to have a stylist?
