I'm the kind of person who dreams about outfits. Meaning: I actually think up clothing combinations while I sleep.

This is how it works:

Something or someone inspires me and I'm reminded of a piece of clothing or a pair of shoes that I have and have been neglecting. Suddenly, as if shopping at one of my favorite stores, I fall in love with it all over and am determined to wear it in a new way. (For those of you who have heard me profess the magic of shopping your own closet, you are getting a sense of the evolution of that concept.) 

So, Dear Reader, you can imagine how excited I get when I am asked to create outfits for clients using the client's clothing, shoes & accessories. Few things make me happier. 

Yesterday, I created over 50 outfits for a client, a personal best for me. Usually, I hit about 30 photos, although each usually includes several different pairs of shoes that multiply the number of outfits.

The Client.

This particular client has several vintage pieces and likes to wear them with a modern twist. She's opening up her own specialty store in a nearby city in the coming months and it is important she looks the part and every outfit needed to allow her to lift boxes, climb ladders and help customers. Inspiring confidence while keeping things fun and relaxed, a cultural norm for the city, her key words were: Approachable, put-together, fun, classic & cheerful. She's petite so we also needed to balance out her proportions with color and patterns. 

This morning I was THRILLED to discover a text from her with a photo of her rocking one of the outfits from her personalized online gallery. Her message: "Zero thought required." I thought I'd share. It's the first photo with the outfit directly beneath.

The Process

I opt for quantity over photo quality so that clients get the most for their money. A woman (or a man) knows her/his clothes, so it is still easy for her/him to identify each piece before getting dressed that day.  I let her know my strategy before we began and she cheerfully responded, "I feel like I already have." After all, we'd already gone shopping together so a number of pieces were new and had already been wearing them frequently. 

I like to give clients a few weeks between shopping and creating their online gallery (AKA lookbook) of outfits so that they have the opportunity to build on what they've learned and experiment before I come back to offer more help. Clients tend to feel empowered and have questions about specific pieces they are struggling with. Plus, it's gratifying to see the transformation as someone transitions from struggling with his or her clothes each day to owning his/her personal style. It's joyful, for sure. 

I added a few other outfits from the newest online gallery. Ideally, they'll inspire you to resuscitate something from your closet and bring it back into the mix. Need a little help? That's where I come in.

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Thanks again and enjoy your weekend!