One Client's Story From A-Z

First off, thanks for reading the blog, Dear Reader. As a reader, you know that I style women, primarily in the Seattle area. What you may or may not know, is exactly how it all works. I'm not the sort of stylist who selects pieces for someone and heads out the door. I don't swing by for an hour, size someone up and make recommendations. 

Instead, my goal is to empower each client to understand her individual personal style as well as what pieces are ideal for her body type and her budget. Most importantly, I want her to enjoy getting dressed and feel confident in her look everyday. I want clothes to be a form of self expression that gives her the momentum to take over the world. All of this takes an investment from me and the client. And that investment pays off. 

I thought you might like to see how it all works by focusing on one client. So, here we go!

 

Tammi: Classic, Current, Daring & Functional

1. Identifying who you are.

The first step is always getting to know each client. We spend an hour together during the complimentary consultation and I'm working to get inside her head. I want to know what she REALLY wants to look like. Then, I take into account her body type and budget as I create a strategy for her personal professional style. 

Tammi is a professional working mom of two with a very active life. when we met, she dressed appropriately for work, but felt that her clothes were a bit conventional. She also wasn't sure what pieces were flattering for her frame. Equally important, she struggled with what to wear to on the weekends, especially at Seahawks games where she felt maintaining her sense of style was nearly impossible.

2. Giving you the tools to make decisions for yourself.

I create a password protected personal profile for each client. It includes an exhaustive list of what works and doesn't work so well for your body type. I include colors that flatter your skin and a list of recommended retailers. This page is easy to navigate on your phone, so whether you are shopping online or in a store, you immediately know what pieces to avoid and which to explore further. Everything we do together in the future links back to this page.

Tammi was all about the filtering. As a busy mom with a hectic schedule, she loved popping into Nordstrom to grab something new. However, she often left with pieces that didn't integrate into her wardrobe. She immediately started using the profile to pick out pieces that were on point.

3. The Closet Edit.

Our first full session together is the Closet Edit.  Using your personal profile as a guide, we spend three hours together determining what works and what doesn't for you right now. One of my favorite tips during the edit: Imagine a very specific person who is integral to your career progression. Now, picture yourself running into him/her on the weekend at the store. Are you confident in how you are presenting yourself? You don't need to "dress up," but it is vital that you feel like yourself.

Tammi ran with the tools from the personal profile and filtered out pieces that weren't doing her justice. We also identified key pieces that would make her look edgier without sacrificing so many great options already in her closet. Because Tammi has a rectangle body shape, our goal was to create the illusion of curves by making multiple focal points and styling pieces appropriately for her figure.

4. It's Time to Shop.

Each client has the option to either go shopping with me or request an Uber Wishlist. When I shop with clients, I pre-shop, pulling pieces that I think she'll enjoy and will push her boundaries a bit. Clients who choose shopping together prefer the one on one retail experience. Clients who opt for the Uber Wishlist, usually prefer shopping on their own schedule in the comfort of home. And, the flexibility of multiple retailers including out of town shops and online only options.

Tammi went for the Uber Wishlist. You can see it here. 

5. Styling Time.

Regardless of the method of accumulating new clothes, every client receives support with what to purchase and how to style it. Fit, of course, is essential. Therefore, if she opts to shop together, I also provide a wishlist of 8-10 items that supplement our shopping trip but can only be found at online or other retailers. If she goes with the Uber Wishlist, I come over for an hour to answer questions about fit, discuss tailoring options, give feedback on any pieces she purchased on her own and give some suggestions for putting together outfits.

Tammi's styling session was filled with anecdotes about how her co-workers, friends and family were responding to her style elevation. She purchased several of the pieces from her Uber Wishlist in addition to some she found on her own. It was a stellar opportunity to chat about the potential of each piece and what it communicated to the world about her and her style.

6. Outfits! 

This session is when it really all comes together. I head over to your place for another three hour session. Although, this time, it's just me in your room with your pieces. You are welcome to work or relax in the other room. I create outfits from your new AND existing pieces and take photos of them. After they are uploaded to your password protected webpage, you can simply swipe each morning on your phone to decide what to wear. No more morning chaos about what to wear or how to come up with a new outfit. Simply look for a piece that appeals to you (or is clean) and build from there. 

Tammi's new collection communicated her style and was now functional for her life. In addition to her outfit photos, I also wrote a blog post with her in mind about creating outfits for game day. Now, each morning she can simply scan her photos to choose her look. Check them out.

7. It All Comes Together.

Yes, this is a monster blog post. Thanks very much for sticking with me. I have so many people asking about the process, I thought you, Dear Reader should really see it all. At a recent client event, I heard a number of women discussing the impact of this process on their lives. Hearing each one share how upping her style game gave her more confidence in all aspects of her life and relieved much of the anxiety around clothes made me feel incredible. I'm grateful for the opportunity.

As for Tammi, she was such a joy that we took some photos of her for the Client Stories Page. You'll see a brief description of her experience there soon. I certainly don't want you to wait. So, I've included a couple of photos in this post. And, you can see what Tammi has to say by reading her review on Yelp. I'd love to hear what you think and any questions that you have. Looking for more details on each package?  Check out the services page for more information. Enjoy!