Are you looking for the secret to great style?
OK, here it is...organization.
Yup, it's not as glamorous as you might have expected, but it costs a lot less and is easier than you might think. The people, celebrities and coworkers who always seem to look pulled together and on point? They planned it. They worked out what they were going to wear for any given occasion, formal or not, and that's why they always seem to have that special something you want.
No matter how many closets I edit, or how many well-fitting pieces I bring a client, if we don't tie it all together at the end with a lookbook, they're still left trying to figure out what to wear. Nine times out of ten they'll default back to their old uniform — even though their closet is now organized, functional and stocked with the right pieces. Great style takes that one most important step of being prepared. That's when the magic happens. You plan what to wear for the big things, right? Why not have that same plan for the day to day?
A nutritionist will tell you the key to eating well is planning, so you're not grabbing a chocolate bar in a ravenous state. A personal trainer will tell you that getting in shape means planning the right balance of cardio, weights and strength work. And I'm telling you that great style means planning what you wear for what your life actually requires. Do that, and you'll look better, feel better, and be more confident — all the things that add up to great style. It might sound like a lot of work, but it doesn't have to be.
People often fall into the trap of buying something new for every event they want to feel prepared for. That strategy isn't wrong exactly, but the impulse is usually just about having something for it. Once you buy it, you know you're ready, and that puts you at ease. Now imagine that same sense of calm every day of your life. What would that feel like? Think of a morning you stood in your closet with a pile of clothes on the floor, ran out of time, and left in whatever was already on your body. What kind of day did you have? Enough said.
Anyone can cut the tags off and throw on a new dress. The people with real style are the ones who stop and think about the whole look: What can I add, take away or replace to make this mine? How else could I wear this to get more mileage out of it? What's in my closet that hasn't been in rotation lately? How could I recreate that look from pieces I already own?
I work with clients on exactly this — creating looks from their own wardrobes based on their actual calendar, whether that's packed with work and social events or just needing simple day to day. Having those looks prepared and photographed in advance means they wake up, open their lookbook, pick an outfit and go.
Having a personal stylist is like having a nutritionist or a trainer. Sure, you could do it yourself. But someone with a little skill and a lot of fresh ideas makes it more efficient, more fun, and — like the other two — gets you results in less time.
So what are you waiting for?