You may need a stylist if...
#1 You are easily frustrated by online shopping, or hate shopping altogether.
And when I say hate, I really mean despise. Also includes, being overwhelmed when you walk into a store and have no clue where to start. You don't know where to look online for clothes other than the same 3 places you've been shopping at for 10 years. You start filling your cart online only to abandon it after an hour of your time, unable to decide. Or you stress for weeks - or months - ahead of needing to get dressed for an event in your life.
#2 You're on auto-pilot when it comes to what you wear. You put zero thought into it, and it affects your mood.
Let's just say, getting dressed is an afterthought. It is known that the average adult makes an average of 35,000 decisions in a day, and what to wear it definitely not on the top of that list. Maybe because you only have three minutes to get dressed each day. (That's me, too!) Or maybe because you literally have 3 things that fit you right now. Or, your closet hasn't been attended to in over a year, and you can't physically see everything that's in there. The point is, you never walk out of your closet feeling like a million bucks, let alone feeling put together. You wear the same outfits over and over again, because you don't know what else to do - and this makes you bored with your wardrobe. Secretly, you wish it were different.
#3 You are stuck in a rut, and quite frankly, bored.
Do you have the same shirt in 10 colors? Or, 8 pairs of dark wash jeans, just in case? How about adding another striped T-shirt to cart, because you can never really have too many of this closet staple, right? Let me tell ya, Google isn't doing you any favors in this regard because whatever you are searching for or buying, they will just serve up more of the same! Which leads to a closet full of sameness and zero variety. B O R I N G.
Listen, it happens to the best of us, and it's easy to fall into the trap of buying the same styles and fits. The danger with falling into a rut is that it's hard to see anything outside of our narrow focus. And most women, I have found, completely pass over styles that would be amazing on them. But because they aren't sure if it will work, they just don't take the risk. Taking the risk, my friends, is where the magic really happens.
#4 You constantly feel like you have nothing to wear, even if you just went shopping.
Here's how this goes: You buy a new skirt that you absolutely fall in love with online or in store. When you get it home, you find you have exactly zero things to wear with said skirt. Now your excitement is completely squashed, and you're feeling purchase regret. (You knew you shouldn't have ripped the tags off the moment you walked out of the store!) Instead of feeling good about your purchase, you feel stressed because you have to figure out how to wear your new favorite skirt, and may have to outlay even more cash purchasing something to go with it.
Or, it goes like this: You get talked into buying a pair of jeans in-store by a savvy salesperson, who's convinced you these are the jeans of the season that everyone will be wearing and you'll be missing out if you don't buy them. Something feels off to you in the dressing room, but you ignore your gut because the salesperson is so convincing. (I mean, what do I know, right?!) Oh, and they are a $200 pair of jeans. When you get them home and look in the mirror, you are certain you don't love them, but you can't take them back because the salesperson convinced you to walk out the door wearing your fancy new jeans. You have major purchase regret. Now you're right back to square one, needing to go shopping again, but with $200 less dollars in your pocket this time. Honestly, you're so exhausted by this time, you wonder "What's the point?"
The point is, it's common for women to go out shopping and get inspired in the moment, but then once they get home they have a hard time putting it all together, so it sits untouched, possibly with tags still on. Or, they discover they didn't really love it as much as they thought. It's too much work to return it, so the closet continues to get full, but you still have that nagging feeling of nothing to wear. Sound familiar?
#5 You don't feel yourself (Where is my mojo?)
Back in the day, when you were young, single and 30 pounds lighter, shopping was an adventure! You enjoyed perusing through retail stores, picking out the things you loved and styling them at home in your free time. Every time you got dressed for work or a night out, you had some serious mojo. You were ON your game. Fast forward 10 years and life is hectic. You have kids, a demanding career, aging parents to tend to, and barely have time to eat breakfast or take a pee break, let alone get dressed in something that makes you feel like a freakin' rockstar. Yet, you deeply desire to feel like that rockstar you once were. Wouldn't that be nice? But, what are you gonna do? Some things you gotta let go of eventually, right?
#6 You have a perfectly curated "dream closet" Pinterest board, but have never once re-created an outfit from it.
You can visualize the woman you want to be... but damn, making it happen in real life is so hard! If only every time you pinned an outfit on Pinterest, it would show up magically in your closet! I guess the Pinterest board is just what it says it is... a dream. You like to imagine showing up as the woman of your dreams, but who has time (or money!) for that? That sounds downright exhausting.
#7 Your life has changed, but your closet hasn't changed with it.
Boy, has the last 2 years been a doozy for all of us! Nearly every woman I talk to has had some sort of major life change. Changes like:
Weight gain or loss
Retirement
Job change or promotion
Work environment change (work from home full- or part-time, or a hybrid model)
Work Dress code change
Newly pregnant
Just had a baby - in between pregnancy and regular clothes
Starting a new business
Moved geographic location
When big changes like this occur, it can leave you feeling like your closet isn't a match for your new life. As a result, when you go into your closet, you feel like you have exactly zero options. Which then leaves you feeling deflated, overwhelmed, frustrated and uninspired. Some days you walk out in a major funk and snap at everyone around you. Or, you decide, "I'll just turn off my Zoom camera, again." You desire to have a wardrobe that works for your life now, but it seems like a big uphill climb to get there. So, you figure you can just wait it out until you have more money, until you get that promotion, until you lose the weight, until your biz takes off, until the baby weight is gone. But deep down you know it's costing you your confidence and joy in the meantime.
#8 You stand in your closet way too long wondering what shoes go with your outfit.
Is it ok to wear these boots with these jeans? What color of shoes go with this outfit? Should I match my shoes and accessories? Is this blouse still in style? Am I supposed to ditch my skinny jeans? Am I too old to try this new trend? Ackkkkk!!! Now you're almost late for work so you just throw something on, and hope for the best. Inside, you feel self-conscious and don't walk around with a ton of confidence that day.
#9 You're convinced it's too hard to dress your body, so you've given up on being stylish.
Have you ever found yourself thinking, "If I were that size, then I could be stylish, but it's just not in the cards for me." Oh, I see you over there, believing that your body is impossible to dress! You may find yourself looking in the mirror and deciding that you simply can't be stylish because of <insert perceived body flaw.> Or, you have decided that retailers just don't make clothes for you. Maybe you have a closet full of things that physically cover you, but don't really light you up inside or make you feel good. After years of trying to find the right things for you, you've thrown up your hands in frustration and decided to settle. "I guess I'll just never wear short skirts, shorts or sleeveless tops again," you say. It's easier that way, but you wish it were different somehow.
#10 You secretly want to feel better in your clothes, but feel you have to put everyone else's needs before your own.
I'm a mom, so I completely understand the constant feeling of guilt when you treat yourself or take a moment for yourself. If you've ever felt selfish about treating yourself to a new outfit, or felt guilty about spending money on yourself, when it could be spent on loved ones like your kids or partner, or just felt guilty about having a desire to look good, consider yourself guilty as charged. "I could feel better every day if I had a better wardrobe," you think, "but this is the price I have to pay as a mom. My time will come in 20 years."
If you nodded your head to one or more (or all!) of these signs, you are in need of a stylist!
I'm here to tell you that you deserve to look and feel good today, and every day - and it should be a whole lot easier to accomplish this goal than what you're experiencing today. It's easy for our excuses to get in the way of what we want. Excuses like:
"I don't have the time." "Nothing fits and flatters my body, so what's the point?" "I didn't get the style gene, so I can't be stylish."
"It's too expensive to invest in a new wardrobe."
"It's not the right time."
"I'll wait until I lose those 20 lbs."
The reality is, these excuses - and any other excuse you're telling yourself - are keeping you stuck in your style, and honestly, holding you back from much greater potential in your life. Just imagine how much more confidently you'd show up if you felt great in your clothes? Imagine how differently you'd show up with your family, your friends, your co-workers, your business partners and potential business partners? Countless studies prove that what yo choose to put on your body each day has a significant impact on your behavior, your mood and your performance, so when I say that your wardrobe can elevate your life, it's not just my opinion, it's fact.
Elevate your Style, Elevate your Life
My personal styling business was built with one mission in mind: To help women everywhere do big things in their life with greater confidence. Big things like start a business, ask for a promotion, interview for their dream job, walk on stage with the utmost confidence, write a book, step into the vision they had for themselves as a CEO or leader. My clients have done these amazing things, and more, and done it confidently knowing their style was an authentic expression of who they are on the inside.
As a working mom, I understand that stepping into the woman in your vision can be hard to bring to life on your own. There is nothing more that I want for you than to make getting dressed easier, and quite frankly, more fun.
I want you to look in the mirror and see your beauty, instead of your flaws.
I want you to be able to get dressed in three minutes or less, and actually feel like a million bucks.
I want you to feel that high of wearing something that fits and flatters your body in all the right places, and the ripple effect on the rest of your day. (You really are nicer when you love your outfit!)
I want you to get the wardrobe you want - without all the hassle of shopping on your own.
I want you to have a wardrobe that suits your life, and that works hard for you, instead of sitting untouched.
Think this sounds like a pipe dream? It's not.
Are you ready to work with a stylist?
Reach out to talk about how I can change your life for the better. I am currently booking clients for my 1:1 Style Transformation service, and I'd love for you to have one of those spots! My Style Transformation service includes helping you define your personal style, getting your professional colors done, guiding you on what to keep and toss in your wardrobe, creating a personalized wardrobe checklist to fill in holes in your closet, curated online shopping and creating hundreds of style boards with head to toe outfits so you never have to worry about what to wear again. And all accessible on your own personal style site, available 24/7 as an app on your phone! Learn more about this service, and if this is right for you by booking a free 30-minute style consult with me.
About Me
Hi, I'm so glad you're here! I'm a Personal Virtual Stylist and owner of Style Decoded. I'm a Midwest born fashion lover on a mission to help women show up with more authenticity and alignment at work and in their businesses through their style, and feel 100% confident in their own skin every day. Styling is my passion but it hasn't always been my job. I spent 20 years of my career in client service, advertising, developing brands, blogging, podcasting, and creating marketing and social social strategies for my clients, ranging from Fortune 500 giants to individuals building their personal brand online. To say I know a thing or two about marketing and client service is an understatement! Now, I love teaching women how to define and own their unique personal brand through style.
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