12 Dec A Style Out Session with Mrs. Smith

Being a personal shopper is a role I don’t take lightly. Women look at me for guidance in their appearance but most importantly my job is to always ensure they look good and have the confidence to make their presence known anytime they enter a room. My goal is to have a full picture of who I am working with and how far we can push her style outside the box. I hear and see it all the time, a closet full of very similar colors and silhouettes. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t ever want to change one’s style because with that she will lose her confidence. But I do want to add a fun factor and dimension to what she already has. We are all not cut from the same cloth and that’s what makes humans special and unique. A color that works for one will not work for another, same goes for the shape of the body and what we “drape” over it.

I wanted to share a style out session with Ms. Smith. First lets learn more about her. Mrs. Smith and I started our journey in her closet. Where we did a full closet analysis of what she has, and curated looks. We also stored and donated garments that she hasn’t worn in years. Things that don’t fit her body and items that were in a less flattering fabric or silhouette had to go. Mrs. Smith is in her late 50s, she retired from a successful career but still does consulting for private clients, she goes to church on Sunday, she works out to stay in shape and has a lot of day and evening functions to attend. If I haven’t yet said it, I fell in love with Mrs. Smith, she has such a strong presence about her. She is intelligent, educated and has the most contagious laugh. You might wonder why this is important, one of the things I look at when curating a wardrobe is the persons character and what makes them smile.

Below you will find some of the looks or inspiration while shopping for Mrs. Smith. I broke it down to her preferred categories. Keep in mind we are also adding on to what she has.  Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or just to say hi. I want to hear from you.

Church

A personal favorite of mine are garments that are detailed, for example: this embroidered skirt, pair it with a Gucci shoe shown below and great accessories.  I cannot say it enough, how you accessorize is key on tying the look together.

Collar style necklaces are great to wear with basic white shirts to tie the entire outfit together. The above skirt and shoes would be great with this look.

Lunch Date

A personal favorite of mine for a day look is an easy dress. I chose this one for the fun print and mixed pattern.  Adding accessories from Mrs. Smith’s jewelry box will complete the look. In this case she will pair it with a gold hoop and a similar bracelet to the one shown above by Sidney Garber (we are still debating on that one since it is an investment piece).

ESCADA jeans fit amazing on most body types. Pair it with a leopard cardigan (a favorite print of mine) and a camisole.

Both looks would be great with a Manolo pump (mixing prints and colors, or we might do a solid color while working on thinking outside the box). She will wear both looks with a classic peek-a-boo Fendi bag which is already in her closet. Ladies and gents invest in your accessories, no matter what you have on, the accessories get noticed first. When investing, pick items that don’t lose value and will always be classic (resale value never goes down).

Evening / Cocktail Party

A color that I try to add to a client’s wardrobe is navy. Its such a rich color and can be matched with almost anything, making it a basic in my eyes and great for under pinning.

Sometimes when brands reinvent themselves they do it better the second time around. I love all the style Donatella Versace is bringing back. Pair a great blouse with a leather pair of pants (this one is high–rise for comfort). Wear a pump and great earrings to complete the look.

I believe in a well-made shoe, and Caovilla to me is an investment shoe that your will enjoy for years to come. This one has a chunky heel for comfort and beautiful crystal detail for a fun bling (feels like a modern Cinderella).  This shoe can work with both outfits. PS the sole of a shoe matters, if you’ve never picked up a Caovilla shoe make sure you do next time you’re shopping.

Active life

A great coat that can be worn in any of the above categories for the chilly Florida days. I chose this for the vest option. A personal favorite of mine are vests, they are versatile and comfortable. I prefer cool vests that complete a look.

One of my favorite active wear lines right now is the collaboration between Stella McCartney and Adidas.

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I will leave you with this and it’s something I do with 90% of my clients. Always “shop your closet” first and come up with a base line on what needs to be added in to complete or curate looks.  If you organize your closet by color, silhouette and style it will be easier to access outfits. Similar to the way stores tell a story when a client walks in to shop. You can shop with any budget as long as the item makes you feel good. I work with all price point and shop within client’s budgets. My go to is luxury and I mix it with affordable (I enjoy finding gems in stores like H&M). I recently worked with a client that needed to dress the part and mingle with high rollers but couldn’t pay the high-ticket price. We went shopping at the outlet, one of my go to stores is Century 21. The best looks are ones that can go from day to evening, making all pieces compatible with each other (make 6 outfits out of 3 garments). In addition I tend to select a few colors for base line, this way we have her primary colors chosen (those become the basics) and then we layer in the fun or prints.  Oh and I cannot forget about accessories, this is how a look gets completed.

Thank you for reading and have the most beautiful day.  I look forward to hearing from you, even if its just to say hello.