A Closet Full of Clothes and Nothing to Wear

When the dinner party question ‘who would you hire: a maid, a personal chef, a chauffeur?’ comes up, my answer is always none of the above.  Sure, a maid would be nice, and so would a personal chef since I have repeatedly proven myself to be neither Julie nor Julia in the kitchen.  Nonetheless, my stock answer is always: someone to come to my house and blow out my hair a few times a week and a personal stylist.

While my fate leaves me to wield my own hair dryer and flat iron, as luck would have it, a friend of mine started an image consulting business earlier this year.  Having worked in politics for most of her adult life, she knew that busy career professionals needed her help and I was no exception.  I am one of those that had a closet full of clothes, but never anything to wear.  My wardrobe consisted of pieces accrued from my days just out of high school and on.  In my early twenties I had a bout with some health issues and as a result my weight fluctuated quite a bit, leaving a range of clothes in varying sizes.  While I still managed to look pulled together, I always felt frumpy because things never fit quite right.

Enter Faith.

Faith told me that she would go through my wardrobe and create 100 different outfits utilizing the different accessories and pieces I already owned.  From there we would add a few classics I needed or seasonal pieces to spruce things up.  I was skeptical, because while I had a closet full of clothes, the truth is that I am not a clotheshorse by any stretch of the imagination.  We went through my entire closet, with Faith passing split-second verdicts on pieces I had unknowingly become attached to.  I watched as the pile that was being donated to the women’s shelter grew larger.  At the end, I had a small pile to keep (including shoes).

“I told you I didn’t have that many clothes to begin with,” I remarked to Faith.

“I know, but I didn’t believe you because every woman says that!” Faith replied.

With that we set out to the mall to restock my wardrobe.  I was lovingly informed that bright colors didn’t go well with my skin and that I should opt for muted tones.  I also learned that I was much smaller than I thought and had been purchasing clothes that were too large (in some cases six to eight times as large).  While this news brought with it a sense of delight, it was also surprisingly difficult to wrap my mind around, as though my brain and emotions weren’t ready to stop believing the lie that I was still the larger size.  It’s funny the personal demons we face that come up in unexpected places and seemingly out of nowhere.

While I don’t have Faith on retainer, hiring her for a one-time consulting gig was one of the best things I’ve done this year as she taught me what to look for in clothing so that it fits and flatters appropriately.  I also really liked that she didn’t try to push her more bohemian-chic personal preferences on me - she truly looked for what fit my own personality as well.  She now lives in Washington DC, so if you’re in that area and want some wardrobe help, definitely give her a call.  One of the downsides, but one that I was prepared for, is that purchasing the clothes can add up quickly, especially if you need an entire overhaul like I did.  Most people don’t and can get away with the already-in-their-closet 100 outfits goal, but I proved to be the exception to the rule.

Have you ever hired a personal stylist? Would you?