Shopping with a stylist: what it is and why you need it. Part 1

Transforming your appearance is the path to inner harmony

Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels

People who want to "either make a quantum leap in their careers, or have already made it, and now have time to take care of themselves" seek assistance. A classic request is to change one's style in order to achieve more at work. Those who have progressed to middle and upper management must maintain a professional appearance; wearing hoodies and sneakers to meetings is still considered impolite.

Another reason to seek assistance may seem trite: your closet is overflowing, but you have nothing to wear. You have no idea how to bring the contents of the shelves even in relative order as long as the ideas of conscious consumption resound from every corner. You have seemed to have followed all of the recommendations for putting together a basic wardrobe, purchasing unlimited white T-shirts and blue jeans, but when the time comes, you don't have an appropriate jacket or low-key sweater on hand.

You may not wear classic shoes at all, but you are continue buying a pair of loafers at least once a season. This, it appears to me, is the essence of the stylist's job: to present something new that will suit and please a client.

Finally, you and celebrities have something in common when it comes to the need to plan for an important event. Some stylists, such as Micaela Erlanger, have dressed celebrities such as Jared Leto and Sigourney Weaver. A classic tuxedo will suffice if you are attending your first gala reception, but if the phrase "black tie" appears more frequently in your life, you will need assistance. The stylist will not provide you with a Tom Ford advertising contract, but he will absolve you of responsibility: you will not doubt that you chose the wrong shirt, and you will not make a mess by wearing derby shoes instead of oxfords.