If you watched any of the CMA Awards red carpet coverage last night (or any awards show red carpet coverage for that matter), you may have thought to yourself, "Oh, how nice it must be to have someone style you and dress you and make you look so flawless and fabulous." (I'm guessing it's mostly the female audience that is having these thoughts, but yeah, some guys hate shopping and would also love to have someone - other than their mother - pick out their clothes for them so they don't have to do it themselves.) Well, here's a little secret...this luxury doesn't have to be just for the rich and famous or the industry insiders. That is just one of several myths about hiring a stylist or image consultant that I want to dispel in today's blog, so let's jump right in!
Myth: It's only for the rich and famous.
Reality: While the majority of my clients are from the music industry, almost 40% of my clients work outside the music industry and come from all walks of life.
Examples: I have worked with professionals going through career changes or looking for a new job. For instance, I had one client who had been working in a position in healthcare that required her to wear scrubs every day and she was being promoted to an administrative role in healthcare which required a change to a more professional wardrobe. I also once worked with a woman in need of a mother-of-the-groom dress for her son's wedding and of course our goal was for it to be more stunning than her ex-husband's new wife's dress (which it was)! I've even had a client hire me just to go with him to the optometrist to help him choose just the right glass/frames for his face. And it's not uncommon for a loving husband to purchase a paNASH Style gift certificate for a personal shopping day for his wife.
Myth: I can't afford it.
Reality: I know a lot of people are struggling financially these days, but hiring a stylist/image consultant to dress you does not always cost as much as you think, and the amount invested in the process can actually save you a LOT of money in the long-run. It could even lead to a new job or a promotion and more income!
Examples: I had a client who lives in another state hire me to help her via Skype to come up with an outfit for an upcoming job interview. She was tired of dressing in the cookie-cutter black job interview suit that all the other candidates were wearing and wanted something that stood out and showed some sense of style, all the while maintaining a level of professionalism. She showed me the separates she had via Skype and I made suggestions on what to mix and match. And guess what? She got the job! If all it takes to help you step up your game at work so you don't get passed over for a promotion is to start dressing the part for the job you want, not the job you have, then it might be wise to have a stylist come in and create a new look out of your current wardrobe by mixing and matching items you already have on hand. This will be a lot less expensive than going and buying new clothes. hen we see something on a daily basis, we tend to become blind to its potential. Sometimes it just takes a fresh eye to see your wardrobe in a whole new light.
Myth: It's only for women.
Reality: Nearly half of all my clients are males. Some hire me to teach them how to dress more professionally; others hire me because they don't currently have a wife or girlfriend to teach them how to dress.
Examples: This past year I worked with a guy who had just gone through a 100 pound weight loss! He looked and felt great, but still needed that extra boost of confidence in how he dressed his new body. I showed him what worked best for him as we shopped for better fitting clothes. He said he was never even aware that many clothes could fit him so well until I showed him. Afterwards, all his female friends and co-workers couldn't stop commenting on how great he looked in his new wardrobe!
Myth: I don't need it.
Reality: You're right, you probably won't think you need it until after you've had it. That's usually how it goes. And you won't know until you try it! But isn't there some truth to the statement "there's always room for improvement"?
Examples: With that improvement, I've had countless clients who have stated that the improvement in their wardrobe is directly connected with the improvement in their confidence. Many also say they wish they had done this sooner because they can now see not only what they were doing wrong before, but also how they can correct it.
Think about it this way: when you exercise and work out, it's the equivalent to renovating your home. When you update your wardrobe, it's like redecorating or adding the art of feng shui to a home you've just renovated. But even better than that, you can still look slimmer by having a stylist show you how to dress your body even if you haven't yet gotten into the shape you'd like to be. This makes me think of another myth: that you have to have a perfect body to deserve the red carpet treatment. Not true! You deserve to look and feel great regardless of your size. In fact, you might want to check out a couple of our past blogs on this particular topic:
And if you're still wondering how you can allow yourself the luxury of working with a stylist or just obtaining their advice, there are two options for you coming up soon. 1) When your loved one asks you what kind of gift you'd like for the upcoming holidays, you can say a gift certificate from paNASH Style, and 2) you can attend a book signing and purchase copy of my book Advance Your Image on Thursday, December 1st from 5:30 to 7pm at Landmark Booksellers in downtown Franklin. We'd love to have you for the festivities!
(By the way...If you're wondering who my pick was for best dressed on the CMA red carpet last night, it was Taylor Swift. Exquisite!)
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