I love fashion, but I really love helping women with their own fashion choices. Having previously worked at Vogue for 12 years, I am now a personal stylist, bringing everything I learnt on the biggest fashion magazine in the world to the wardrobes of billionaires, chief executives and other VIPs.
I hope people come to me for my values, my love of analysing fabrics and for my genuine obsession with buying for the long term. The way consumption is in overdrive, no one needs to overhaul their wardrobe each season, let’s be honest, even the billionaires. My clients are professional women, quietly confident midlifers or slightly brusque Americans (who I love). Some are bored. Some are lonely.
Finally, I hope I have a kind, but candid – OK, sometimes bossy – approach. These are the key messages I tell all my clients, especially at times like this, when the new collection noise is overwhelming.
1. Be honest
Fashion is confusing. Trends, weight gain, weight loss, denim washes, trouser shapes, natural fabrics vs man-made fibres, I could go on. Yet, no matter who you are, male or female, the right clothes are mood-enhancing. When it’s me opposite a client in their underwear, the boundaries go. Their insecurities tend to fill the room. There can be tears. The stylist becomes the person to say: “It’s OK, let’s make it better.”
I’ve had clients who dress for their spouse’s approval, and some quite the reverse. Some who bring a selection of screenshots of favourite influencers prompting me to remind them to stay true to themselves. Some “don’t know how to wear jewellery”. Others are adamant they “can’t wear colour”. My advice is always as honest as possible. If you sweat, let’s avoid tight arm-pit-rubbing fabrics. If you are washed out by black, let’s try navy or charcoal. If you hate your thighs, let’s find fabrics that glide. You can apply these same straight-talking principles to your own shopping decisions.
2. Keep your age in mind
At times, I do have to step in and remind clients of their age; and that I think some looks are off bounds. For instance, barrel jeans do not suit everyone, leather trousers cause me great angst, and white trainers are not the only shoe solution with long dresses.
Mid Rise Barrel Jeans, £30, M&S
3. Buy better, not less
Every autumn new collections launch. I tend to be the one to say to clients “you don’t need it” or “what about trying this (small brand) rather than the mainstream names?”’ You don’t want to become the prey of those brands endlessly spending millions on marketing.
They are likely to be receiving the “latest must have” emails from the likes of Net-A-Porter or John Lewis. These emails will likely state “This season’s must have looks” or “Top 10 investment pieces to own”. I remind them they probably own a version of every item in the email already. This is why we have to get our head around the fact that trends don’t exist, they merely feed the fashion cycle. But we are only human – we all want to inject newness occasionally but it’s very out of date to make people feel they have to buy 10 new things, when they may only need three.
A lady who flew from Texas for a work trip, and a personal styling session with me, was quite frank: “I love your style, I nod along to your advice when I see you on social media, I really don’t want gazillions of items, I’m time poor, but no one talks about owning less.”
Murano Sandstone Skirt, £158 (now £119), Libby London
Instead of the usual “capsule wardrobe” we found gems from brands she couldn’t easily find at home but could wear with existing favourites – Lee Matthews, Roksanda, Me+Em and Rupert Sanderson. She wanted longer cut sleeves for her upper arms, she wanted A-line skirts that didn’t “puff” too much (I recommended Libby London), she wanted block heels she knew she couldn’t get in Texas because she could only ever seem to find stiletto styles.
4. Comfort should always come first
Whether you’re heading back to work post-maternity leave or you’re a billionaire, the advice is the same. Movement is your key focus in any outfit. If a shirt clings you’re screwed. If the jeans are too tight, find another pair. My clients want to be able to eat their favourite meal unrestricted by their new outfit. They want to walk tall, not totter, in new shoes.
You should always veer on the side of smart rather than casual – a safer alternative in any given situation, but that doesn’t mean you can’t feel relaxed in your clothing.
A newly appointed chief executive who knew she would be judged on her clothes before anything else was another client. She didn’t want to compete with the “hotter, younger” head of communications. She didn’t want to wear a suit. We turned to statement shirt sleeves – a “power” sleeve – that didn’t require the fuss of a jacket, with great-fitting trousers.
Sculpt Knit Riesi Top, £165, The Fold
Even the most powerful, beautiful women still have the awkward areas; tummy, sweat patches and bust sizes. (“Awkward areas” feels like the wrong term – we are only human!) As women, we have to contend with periods, water retention, mastectomies, handbags, carrying trainers on the commute, being expected to look a certain way. I make it my mission to bring these topics up.
The best dressers are those that are comfortable in any scenario; a sudden rain shower, a nervous (sweat-inducing) work meeting, bumping into someone you were least expecting or, in some clients’ cases, being photographed. The best dressers do prepare a little. It’s not always about getting ready in two minutes.
5. Book an in-store appointment
The most charming experience I’ve seen recently is by the British brand Poetry. Famed as a catalogue brand, with a handful of stores, Poetry has created a great service at their Walton Street location. Go online, select the pieces you want to try with 24 hours notice, and all of them will greet you on your arrival. A leisurely experience, in a calm setting with no obligation to buy.
In the Cotswolds, Bamford has just launched the Wood Store at Daylesford Farm. This is on my hit list – a quiet location amidst the buzz of Daylesford, open to everyone, no members-only stigma, by appointment, but with zero obligation to buy. A chance to sample the collection at your own pace. Have a coffee (and Daylesford shortbread, yes please), ponder the items you’ve tried. With small collections, made from luxurious fabrics, and higher price points, this kind of service shows the company understands they’ve got to go one step further to find their customers.