An NYC fashion stylist takes a client from cute to chic | Alexandra Stylist | Personal Wardrobe Stylist NYC
Confessions

From cute to chic

By | December 18th, 2011 | Confessions

My client Marci shares her experience working with Alexandra of AlexandrAStylist.com during the 2 months of her darling package.

There is nothing wrong with being cute, but my new client was adamant about escaping the image. At 5 feet tall, I knew we had a challenge upon us. What I do is rare, and I know it. Most other stylists offer à la carte services, doling out one service at a time. I believe this doesn’t yield long-term results. So, my programs start with a minimum of 8 sessions. That amount of time gives us a chance to address color and shape, but we also discuss perceived identity and image consulting. As a married professional, my new client had been called cute one too many times. She showed me the dress that broke the camel’s back.

Here’s my initial style prescription for her: focus on colors that have power – the jewel tones. Luckily, her coloring allows her to wear deep aubergine, radiant reds, deep chocolate, deep teal and to stay away from fluffy, girly light colors. Because of her height, we focused on wearing one color head-to-toe as it would elongate her figure.

She had a closet full of beautifully kept Anthropologie dresses, which may have been a dream to another woman (in fact, she was able to sell a whole lot of her dresses to Buffalo Exchange for a nice bundle). But, I understood her predicament completely. She wanted to be taken seriously and not to appear 20 years old. At 37, she was ready for CHIC.

We then attacked cut. We tossed out anything loose that hid the waist. Sophisticated cuts and clean lines would be the new direction. No more uber-high necklines, which would hide her gorgeous chest. Prints would be in proportion to her frame and would have to be chic not cute. Out went the nautical striped t-shirts and girly prints.

As we edited her closet, we found some gems that had never been worn. I showed her a belted cropped cardigan, which was perfect over a pencil skirt. I also showed her how to dress up her jeans with a blazer with the sleeves rolled up so as to not be too stiff. We found that fabric weight was going to make or break it for her. Stiff fabrics that created too much volume for her frame and that looked like costumes were also weeded out. Missing in her very well-developed closet were pops of color to go with her great basics.

We were able to come up with a solid wardrobe master plan (i.e., a shopping list of the holes in her closet). We also decided on a budget and planned our first shopping excursion to Williamsburg for accessories and unique pieces. She was no longer interested in plain or uninteresting pieces. Amen to that!

The final detail that pushed it over the edge was hair. I realized that, during most of our sessions, she would wear a ponytail and that if she continued, she would still be seen as young no matter what she wore. So I booked her a session with my super talented/famous hair stylist Michiko Boorberg, who was able to teach her an arsenal of easy but sophisticated hair styles that she could replicate for herself. It all came together perfectly, and we were super happy with the results. Here is her testimonial:

“My experience with Alexandra has been fabulous! I was frustrated with my closet and how I looked in pictures (too cute to be taken seriously). She listened to what I wanted but also helped me realize things about myself and my own style challenges. I really feel, with all of the clothing, the outfits we’ve assembled, the hair lesson, and all of the accessories, that Alexandra has changed my life. She helped me create not just outfits but a style statement for how I go out in the world in the morning. She’s given me a new sense of confidence, especially when I go to professional meetings.

I love what I have now, and it’s only gotten better. Alexandra’s personal style is different from mine, and I was grateful that she never impressed her style on me but helped me develop MY OWN style. I had a previous negative experience with another stylist but was relieved that Alexandra was respectful and sensitive to my needs. When we went to edit my closet, she took her time to go piece by piece without rushing. I felt we were efficient but that I was never rushed or pressured.

It was refreshing that she didn’t make any assumptions about a piece being good or bad based on its price or designer and wanted to genuinely find things that uniquely worked for ME. I felt comfortable having her as my stylist but also as a friend.” Marci L

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