Behind the Scenes: My Personal Styling Sessions in Phone Pictures

Behind the Scenes: My Personal Styling Sessions in Phone Pictures

I leave work a little earlier than usual so that traffic doesn't make me late. I'm excited and nervous to meet a new client. I always think the worst (What if we don't connect? What if she finds all of my ideas boring?) mixed with the best (I can't wait to meet this new person! I wonder what kind of fun clothes she'll have?). I'm ramped up, ready to go, and wishing I had more under eye concealer.

I arrive, and we chat. We chat about her life. What do you typically wear, I ask, and would you like to be wearing something different? Something more...what? And are there times you get more dressed up than that? For dates, or church, or holiday parties? And what about on the weekends? What does that look like? Do you have any questions for me?

And then I ask her to put on something she would typically wear. While she changes, I go into her closet. I automatically scan for colors, shapes, style, organization, too. Is this someone who is comfortable with bold colors? Is she repeating a lot of the same shapes? I take a mental note to see how those shapes and those colors work on her body, with her lifestyle.

I start to lay out combinations on her bed, urging her to slowly consider combinations that she might not have before (bolds with black & white, colors from the same color family, or whatever seems like it might spice up her usual look).

 

One at at time, she picks out outfits from the bed that interest her. She always says things like "I would have NEVER put those things together" and "is it ok to mix Y with X?" We laugh and joke around about her lack of pants or her fear of patterns or whatever it is. Some combinations really look amazing on her, and she loves them. I build more like those, teaching her why I'm putting things together as I go so that she can repeat the steps after I leave, when it's just her and her closet tomorrow.

I take pictures of each outfit, usually from the neck down so that she's not focused on how her face looks. Later, I'll email these to her as a reminder of the many, many looks that we put together for her that she loved.

As we work through her clothing, some of it usually gets put into a donate pile. My little note pad gets a few items added to it that she might want to purchase to help fill in her wardrobe and further define and enhance her style. Later, I'll email her some links that I think will help fill those gaps, a belt here or a necklace there. I don't make any money whether she buys them or not so it makes it easy for me to send things that I really think she'll like.

Sometimes, she's booked me to go shopping with her after, too, and we'll take notes on what she might want to look for. I'll ask her to wear a specific workhorse piece, like a skirt we've re-discovered, when we go so that we can pair tops, belts, and shoes with it.

Then, somehow, three hours have passed. Her room looks like a tornado struck, and half of her closet (or more) is full of beloved outfits. She always says something about feeling like she has a whole new wardrobe, things she never wore that she can't wait to wear now. We joke about how much money we've saved her or how she's discovered that she has a great shape. Sometimes, there are tears.

And I walk out, into the crisp air, and I'm always, always smiling. It's incredible to be welcomed into someone's closet, and I value that trust. I also love knowing that I've made a difference in someone's vision of themselves. I feel on top of the world.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: December Discount for Holiday Gift Cards

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: December Discount for Holiday Gift Cards (and yes, you can get one for yourself)

The gift card can be redeemed anytime. Yes, you can buy more than one. Yes, you can buy one for yourself! Yes, 3 hours is usually $75. Why? Because I love you.

Client Update-Still belting and Scarfing!

Client Update-Still belting and Scarfing!

Remember my beloved client, Lynne? Well, I got this text from her the other day and had to share it with you. It said, simply, "Still belting and scarfing!" With this gorgeous outfit.

I want to be Lynne when I grow up!

In Praise of the White Jacket

In Praise of the White Jacket

Recently, I helped a client to take a fresh look at her closet. She's a mother of three, one four year-old and two twins under a year old, and she was transitioning from being home full-time with the twins to working from home part time. In what she called her "other life," she had worked full-time in an office where fashion was queen, and her closet was full of dry clean only, precious pieces. They were not working for her current life.

What we did was cull through her closet to separate out anything that was dry clean only; we stored it in a separate closet for special occasions. Then, we pulled out pieces that still felt young and fresh but could be Oxy Cleaned and thrown in the washer.

One of the things she had that we got a lot of mileage out of was a white blazer. I can't recommend more highly that you look through your own closet to see if you have a jacket or blazer that fits you well that you have been under-utilizing. In Debbi's case, she thought of the two piece white suit as impractical, which it was!

But, when we ditched the skirt and kept the jacket, we found that she could wear it in a more professional way for lunches or video conferences with clients and over a casual baseball tee with jeans for a kids' birthday party or other family outing. Since it was easy to clean, she wasn't worried about getting it dirty.

Here are two of the many ways I styled it for her.

You might do the same with a light colored jacket or blazer, or even a navy one for the fall. Black can be nice and provide some edge, but it can also read as very corporate, so try this first with a jacket that's not black. 

If you're on the market, I like this cropped linen open jacket on sale from Loft, or this twill moto jacket for a bit of edginess,  this doubleweave cotton for a more feminine fit, or any number of these Asos jackets, including curve sizes.

And if you're wondering whether a white jacket will serve you after Labor Day, the answer is of course! That fashion rule should only be heeded if you're looking for an excuse to buy something that's not white. Otherwise, a white jacket can-and should-be worn year round.

I'm linking up to the Fashion Informant!

May Day Sale for Personal Styling Services!

May Day Sale for Personal Styling Services!

 Book a personal styling or personal shopping session with me from May 1-May 5 for $45 (a $75 value). 

This is for a three hour session, or $15 per hour. Does not include mileage. 

Session can take place anytime but you must book during this time period. 

Valid for in-person or virtual sessions.

Can be booked as a gift for another person.

Read comments from my clients here.
Email me to book your discounted session at startclosein (at sign) gmail.com  

In Person Styling Session: Melissa

In Person Styling Session: Melissa

"I feel like me again and most importantly I came away feeling better about myself."

Meet Melissa. She's one of the sweetest, funniest people I've met in a long time. We has such a blast together last week playing dress up and writing shopping lists in our heads. Her uniform tends to be jeans and a long-sleeved shirt in the winter, and she wanted to feel a bit more, well, dressed every day. She also has her husband's Christmas party coming up and wanted to run some ideas for dressing up a bit by me.

Melissa is also a photographer and Interior Design Consultant who works primarily through word-of-mouth based out of Northern Virginia. If you're interested in working with her, you can leave a comment or email me. Having seen her adorable nursery and spend three hours laughing and chatting with her about colors, textures, and life, I highly recommend her! She's going to come along with me and take some photos, too, because my iphone sure isn't cutting it when my clients are so gorgeous!

In her words:

"I have done minimal shopping for myself ever since I had my son and struggled to lose the baby weight. For the last few years I have lived in Tshirts and yoga pants. I have a lot of nice things from before I became a mom, but whenever I put them on I just remembered how they used to look on me and have lost the confidence I use to have. Ella came in with brand new eyes and a fresh perspective. At the end of my closet consult I had a whole new wardrobe. Ella put things together in a whole new way. My clothes no longer remind me of my skinny days because when I put my new outfits on they are entirely different and they look good on me and my post baby body."

Color, Color, Color!

Now let's get down to more outfits! Clearly, we loved this wide belt for Melissa. Here's why: the neutral goes with everything, and the belt cinches in her waist, highlighting her feminine shape. Here, I had her put a happy, bright sweater with a crisp white shirt and a basic bottom with a necklace that pulled in the color of the sweater. I love that color up near her face!

This would be fun for a holiday party with sparkly heels or with flats or boots for a play date.

Winter Whites

We also played around with winter whites. Melissa had a lot of clothing that she had banned to the back of her closet as "summer only" clothes and colors. It was a lot of fun to pull that out and into the winter! In addition to a slew of outfits we put together with her white jeans, here are a few with winter whites on top. 

The black and brown help ground the white in the winter season where a lighter or brighter color would feel more like spring.

Here, I had her swap out the belt for a darker one and add on a cream-colored vest. Can she wear the bright white and the cream together? Of course! They're both neutrals. I love how interesting the whites become once there are so many textures at play.

Back to Melissa!

"The first thing Ella had me do was go through her look book and pick out anything I liked so she could figure out my style and how I wanted to look. We talked about my lifestyle and what sort of outfits I needed (everyday, work, date night, church, special events....) She then went through my closet and used my clothes to achieve my look. I also gave her some modesty guidelines, which she had no problem working with.

I learned that I have a waist and how to get that hourglass figure. She taught me how colors go together even when they are not an exact match, you might think they look odd on their own but when the outfit is complete it all works. All of my outfits are comfortable and were styled in a way that stay in place and I don't have to readjust every time I move.

And when I asked where to find the few of the things on my list, she told me Target! Ella understands that the majority of people don't have thousands or even hundreds to spend on a new wardrobe. She works with what you have and expensive designers never even came up in conversation."

Preppy Chic

Melissa is really smart and has her closet organized by color. This made it very easy for me to pull out a color (like pink!) and play around with how it looked with some of her basics (beige, navy) and also with prints that have that same color. Here, I had her twirl a white scarf up with a floral silk scarf. I love how preppy this looks on her, which really fits her classic look.

Let's Talk About Belts, Baby!

Looking at these pictures, you might think that every outfit should have a belt. I don't think that's the case. We looked at many of these outfits without belts, and they looked great. However, adding a belt is a nice way to define your shape and help you feel more polished. Take a look.

I love Melissa's face below; she's giving me that look that says "You really want me to wear all of these shades of pink together?" Yes, really. When I had her look through my inspiration book, she loved the monochromatic looks she saw. It's really easy to pull multiple shades of the same color-try it with a simple white shirt and slouchy brown boots, like she has here.

Contrasting Colors

It's getting cold here in Northern Virginia! And a cute addition to any monochromatic outfit is a scarf in a contrasting color. Here, I pulled out a shirt and a sweater in the same color family and topped it off with a scarf on the opposite side of the color wheel.

Be sure to pull your sleeves of the shirt through the sweater and roll up the sleeves. It's much more feminine and powerful to show off those wrists and arms. It makes her look ready to go, don't you think? Ready to work.

Black & White, Black &Bright, White & Bright

One easy way to polish up your look is this: pull out every black or white piece of clothing that you own: sweaters, skirts, pants, jackets, blazers, shirts, jeans. Then, start to pull out bright items of clothing and pair them up.

Consider a bright sweater over a black dress. What if you added a black skinny belt? And a bright necklace?

Or white jeans and a white shirt topped with a bright top worn as though it were a sweater? We loved this combination of colors so we tried it with a different bright sweater. 

 

And just because black and white are a classic combination doesn't mean that it's tired. This skirt had a feminine, lacy edge that I loved with the soft sweater and square, wide belt. Don't you?

Let's close with Melissa because what she says here is pretty amazing.

"By the end of the 3 hours I found some confidence and even started to enjoy posing for pictures, because I knew I looked good. In the days since I have gotten dressed first thing in the morning, not just when I have to leave the house. I am no longer hung up on my last 15lbs of baby weight. I feel like me again and most importantly I came away feeling better about myself. I can't wait to have her back for next season!"

I can't wait, either, Melissa!

Client Sneak Peek: Melissa

Client Sneak Peek: Melissa

I'm so excited to introduce you all to Melissa! She's one of the sweetest, funniest people I've met in a long time. Melissa contacted me because she's a mother to a twenty-month-old, and she felt like she wasn't sure how to dress now that she's mostly staying at home and isn't going into the office every day. You're going to love the easy, classic, feminine styles that we put together for her! Here's a sneak peek at a polished outfit she might wear to church or out to dinner.

Here's how you can recreate this look at home. She's wearing a simple black cardigan, belted. What if you pulled out a black cardigan you already own and belted it way up at your skinniest part, usually near your bottom rib? Or, you could consider something with texture, like this cotton number.

40% off with code ENJOY 

Or create that shape with a peplum! I love the peplum shape because it creates that high flattering waist for you and works for many shapes and sizes. Here are two other cute peplum options: shorter sleeves here. Curve here.

See how the model below looks a little like an alien with that wide swing of the peplum? It's because the pants are too light. With a patterned skirt that had some black in it, the eye would go up to her skinniest part instead of to the line where it meets her strangely light jeans. But, it's a great top styled the right way.

25% off online only with code GIFTGIVING 

Melissa's wearing a colored patterned skirt, which you might already own and could take out to wear easily. You could also consider layering your top or sweater over a dress and wearing it as a skirt. A colored stripe is gorgeous, and a black & white would be, too. Here are some ideas-do you have something like this in your closet that could work?

$40 off $100 or more ends today MYSTYLELB

$19.95

40% off with BR card BRGIVING

Loft has some incredible belts for a little added sparkle, or you could tie on a ribbon to mimic Melissa's pretty, long belt. I like the softness it added to this otherwise structured look. And, of course, don't forget tall black boots-or short boots with black tights. Top it off with a leather jacket if you need some extra warmth inside during these cold days!

Check back this week for the full details on my session with Melissa!

Ok, and I can't help but gushing over Lynne a little, too! She just sent me this amazing picture after our virtual session last night. As soon as she send me some more pictures, you'll get to see her fitted, collected, bright style in full detail.

 

In Person Styling Session: Jessica

In Person Styling Session: Jessica

Last Saturday I had the chance to re-style a new friend's closet and get her out of her "uniform" of skirt+shirt+cardigan for work or jeans+t-shirt for play. Jessica is a mother to a nearly two-year-old (yes, she is in incredible shape and works very hard at it!) She also works in an office where most women dress fairly conservatively, but she's looking to feel a bit more polished than what she was typically wearing, which was a basic shirt and skirt, like this:

A lot of my clients come to me at similar stages: going back to work after years staying at home, retiring and wondering what to wear now that you're not going to an office every day, or reclaiming your bodies after many pregnancies. It's such an honor to be asked into your homes to work with what you already have and think carefully about what pieces to add!

Virtual Session: Patricia

Virtual Session: Patricia from The Little Cottage on the Pond

My plan was to be asleep by 8PM tonight after a long, full, happy day, but I have to come back on here to gush about Patricia, the creative genius behind Little Cottage on the Pond. We had a virtual personal styling session yesterday afternoon (she's in Texas, I'm in Virginia), and it was the most fun.

Lip Stain and Weekend Fun!

Lip Stain and Weekend Fun!

Getting ready for my session this afternoon!

It still floors me to open up my favorite blog and see that she's talking about me! Just floors me. I feel so honored. And really happy that she's liking the lipstain that I recommended! I have them stashed in my purses, in my car (sorry, Colleen..), in my desk...One of my favorite things about Outlast is that the color at the end of the stick is quite true to the actual color that ends up on your lips, which is not always the case with other lip color. They're not a sponsor, by the way, I just like them!

Along the lines of feeling blessed, I have scheduled quite the busy weekend for myself!

Client Sneak Peek: In Person Session with Lauren

Client Sneak Peek: In Person Session with Lauren

Remember my virtual session with Lauren? Last weekend I got the chance to meet with her in person, and we had so much fun making outfits from the clothes that she already owns. Here's a sneak peek of tomorrow's post all about it!

A Simple Outfit for a Night Out

Q&A: What's A Simple Outfit for a Night Out?

I recently received a question from a reader who said that she gets overwhelmed with what to wear when she goes out at night. I really related to her question because sometimes I get frustrated when I'm headed out to an event at night, whether it's a birthday party, to dinner, or a bigger event. A few years ago, I had a steady list of outings to dress for and a closet that reflected that; now, I tend to stay in a lot more, and the things I have to choose from are fewer. I think it can be helpful to consider choosing one or two things in the same color palette that you like and then choosing the same accessories or layers that you can wear on top of that base color.

Via

Via

The two tops above would be flattering on many shapes because the ruffles pull the fabric away from the body while still creating a gorgeous shape.

Virtual Styling Sessions

Virtual Styling Sessions

I'm working with a new client on Monday night; she's in New Orleans, I'm in Northern Virginia. Here's what it will look like: she'll point a video source (ipad, phone, computer) at her closet or bed or wherever she's collected most of her clothes. She's been asked to prepare by having most of her clothing clean and ready to go. Otherwise, things she really likes might be in the washing machine where I can't see them!

 Then, we'll start. Typically, I ask clients to show me something that they really like, and we go from there. I ask about how you usually wear things, and then I look behind and around you to see how else you might try wearing them. I might say something like, "It would be great if you had a colorful scarf to go with that!" and she'll say "Oh! I do! Let me go get it!" She'll step out of view of the camera and try things on as we play around with shape, color, size, and style. Anything she doesn't love, we try again and shoot for something better. Anything she does will get hung up or folded as an outfit so that she remembers what she liked and so that it's easy to pull on when she's getting dressed.

If she wants to, she can send me pictures of favorite outfits later on, and I'll post them here. Or, she might not want to be on the blog, and that's ok, too. Often, my clients email me pictures of outfits they've put together themselves inspired by what we found worked together. I love those pictures!

Here's one Love Always Hannah sent me after we put together a bunch of outfits based on stripes!

If there are pieces of clothing or accessories or shoes that we realize would really help tie together several styles, then we'll talk about them, and I can suggest sources for where I've seen good examples. Usually, I'll have her on my mind, and when I see great deals on things she wanted, I'll send them to her. If she wants, I can make a Pinterest board for her full of inspiration for the style we've started to build together for her.

The time together flies, but at the end we'll both be tired. This is hard work, but it's so fun! The next day, I'll send her an invoice via PayPal. No charge for the products sent in the coming weeks, none for the Pinterest page, either. I want this to be simple, fun, and helpful. I want to use what she's already got in her closet and help her to see herself in her best light.

I know I'll spend all day Monday thinking about what clothes she might have or style she might be interested in!

Working with Miss Mustard Seed

Working with Miss Mustard Seed

via MMS

The fact that I'm able to type that I styled Miss Mustard Seed yesterday is incredible to me. I literally had my husband pinch me last night after reading her gracious, energized post last night. Here is the back story on my end: I started reading her blog years ago when I lived in Chicago. Instead of reading wedding-specific blogs, I kept coming back to hers. Her color choices, the textures of her furniture, and her wisdom to women starting businesses kept me coming back for more. She was the one who inspired me to make so many elements of our wedding decor and to start decorating our condo in Chicago. I skimmed through her articles on blogging and starting a business because I didn't think they applied to me.

When we moved to Northern Virginia, I had no concept of geography. Then, one day, I read that Miss Mustard Seed would be going to the Lucketts Fair, which she listed as being in Northern Virginia. WHAT?! I stopped dead in my tracks. I could see her furniture somewhere in real life?! At this point, I didn't even imagine ever meeting her. Sadly, I was a day late. The fair was already over.

Undeterred, I decided that we would be visiting this magical land of Lucketts. And we did-we made the hour drive there a few weeks later, and I was amazed to see that Miss Mustard Seed had a new room there-full of her furniture, German glass glittered objects, tags, etc. I couldn't believe my good luck, and I stood in her space trying to soak up as much of her creativity as I could. Over the past two years, I met her at a subsequent fair and even attended a workshop she held in Pennsylvania.

Then, this summer, something clicked. I love my job, but I wanted an outlet for my creativity. I've always taken friends and family shopping, and I'd "done" a few friends' closets by that point. What if that could become...something? Miss Mustard Seed says to just start-that you don't need a ton of money (she didn't have it when she started!). You just need passion. So I took a leap of faith and just started-I created this blog, I put it out there, and I started working with people I didn't know. That's why this blog is called StartCloseIn. It's as much about my taking the first step as it is about you.

Then, she posted about her hard work in losing weight and getting healthier, and she mentioned something about not liking to shop. I stopped dead. Finally, after all that she had done for me without even knowing it, there was something I could help her with. I said a small prayer over my laptop and sent an email.

This is the result of that second leap of faith:

That's my business card. On her blog. Above the article that she wrote about our nearly four hours together. As I told my husband last night: I TIED MISS MUSTARD SEED'S SHOES TODAY! I know I sound like a creeper by this point, but those of you who admire her as much as I do will understand: this was huge for me.

She posted some incredible photographs of our time together, and I'm still better at making outfits than I am at snapping pictures, but here are some of the images that I did capture. You can also visit the Pinterest board I'll be adding to with inspiration for our personal shopping trip here.

 Before & After Closet Shots

Like most of us, she still had some clothes that don't fit her quite right, and we got the rest of those out of there. Then, after tossing clothes all around her room and making outfit after outfit using what she already owns, I hung outfits together (scarves included) to make them easy for her to grab and wear.

 

She has this great striped blazer that adds a splash of creativity to any look, even a basic black top. 

I convinced her to layer up these necklaces, and I love the result! 

All of my clients will be laughing and nodding their heads at this shot. 

There is always a point during  a personal styling session where your bedroom will look like this! Don't worry, it goes back inside the closet at the end!

While she changed into the next outfits in the bathroom, I laid out ideas for her wherever I could.

A jubilant selfie snapped before my drive home. 

Here is some of what she said about working with me

"When I first thought about working with a stylist, I was a little resistant to it, because it sounded so fancy and uppity.  But, I had the opportunity, so I went for it.  Ella’s approach was so down-to-earth, though.  She’s a big fan of TJ Maxx and Target and Kohl’s.  She wanted to work with everything I had before even mentioning buying something new.  In fact, her entire philosophy is about working with EXTRA-ordinary women…not celebrities and big wigs.  Just regular women who need a little (or a lot of help.)"

I'm incredibly honored to be working with Marian, and as a result I have decided to reduce what I had in mind for my initial price points. I want all of the readers who have been inspired by Miss Mustard Seed (her creativity, her help to other women, her weight loss...) to be able to work with me if you want. In person services are available in driving distance from Washington, DC, including NYC, PA, and NC.

For virtual sessions (outside of driving distance from Washington, DC), all you need is a video camera-either on your phone or your computer. Set it up to face wherever you have your clothes, and I'll walk you through outfits to try on and combinations to consider. It will be fun!

For virtual shopping, once I have a sense of your style and budget, I will turn my full attention to finding things you LOVE and want to wear all the time.

Contact me if you’d like to talk over what kind of fun we might have in your closet-in person or virtually! 

startclosein at gmail.com