Virtual Client Session, Incredible Etsy Store, and an Exclusive Discount for You

Virtual Client Session, Incredible Etsy Store, and an Exclusive Discount for You

Recently I had the absolute joy of helping to celebrate a 50th birthday- via a virtual FaceTime session! Natalie's daughter-in-law, Jenni, emailed me to book a surprise session for Natalie. Then, the morning of the session, she was presented with a gift card saying "Personal Styling Session. Your Closet. 10AM." The next three hours were a blur as the two daughters-in-law helped me to raid Natalie's closet and pick out versatile, fun, gorgeous outfits for their incredible mother-in-law. Here's what Jenni had to say about it (isn't she the sweetest?):

For my mother-in-law Natalie's 50th birthday this year I knew I had to do something a little more special and out of the ordinary.  She has always wanted to have a stylist or personal shopper help her pick out clothes - she really hates shopping.  So after I read Miss Mustard Seed's review on Ella, and saw that she would do online consultations, I knew it would be perfect!

I had no idea what to expect, and it was a great surprise both for Natalie and I who got to sit in on the action (and learn a few things too!).  Ella got right to work, having her try on her favorite outfits and things she usually wears to work.  She changed up outfits in completely new ways that looked awesome! 

Ella was great at giving tips along the way about what to buy to add a little more to the outfits - just great staples to have in your closet.  Ella would be great working with anyone and any style, she was completely confident in her knowledge of fashion and at the same time super easy to talk to and work with.

We had a blast, it was a great 3 hours spent on a birthday!  Natalie has been wearing the new outfit combos and getting compliments on them!  She had a great time, we would both highly recommend Ella to anyone and everyone!

 As we chatted, I learned that Jenni is an artist. She makes the most beautiful painted and upholstered pieces of furniture, including custom orders! And tomorrow marks her one year anniversary of opening her shop. So she's offering my readers 15% off with the code STARTCLOSEIN until 5/16! Isn't that awesome?

I particularly love the colors that Jenni uses, and I can imagine a few of these pieces in my own home!

I think the piece above would be beautiful as a changing table in a nursery. Then again, we always seem to need more storage space in our guest bedrooms...

Those are just a few of my favorites, but there are too many to choose from on her site! So check her site out in the next few days and don't forget to use the code STARTCLOSEIN for our special discount.

And thanks, Jenni, for sending along this action shot of Natalie from behind the scenes that day! Instead of street style I'm going to coin the phrase "closet style" to describe these live-action shots!

Client Review: The Crowned Goat

Client Review: The Crowned Goat

I had the opportunity to work with one of my favorite bloggers a few weeks ago, CoCo from The Crowned Goat. If you don't know her blog, you absolutely need to check it out! She has incredible taste and is also one of the nicest people ever. She got a session with me for her mother's Christmas gift, and we finally had the chance to sit down "together." Well, via FaceTime. Here's a snippet of what she had to say. Please link through to the full post because CoCo did a number on her mother's closet after our time together, and the result is enviable!

 

A few weeks ago we had the pleasure of working with Ella at Start CloseIn. I contacted Ella back in November to help me with a Christmas gift for my Mom. My Mom has great style, loads of chunky jewelry and plenty of shoes from which to choose. But on any given day she’s attending ladies luncheons, church meetings, military functions, family events, dinners with her sorority sisters or making ice cream with the grandkids. It is because her schedule is so packed she needed help transitioning from day to night activities with ease. Enter Ella to give her practical advice on how to best achieve these goals. 

As soon as we began the styling session, we noticed the closet needed more organization. It wasn't a mess by any means but it needed to be more a functional space. Ella suggested we group shirts, pants, skirts and dresses all by color. It immediately made a big impact because the clothes were much easier to access. Read the rest here!

Fun Personal Styling Session with Ella of Start Close In

Ok, guys, a client just posted the most fun review of a virtual personal styling session with me. I do a lot of virtual sessions, but I don't always get pictures as a result. Cecilia went above and beyond, asking her husband to snap pictures of many of the outfits we put together. I can't tell you how much fun I had with this session because Cecilia is a free spirited, creative, warm, sweet-as-can-be artist who loves color and isn't afraid to take risks! (Also, her incredible figure was so fun to show off.) I hope you click over to her blog to read the rest of her post! I think the smile on her face in this maxi dress outfit says it all. She had fun, too! -Ella

Fun Personal Styling Session with Ella of Start Close In

I just had the most fun I've had in a long time! I did a wardrobe style with Ella at Start Close In. I found her when Miss Mustard Seed posted about her session with her. (Read about it here and here). I loved the whole idea of having a personal styling session. I decided for my birthday I was going to treat myself. Then my knee got broken and I had to wait until I healed. Finally on Tuesday, I got to have my session. What a blast!

 I told Ella  I didn't want to look frumpy just because I am 52! Or like I was trying to be a teenager. I don't work outside of the home but I'm an artist and want a look all my own. And Oh my goodness! She took my clothes and made great outfits that are true to who I am.

What I like about Ella is she's sweet, funny, and very, very talented in taking a closet full of clothes and making them fresh. (And I said sweet, didn't I?) She had me pairing things I hadn't thought of before and you know what? They worked! I can't tell you how excited I am about it. She really helped bring out my creative side.  No frump or too young a look here! LOL. Here are some of my outfits:

Read the rest here!

Allison from The Golden Sycamore

Allison from The Golden Sycamore

I recently had a virtual personal styling session with Allison from The Golden Sycamore. I reached out to her after falling in love with her blog-her home! her color choices for painted furniture! her projects!-last fall. She's a busy mom (that's redundant!), and I had the sense that she might enjoy a style pick-me-up and some girl time spent "together." 

Here's some of what she had to say about our time together and a few sneak peek pictures from her blog! 

A few months ago, Marian (aka Miss Mustard Seed) shared her styling date with Ella from Start Close In.  When I read her post, I felt that tugging.  I felt like I needed to do this for myself, too.  I haven’t felt stylish since before I had kids and I just needed a little help.

But Ella lives on the east coast, how would she be able to help me from all the way over there?

Well maybe I could look for someone local who could help me out?

But, really, when am I going to make the time for that when I can barely get myself to make hair appointments!

And then one day, out of the blue, Ella emailed me!  She said she’d found my blog last fall and wanted to know if I’d like to set up a virtual styling appointment!  I was thrilled to say the least!  This could work with the help of technology! 

Read the rest here. 

Client Catch Up: Sandy

Client Catch Up: Sandy

My emails and texts from clients are some of the best parts of my day so I thought I'd share one with you that I received recently.

Hey Ella, I went to a Christmas party tonight the theme was western, so I went and bought some new boots ( I can also wear them with a skirt) and a new belt, so I thought I would send you a photo of me all dressed up in my Ellawear, that's the name I call my new wardrobe!!! I love it!!!!! Thanks so much again!!!! -Sandy

I'm so glad, Sandy! You were so much fun to have a virtual session with! Let's do it again sometime!

Virtual Session: Lynne of Wonderfully Made

Virtual Session: Lynne of Wonderfully Made

I have the coolest, most fun client to gush about today: Lynne B from the inspiring blog about sewing and creating a beautiful, homemade life.  She's also the driving force behind ellen j goods, an incredible store that I can't wait to visit! We'd scheming about my visiting her in the spring once all the snow melts!

She emailed me because she had lost a significant amount of weight, but she was still covering up in clothes that didn't fit or flatter...but wait, wait! I'm getting ahead of myself. First, I'll let her pictures do the talking.

BEFORE/AFTER

These pictures? They're from the same day-actually from within 15 minutes of each other. With the same outfit, plus a belt. She looks amazing, right? Here she is an a dress (that she made!) before our session together...

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.

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!