My Styled Life

Let me start by saying this: I love fashion influencers. Even as a stylist, I’m regularly inspired by pieces they recommend and outfits they put together. We all need some inspo regularly…it pushes us to try new things and I’m a huge fan of that.

Plus, we can’t deny the actual economic impact of influencers…projected to be a whopping $16 billion in 2022.

HOWEVER, I talk to so many women who see an outfit on an influencer and buy the pieces only to be disappointed and frustrated when they don’t work for them. Why? You’re likely not considering the right things before jumping the gun to buy.

4 things you should ask yourself:

DOES SHE HAVE MY BODY TYPE?
This is the MOST important question to ask yourself. A tall, size 2, rectangle body-shaped influencer has on full-length straight pants that you fall in love with and you are a petite, pear-shaped, size 10 lady? They likely won’t work for you. Not sure what your body type is? Message me about how to discover yours, and learn what cuts and shapes are right for you.

ARE THE PIECES RIGHT FOR MY LIFESTYLE?
Research shows that there are anywhere from 3 to 35 million fashion influencers in the world! That means there are influencers of every age and walk of life. Consider your stage of life and follow influencers who align with yours.

IS SHE OFFERING ADVICE ON HOW TO WEAR THE PIECES?
Just because someone is an influencer doesn’t necessarily mean she’s knowledgeable about style. There are lots of women who post clever social videos of themselves in outfits and link to the LTK profiles, but they offer little or no styling advice. Look for influencers who are educating, not just entertaining.

IS SHE PROMOTING QUALITY BRANDS? Look, there is a role for less expensive brands in our wardrobes, especially when they are super trendy pieces, but I generally encourage quality over a low price point. Not only are some of the fast fashion brands terrible for the environment, the pieces are poorly made. They may look good on Instagram, but are shoddy in person.

So go ahead, get inspired! Just do it with intention. 😀

Many women, when shopping, regularly struggle to decide whether or not they should buy a certain piece. In fact, research shows that 50% of women actually experience ANXIETY when shopping for new clothes and 4 in 10 actually HATE the activity.

They ask a myriad of questions in their minds only to end up feeling more confused, questioning a purchase after they’ve bought an item, or worse yet, buying a piece that ends up hanging in their closet unworn. Sound familiar?

What can you do to combat this stress?

First, if a piece doesn’t fit correctly (or can’t be altered to fit correctly), it’s a no-go from the start. However, if it passes that test, I love the 3-3-3 rule by personal stylist Hallie Abrams of The Wardrobe Consultant. She recommends asking these 3 things when considering adding a piece to your wardrobe:

1. Are there 3 WAYS I can wear it?
2. Are there 3 PLACES I can wear it?
3. Are there 3 ITEMS IN MY CLOSET I can pair it with?

If you can’t answer those questions positively, it’s most likely not worth the investment. Can’t decide while you're in the store or shopping online? Take it home and do the exercise by going through your wardrobe and working with the piece.

Another great option my clients take advantage of is a DIGITAL CLOSET that contains pictures of the pieces in their wardrobe. When shopping in a store, simply pull up your digital closet and make your decision on the spot. Want to learn more? DM me and I’ll give you more information!