Well the Christmas break is definitely over and we’re back to our normal routines. It’s
January and now’s the time to make up for all that indulging we did over the Christmas period, not only with what we ate but what we bought too! Be honest I’m sure your wardrobes are looking fuller and less organized than before; maybe with new items that were bought for you as gifts or the extra impulse items you bought during the sales.
I did a really interesting task over the holidays with my aunty, who asked me to do her wardrobe for her. Her goal for 2019 is to own a capsule wardrobe and who better than her stylist niece to help create it? To say she had a lot of clothes is an understatement and without even going through it, the moment I slid open the doors I knew exactly the kind of shopper my aunty is, and she’s not alone. My aunty loves to shop, she loves dressing up and more importantly she loves a bargain. She simply can’t resist and is of the mindset, if I like it and it’s on offer then I’ll buy it or I’ll loose weight if I have to and then I’ll wear it.
The problem is, my lovely aunty is unconsciously following the classic 80/20 rule. She’s wearing 20% of her wardrobe 80% of the time! The 80% either doesn’t fit her or doesn’t suit her complexion, lifestyle or body shape and probably never will. We went through the items, many of which still had the price tags on and as the pile of unsuitable clothes was getting bigger and bigger I could see the embarrassment and frustration my aunty was feeling for all the money she had wasted over the years. Now I wouldn’t do this with any of my clients but seeing as this was my aunty I did a calculation exercise where we added up the value of all the unworn/ only worn once items and it was a very large number… trust me if you add up all the £30 to £50 items it doesn’t take long before you hit the thousand(s) mark!
My aunty was suitably depressed and I’m sure if you did the same exercise you may well be too. Imagine what you could do with that wasted money: a holiday, nights out, a new hobby or some renovation to your home? The great thing about actually doing this calculation exercise is that it really hit home to my aunty on how important it is to shop wisely. By educating her on what suits her shape and what her most flattering colours are has equipped her to never make the same mistakes again no matter how enticing the bargain is.
Although paying for a stylist for many people seems indulgent, with everyone of my clients the feedback is always the same, in that getting a stylist to come and do their colours and wardrobe is the best investment they’ve made, because once the knowledge has been taught, no one can take it away from you and you’ll never waste money on unworn clothes again. Your stylist will create you a capsule wardrobe of clothes that all go together, that flatter you, fit like a glove that can be worn from day to night, any time of the year and then shopping will be a well thought out exercise, where you’ll be buying items that not only work with the rest of your wardrobe but are simply perfect for you!