Personal Shoppers

[RubberBullets]

I am completely clueless when it comes to clothes, I stick to the same bland styles and wear clothes until they wear out so very rarely buy any. I can easily not buy any clothes in any given year. I haven't really got a clue what suits me and wondered what it would be like to go to a department store and have a personal shopper to give me some ideas. Has anyone used these before? If so then what are they like and will there be much pressure to buy what they suggest?

I haven't used one but have been advised to

Apparently they are great and there is no pressure to buy anything in most stores - you can always say you'll go and have a break and think about it before committing to buying anything!

I've used them with mixed success, same shop, different results.

I went to buy workwear for a new job, it was really worthwhile, got lots of stuff I wouldn't have tried, there wasn't any pressure to buy more than I wanted, but to be fair it was clear I would be buying something.

I tried it for jeans. Sadly they knew naff all about jeans and I bought an expensive pair that had to go to charity.

I went to buy a party-frock that I could wear for a special occasion and thereafter to a casual wedding. Wild success. They found me a fantastic frock in a brand I'd have simply walked past, it was totally out of my comfort zone and I love it to bits and wear it whenever I can get away with it.

I tried it again for another special occasion. A bit more ho-hum, not sure I even bought anything.

I think you need some sort of brief for them to work with, and in a department store with different brands you need to be prepared to say what sort of price think is reasonable. In my experience I felt less pressure than I would feel in a more casual thing where an assistant starts trailing around a shop after you suggesting thing. I'd say worth a try.

I've been to a personal shopper twice - both in Debenhams. And accompanied my sister to one once.

I've found them incredibly useful. Particularly the first time for me and the time for my sister. We both were very similar to OP - stuck in a 'no style style' and wanting a bit of advice - neither of us very confident with clothes, colour and, in my sister's case, her figure. I don't know if we just hit lucky - but both times the personal shopper understood this and was really very good at testing boundaries and suggesting things. I imagine that's why they got their jobs.

No pressure to buy at all. I did buy stuff and then tried at home and took some back but took on board the style and colour advice. Others bits I kept and wore to death. I enjoyed it much more the second time when I'd got the hang of it too. We'd made it clear we were looking for a style revamp - and that's what I got. It's lovely having a cubicle to yourself and someone bringing you armfuls of clothes. Really recommend it. They also took us down to get our make up done at one of the counters - with no pressure to buy. Debenhams is good because there's such a range of clothes and prices.