Personal Stylist has changed my life

[Bigboobsnotgoodboobs]

Back in October I saw a personal stylist for the very first time. It was a real investment, not cheap (it was at selfridges). I got some amazing clothes and my style totally changed

I have just had a 2nd appointment for “spring/summer” and can actually say it has changed my life.

each time I’ve gone I’ve spent just over £1000 on clothes, but I haven’t really spent much in between

I go on holiday in a couple of weeks and it’s the very first time I’m going away without being in a blind panic about what I’m going to wear, and literally buying a tonne of stuff online, however inappropriate before I go away.

its not cheap but its such an investment in me. At 45 with young children, size 16/18 I’m not lying when I say it’s transformed my life. I used to live in black leggings and black tops. Now my wardrobe is bursting with colour.

not looking for any validation here, but if you’re in a similar situation and just don’t know how to shop for your body type then I’d say absolutely go for it

Ps sorry I should say I’m pleased you found the experience successful OP.

You posted a load of photos of Clare mainly in casual outfits when she was just posting about her day-to-day life. I noticed you didn’t post any of her glammed up or in dresses, and there were plenty of those you could have chosen. Almost like you were choosing photos to fit your own agenda really.

Anyway, she’s booked up a year in advance now so she must be doing something right. I doubt she’s worried about what a couple of anonymous randommers on Mumsnet think about her style. Still very unkind of you to post like that though, I’d have a think about why you felt the need to do that if I were you.

Fab op! I had one for years. (Not anymore) I still use the clothes from all those years ago (key pieces) and I top up with a bi monthly subscription box!
my stylish did a session with my now husband (then boyfriend) and he too still wears the key bits she picked for him!

so worth the investment and such a nice treat! Good on you

OP, in all the palaver I forgot to say that I’m really happy you had such a positive experience. 😊I felt the same the first time I went, it was a genuinely life-changing experience. By-the-way, you can always get this post moved to Style & Beauty if AIBU is attracting the wrong attention.

Sounds fantastic

Better than diy trying to pull all your outfits together

I kind of see what they’re saying though. The actual clothes aren’t really to my taste (not that it matters obviously) but I’m more surprised that so much of it is from one brand - it seems a bit of a cop out and like OP could just go to Whistles herself?!

Literakmy anyone could walk into whistles. But she didn’t. And even if she did knowing which prices to pick up and what looks good is a very different situation.

There was definitely one photo of her ‘glammed up’ in a mustard outfit trussed up to the neck. It was not at all flattering. There are several others on her IG page but they were not flattering and I thought people might say I was body shaming her as they were tight and bulgy and personally I felt they were not at all flattering

I genuinely picked what I thought were pictures of her in the sort of clothes the OP was discussing. Day to day stuff. But seriously, I just grabbed a bunch of pics she posted. Anyone can go look for themselves. There was no desperate search for the worse pics. She posted them. She must think these are good looks. No stylist would post pics they thought looked bad.

Imo a stylist is just like a tattoo artist, therapist or the like- you'd choose one who appeals to you and seems to align to your style etc. Having looked at her page she doesn't seem to click with me either, doesn't mean she's bad though just not right for me. She was right for OP though who is happy with her services which is fab.

I think I posted this mustard one. I’m not sure. I don’t know why you think it’s mean. It’s HER IG page. She is choosing what she posts as an advertisement to what she does. I’m not stalking someone’s private pages and finding unflattering pics the paps took of someone. This is her at her best.

@blueleavesgreensky why are you posting more pics, given that Mumsnet have deleted the ones you've already put up? I think everyone gets your point- you don't think she dresses to flatter her shape. But so what? Why should she? OP has asked her to fill a certain brief, and she's succeeded- she's done a good job. Somebody else has posted that they also asked her to fill a certain brief, and she again succeeded.

When picking her own clothes, her agenda might not be to make me look as slim as I can, or to show off a certain part of her body, or whatever flattering currently is. Her brief might be to wear a certain neckline or trend, to wear a certain designer or colour, to cover up bloat or be as comfy as she can be, to only wear a certain material, to showcase a dress she's been sent. Everyone has their own agenda when they're getting dressed, and just because you don't agree with that agenda doesn't mean you should repeatedly post trying to rip it to shreds.

That would be like me saying I hate neutral colours and barrel jeans, then repeatedly posting pictures of a stylist putting someone in them and saying, look, she's got no style, she keeps using neutral colours and barrel jeans, doesn't she know they're awful?

She is seperate from her job, she can wear what she wants. Her clients are happy, you don't have to employ her or even look at more of her stuff ever again if you don't want- hide her on Instagram!

I never used a stylist as I love shopping too much for that, but getting my colours done when I was in my 20s was probably the best investment I ever made. I still have the swatch, they still work for me today and also for my daughter who is exactly the same skin tone, eye colour and hair as me - she's always amazed I can instantly tell her which colours will look will look amazing on her (which won't!) when we go shopping together. Knowing your colours speeds up the process in any shopping expedition as you can immediately discount whole racks of stuff. Those criticising JL stylists probably just don't like JL fashions (I've always thought it was better for household stuff than clothes) - the problem with just going to one shop is that you only have the choice of the stuff they have in stock.

I just wanted to say that It’s worth remembering that behind every post and picture is a real person with feelings. If we don’t have anything kind or supportive to say, it’s better to say nothing at all.

I've never used a stylist - it doesn't interest me. I know nothing about Clare and I've not even looked at her Instagram, although if she's running a successful business then good for her. However I do have some thoughts about stylists as a whole

If I did engage a stylist, and especially if I were paying a three figure sum as opposed to using a free service, I wouldn't just want them to select a bunch of clothes for me, I'd want to understand why they had made that selection. (And I hope it wouldn't only be about making my arse look smaller as I find that stuff pretty tedious.) I'd want to come away with pointers about what to look for and feeling more confident about shopping for myself in the future.

I've no idea whether or not this particular stylist does that but I do sometimes hear people talking about going back and using the same service year after year and, if I was looking for one, that wouldn't make me inclined to book them.

The same would apply to colour analysis.

Clare Watkins is running a business selling styling services. The photographs she posts on her Instagram are adverts for her business. On the basis of her adverts she's not selling anything I'd want to buy.

I love the op's post. I've been following Claire Watkins on Instagram & recommended her to a poster a while back
She occasionally posts pictures of her style makeovers & they are totally diverse, including men & women with totally different styles of dressing to herself.
She comes over as being very warm & has stated her role is to imbue confidence in the individual being styled. I would expect her to have a huge knowledge of brands to suit various shapes and this is what she's done brilliantly for the op. I happen to love the clothes she's picked & the outfit worn looks great.

I am finding it unpleasant that she's being criticised for the way she looks. She's tiny & an hour glass which is the exact opposite of a model size figure. Hard to photograph but I like her clothes ( often very casual) but expensive & good quality. She's also very attractive & has stated that the reason she does the job is that having had issues with her own confidence for not being the right shape, too fat etc., an imposter ... She wants to make others feel better.
Saying that I would never ask for style advice from Emily Innis as I can't bear the way she dresses, so I sort of see where posters are coming from. But the level of malevolence is something here.

Certain posters piling on who believe they are style arbiters & already appear to have a very good grasp of their own style ( ( often very unique ) have no right to pitch up & criticise her for Claire's perceived shortcomings . Unless they have an excellent knowledge of the job she's performing. Which they very obviously don't.

Thanks for this thread OP, great to hear that doing this has helped you.

You've inspired me to look up local personal stylists and think about having a consultation. I am that cliche - mid-40s, mum of two under 11, feeling a bit "lost" style wise!

Thanks for the post OP! Sounds like great value for money and an investment into yourself. I'm in a similar boat - as I imagine lots of women are - in having lost my fashion mojo. Funnily enough I've come across that stylist before when I was searching for petite stylists. I had considered it myself and was looking for someone who would know about getting proportions right and what brands to look out for. I'd definitely consider booking her for next year.

The others were deleted because someone thought I had made disparaging comments not because there were pictures posted.
I hadn’t made any disparaging comments at all but sometimes MN will remove a post if someone was upset about something.
there is nothing untoward about posting pics from a public promotional IG page. It can be helpful for people to know what people are talking about.

I think this is great if you have the money to do it. Is it my style? Not at all. Would I spend money on it? No. However if it’s absolutely changed your life then it’s worth every penny. I’m happy finding my own clothes, love a bargain.

@blueleavesgreensky while I apologise that I misunderstood the deleted posts, I think the question still stands- why? Do you really think it's fair that the OP has come on to say what a good job the stylist has done- she hasn't posted herself- and basically you have repeatedly just said but the stylist looks shit. In not so many words, but that is clearly what you are putting across. Just why?

Make the comment once that you aren't a fan of her Instagram pictures of outfits of herself, okay, but you haven't, you've come back to it to add pictures that you think she looks trussed up in. It just makes you seem like a not very nice person.

Wow you do look fab, money well spent id say

I've literally just (last Friday) done something similar to this, but it was a wardrobe detox. The stylist came to my house, got all my clothes out, did my colours and went through everything I owned and showed me what was the right shape for me (12-14 hourglass, 5ft 5, small waist, big boobs, wide hips and hideous flabby mum tum). She then put outfits together from what I already owned, then you have access to her app where she adds in things she things you need. She takes away anything you don't want, isn't the right colour, or doesn't suit your shape, and donates to three charities she works with - one for office clothes for interviews for people, a food bank with a clothes section and formal dresses for those struggling to afford prom wear. I LOVED it - my wardrobe is now free of all the things I've kept for 10 years for safety - I was never going to wear them but they were there 'just in case'. I now have a wardrobe of things I actually will wear, and have confidence in wearing as I'd definitely hit 40 and lost my way a bit; across a colour palette that suits me, and a list of new items to go with things I already have. It was £375 for this session. She does personal shopping too, for the same price, but she calls shops ahead to order in the items she things would work for you.

I like the sound of that too @kelthebell what is that stylist called?

I'm so glad you had a good experience. I saw one year's ago and it was dreadful. She said, yes you DO have a difficult figure to dress, don't you? And proceeded to find some really unsuitable clothes! However, getting my colours done years ago was genuinely life changing. I used to wear black all the time which made me look ill and washed out. Now my wardrobe is full of beautiful, vibrant clothes that really suit me.😁