Client of the Month: Laurie

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Laurie was one of the first clients I worked with when I started my business. We’ve been working together off/on for two years and she is a VIP client. Laurie has great figure. Her shoulders and hips are fairly balanced. She felt like there was a little “extra” in the middle ,but it was not excessive and very easy hide. My goal was to show her shape a little more and bring in the waist with different styles. I also wanted to see her wearing more accessories.

Laurie is petite which presents some challenges as many longer styles don’t always work. She often felt encompassed by too much fabric in a longer top. Some things didn’t hit her right at the waist. But she is thin and most everything looked great on her.

When we started working together, I felt that many clothes in her closet she had worn for a while and some had seen better days. Others had potential, and we worked at giving them new life. A few styles made her look a little older than she was. My job was to help her see that her style is always evolving. It’s easy to get in a rut. When someone seeks my advice to help change their style, I know I have to be careful not to push them too far “outside their box” or it will remain unworn. Yet, I need to encourage them to see things they would NEVER try. It can be a fine line at times.

I’ve even worked with Laurie to help her plan outfits before a vacation(she was tired of looking the same in all the photos) and choosing clothes for a Family Photo.

Here are some BEFORE photos. I’ve highlighted some of her perspectives below.

K: How would you say your style has evolved?

L: I would define my style as extremely classic. Although I had a romantic side, I never allowed myself to indulge in that style. I also have seen a glimmer of contemporary now. Previously I would NEVER have entertained wearing skinny jeans tucked in my boots.

K: When you look back at the “Before” pictures, what do you notice?

L:I was trying to be a step above the women in sloppy, baggy sweats, but I always dressed the same. I was the typical “Mom on the Go” trying to juggle kids, a business and their activities. I taught Spanish part time and had to dress up a little but, but typically I was in jeans, a hoodie, a colored T-shirt and tennis shoes. In fact my kids even commented one day that I NEVER wear tennis shoes anymore!

K: What was the biggest frustration with the clothes in your closet?

L: I had a ton of clothes and I didn’t know how to wear them. I didn’t know if things were dated or could stay. I bought separates–”stand-alone” pieces that I didn’t know what to do with when I got them home. I was stuck with the idea that being petite meant I could only wear short jackets. I thought my choices were limited in jeans.

K: What have you learned through this process?

L: I make way better choices and am even able to put together some of my own combinations. I could never do this in the past. I never shopped sales confidently and now I can walk into a discount store like the Nordstrom Rack or Marshall’s and find something. I shop smarter. Before I had been told that I had an athletic frame and not to wear a belt as it would only accentuate that. Now I realize that I want to show my shape and bring in my waist with different styles and the right belts. I feel better and more confident. I’ve always loved clothes but feel more freedom to dress in a way that expresses who I am.

K: What do others say now?

L: Right away friends told me that I looked 10-15 pounds thinner. Many thought I had lost weight. Others told me I looked younger and more comfortable with myself.  

Before we took the “After” pictures, I suggested we do some makeup at the Bobbie Brown counter. Laurie had not done a makeup update in many years. I can’t emphasize enough how much makeup and hair can change your look in addition to your clothes. It takes some time, experimenting. This was just a start.

Photo #1 Laurie runs cold so she needs to layer. I’ve given her lots of ideas to do this, but the bottom line is she needed a warm coat with a hood. Laurie even found this one on her own. It was a good choice. Great color, nice shape to the coat yet roomy enough to layer over light jacket or heavier sweater.

Photo #2 & 3 Typically she wouldn’t have worn solid purple and solid green. The scarf tied those two colors together perfectly. Scarves and jewelry do that.

Our next step? Jewelry and Hair if she is game! Please take a look on the VIP page and see Laurie’s family photo testimonial. Laurie is a faithful reader, so leave a comment and tell her how great she looks!