HUSBAND: “Are we now people who hire other people to do things for us?”

WIFE: “I am.”

There was a time when personal styling seemed like a service utilized by the rich and famous. If you were to hear the term “stylist,” you would immediately think of event-driven attire such as a wedding or a photoshoot and not necessarily asset management. In 1998, I worked for a company that managed digital assets for large businesses. The business model was developed to define what the assets were and under what circumstances they were to be used. At the time, it was a new concept for me, but later, when I started working with women and their wardrobes, I made a connection that clothing could be defined as assets as well. People are often overwhelmed with what they have and cannot apply how all the elements relate to each other.  Some clients profess I am a magician when outfits appear effortlessly upon my arrival. I rather think of myself as someone who applies math to the confusion and identifies the strongest common denominators, and eliminates the weakest links.

Building a business based on helping people organize their thoughts surrounding clothing has proven to be a very rewarding job. Not only do I offer insights on how to make the most out of what they own, but I share in preparing them for their life events and deconstruct the psychology of their relationship with clothing. Let’s be real. Buying something new offers immediate gratification, but the excitement wanes all too fast. I started to question where the satisfaction goes once we hang up those gratifying purchases in our closets. If you stand in front of clothing that you were once excited about and now feel nothing, perhaps there’s more value in spending those same dollars to find clarity. Let’s do the math. How many mistakes are made, and how many dollars are spent where clothing goes underutilized in the course of a season? With a little redistribution of funds, solutions are at your fingertips, and control over your wardrobe becomes more gratifying than buying more temporary fixes. 

Closet Confidential is a concept I’ve designed to implement the value behind hiring a stylist. My clients have always shared with me how my tips and advice has changed their relationship with getting dressed. My vetting process keeps clients invested in their wardrobes with seasonal edits. If you disengage for too long, the entire landscape changes only to leave you feeling lost and frustrated yet again. The only constant in a wardrobe is the inevitability of change. Jobs change, styles change, sizes change, and we get older, which challenges how long anything we purchase will be a viable solution. Client Confidential will offer an end-user perspective on what triggered the desire to reach out, the goals for their wardrobe, and where they’ve found the most value from the process. 

To kick things off, I’ve asked Stephanie Kapsis to share her takeaways from working with me over the last few months. Stephanie is a wife and mother of three girls who is vested in her community with a natural inclination to support local businesses. She keeps economic choices locally based whenever possible. I was thrilled to have her include me in her efforts to support those around her. Good energy breeds more good energy, and if you have the pleasure of knowing Stephanie, she exudes happiness and exemplifies a balanced lifestyle. We started things off with an exploratory Zoom meeting in early February. It’s common knowledge that Stephanie is a big fan of The Hive and of Ulla Johnson - but there is a little secret at The Hive on the bulletin board in the back office. A photo of Stephanie and her adorable family is pinned up where she is rocking her Ulla Johnson dress. Did you know there is a Shoe Hive Wall of Fame?  Have you sent the Hive a photo of you in your most amazing dress or shoes that you purchased from them? If you haven’t, make sure to add 301 Cameron Street to your holiday card list!

Below, Stephanie shares the value she’s experienced.

“Excuse me, you look like a princess.” A little girl and her mother stopped me as my husband, and I were walking to dinner. I was dressed up for a night out and was wearing something that I felt good in, and I guess it showed. I was actually wearing a dress that I had recently purchased and instantly fell in love with after Alicia recommended it to me.

I’ve never been someone who thought I would work with a stylist. I like clothes, I enjoy the process of finding special pieces and putting them together, and I generally know what I like. So, I couldn’t imagine how using one would fit into my life or budget.

This past winter, I needed some new sweaters and tops to wear while zooming. I was at The Hive one day and found a sweater that I loved. Alicia happened to be working there, and she magically adjusted the shoulders, and then I loved the sweater even more. “Make the clothes do what you want them to do,” she said. And she was right. I DMed her later that night and asked her if she was taking clients.

Because I like to invest in nice pieces, I wanted a gut check on what I was purging, keeping, and how I was generally using my clothes. Alicia came over and helped me pour through my closet. She organized it so that I would think more seasonally and use what I really have, and then helped identify any gap areas. She also pushed my thinking on pieces that I had in my closet that technically “still fit” but that I hadn’t worn in 10+ years.  She quickly appreciated my style as well as understood my lifestyle: first and foremost, a mom that wants to get down on the floor with the kids but also look put together, a small business owner that needs to be both professional and approachable, and a partner that wants to find opportunities to not feel like a tired mom.  

Alicia has helped me to maximize what I already have. She has shown me how to make countless outfits out of existing pieces and really emphasizes using what I have versus acquiring more. She has also helped identify gaps that would further tie items together (i.e., a new basic top or a jacket) or special pieces like the “princess dress.” It’s fun, and it feels easy because I have lots of options that I love. It all still feels like me, it’s just me “doing what I want the clothes to do.”

I put three looks together for Stephanie that represent the areas of her lifestyle. In true Stylebook fashion, I also aim to give readers a takeaway when making choices for their own wardrobes for the upcoming season. Rust is a major player and offers an effortless pairing with light blue, ivory, black, and navy - the core colors for many wardrobes. Being part of the coral color family, it’s a hue that is very complimentary to many people and a variety of skin tones. All of Stephanie’s looks incorporate the power of rust!

Date Night (aka Princess Look!)

It just so happens that Stephanie’s husband’s favorite color is rust. She proved this to me by showing me his collection of rust half zips and sweaters. 2021 is shaping up to be a good color year for the Kapsis family! I added the new light blue denim jacket with a power shoulder from Veronica Beard - The Ferazia Jacket - available at The Hive! It’s a great compliment to rust, and we were able to get the full sleeve of the dress inside the denim sleeve. In this case, the clothing complied and did what I wanted!



Work Look 

I have been touting the one item that will maximize your fall refresh this fall. The Rust Pant! Stephanie had the mainstay Scuba Jacket in her wardrobe already, but I urged her to deviate from the usual denim and incorporate the rust pant. We paired it with the light peach knit sweater to give her a clean tonal core with an easy add-on of a blazer. With a career grounded in education, Stephanie wants to emanate accessibility. Her choices keep her style clean, so the message is about establishing confidence.

Mom 24/7

It’s the most important job and one that can be executed with effortless style. Denim is changing, and we will all make adjustments on our terms. Stephanie added a straight-leg style in late winter. Ulla Johnson is the easiest “mom” top that feels as good as it looks. We are being careful not to overpopulate this silhouette. On a recent appointment, the conclusion was to purchase the statement belt to complete more needs in her wardrobe than to add another top. “Buy Less, Wear More.”

I’ll be bringing on a limited number of new clients in October, November, and December of 2021. If you would like to secure a spot on the 2021 fall/winter rollout or on the upcoming 2022 new client list, please reach out for more information. Purchase an engagement before September 1, 2021, to lock in a rate before new prices go into effect.