Women Are Tired
I’m noticing a common thread through women that are coming to me for direction and that is that enough is enough. The shopping experience of the instant hit, the impatience of the need. The ripping open of the delivery of the latest trend led piece in several colour ways with one hand, doing something else with the other. Realising that the dopamine hit that it gives is short lived. And women are tired of it - and rightly so. We deserve more than that.
As a personal stylist you’d think I’d be flying the flag for shopping. I am, it’s just that my flag isn’t flying as frantically. I approach things differently.
I don’t wax lyrically about ‘shop till you drop', I encourage women to be patient,
to play the wardrobe long game. You can learn so much from what you don’t wear to identify what your style is. I can then determine what you really need to pull pieces together and where that investment is best placed. Reducing the noise within your wardrobe helps you to see what you have clearly - and that feeling that you’re represented in who you are and what you love, you carry through your day.
If recent months have taught us anything about our clothes, it’s that how you physically feel in your clothes makes a huge difference to your mood. To invest in fabrics that feel beautiful on your frame, that feel good against your skin and fit you well is hugely powerful. Fabrics that work hard for you, fabrics that support you in how your lifestyle may have changed that offer you comfort and allow you to feel held, is hugely important on so many levels.
As a consumer, shopping with consideration and with a purpose isn’t only the responsible thing to do. That thrill of the chase and to really covet something, to search for exactly what you know that you need is a much more empowering shopping experience. It’s an approach you can apply to shopping vintage, high street and independently; from high end to pre-loved. It's breaking a habit, knowing that scrolling time doesn’t owe you anything. You do not need to buy something to justify that time spent. It is OK to leave with nothing. Maintain the focus of what it is that you actually need and invest in that, make it something with longevity, not something that will just do for now.
Look into the provenance of what it is that you’re buying, look into the brands transparency of their processes and values. To shop with this level of consideration doesn’t mean exclusively higher end - not at all. There are some incredible brands working so hard on the composition of their fabrics within the high street and independently. If you find this overwhelming, contact me, I can absolutely help you.
And then when you find what you need, and order it, most likely online right now, don’t rush that process. Give yourself a quiet moment to drink that in. Investing in yourself deserves that level of your attention. This is an occasion for you. You’ve earned this. Don’t race through it. And when it arrives, wait until an opportune time to open it, taking in the care it’s been packed with, especially if it’s something from an independent, they get it. They want for you to feel that too.
To help guide women to make these changes, to feel more confident in making focussed shopping decisions I’ve hosted a workshop that historically has been in person. I've now adapted that workshop to deliver online.
F O C U S & D I R E C T I O N
It’s a workshop curated to the women attending, with the numbers capped to maintain an intimate experience. A gorgeous vibe where women feel, if they’d like to, that they can speak openly and ask questions as we go through. I organise a questionnaire to come to you before the evening, that allows me to have that insight into what you need from me. I can then ensure we maximise our time together, covering in more detail what’s relevant.
With all of my clients across any of my services and workshops, I totally value the trust you put in me, how vulnerable you allow yourself to be in opening up about how your clothes make you feel. I hear you. I would never voice any of your personal thoughts to a group. It’s not my place. What we talk about is between us. So if you’d prefer to sit back and enjoy it quietly, not ask questions, that’s absolutely OK. From your questionnaire responses I already know where your head is and what you need from me. There’s no pressure.
If you want in, you can book one of the few remaining spaces here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/