INTUITIVE PERSONAL STYLIST HELPING CLIENTS BREAK BARRIERS & STRENGTHEN THE BOND BETWEEN THEIR soul

And Their Wardrobe

I love how you explain what personal style is NOT. Would you share with us your thoughts around this because it is so impactful?

Personal style is so much deeper than clothes; it’s an expression of your sense of self There’s this common misconception that style is not accessible, it’s believed that you either have it or you don’t - and that’s just not true! The truth is that personal style is something that you have to develop It takes time, and it involves learning who you are at your core, and working through your own limitations that have been preventing you from fully showing up as yourself Once you’re ready to do all of that inner work, that’s when you’re fully capable of matching your outer self to your inner self.

Your style is a reflection of who you are, and when there’s a disconnect there, it impacts how we show up - whether it’s showing up for our clients, our brand, our business, or for ourselves. Your brand values mirror your personal core values, and all of that is part of your client’s experience while working with you and your business.

How can someone start to create a capsule wardrobe this Spring if they feel that they don't have a personal style?

Capsule wardrobes are all about versatility. I always suggest that when you’re beginning your style journey, it helps to start by looking in your closet Pull out your favorite pieces, and ask yourself why you like them - is it how you feel when you wear it, the color, how you look in it, the style, etc Answering these questions will help you to find more clothes that you like when you shop in the future

Once you have identified your favorite pieces (and you know why you love them), challenge yourself to see all of the different ways that you can wear them. If you feel overwhelmed by that idea, remember that jeans and neutrals (black, white, gray, navy, olive, and red) go with just about anything, so use that as your outfit foundation when you’re trying to figure out what to pair

How can someone dabble in a trend authentically or in a way that works for them?

When you’re curious about trying a trend, start small. See if there are ways that you can try the trend while using things already in your closet By using pieces you already have, you’ll already have a comfort level with your outfit, while you’re feeling like you’re trying something new If you’re looking to buy something on trend, you can take a similar approach, where the majority of the new clothing item has details that are within your comfort zone, whether it’s the overall color or cut, and just has a hint of the trend

When people go all in on a head to toe trendy outfit, and it’s not something they normally do, that’s when it feels the most inauthentic to them, like they’re wearing a costume

What are your favorite trends for Spring 2023?

I absolutely love adding contrasting texture to an outfit, so the fact that 3D elements and contrasting sleeves are everywhere right now brings me a lot of joy. I really enjoy when 3D shapes are added to a garment without taking away from highlighting the individual who’s wearing them

What is the benefit to a style budget and what would you recommend someone invest in?

It doesn’t matter how big your style budget is, it’s always important to shop with intention That means shopping with a plan - knowing what you have, knowing what you love, and planning what you need Otherwise you’ll end up impulse shopping, and wasting money on things that don’t deserve it!

When you are figuring out what you want to intentionally add to your closet, you’ll want to invest in the pieces that you are going to wear a lot - aka your “workhorse pieces”. These are the clothes that will get a lot of mileage, and in order for them to hold up and look just as beautiful as the day you purchased them, you’ll want to spend more to get better quality. Typical workhorse pieces are things like jeans, blazers, coats, shoes, and bags, but of course, they could be other items depending on what your go to’s are

If high end luxury names are something that appeals to you, do your research to know what’s truly an investment (meaning, what maintains its value) vs what’s just a big name purchase Not all luxury designers are treated the same, so if you’re even slightly thinking about reselling something after you’ve purchased it, make sure it’s a name that holds its value.

What are your recommendations for someone preparing for a branding photoshoot?

After you’ve taken the time to determine all of your brand colors and your brand voice, you need to think about how that relates to you and the outfits you choose. Ask yourself, how do you want people to feel when they see me in these photos? What do you want people to think about you? How does this connect back to my brand?

Start by choosing clothes that make you feel the way you want your audience to feel I see a lot of business owners defaulting to neutralsspecifically white and black, when they’re choosing their outfits for their brand photoshoot Unless black and white is your brand, don’t do this

It takes a lot of work to be done well, and communicate everything you want to say about your brand. Instead, bring in some of your brand colors, or colors that are analogous to your brand colors (meaning, they’re right next to your brand colors on the color wheel). Analogous colors will complement your brand colors, without feeling overly matchy.

Make sure that you are comfortable in your clothes! If you are uncomfortable with the fit or how it looks on you, it will show on your face and your body language in every single photo. Remember, your brand photoshoot is for your brand, your business, so choose what represents all of that, rather than choosing pieces that you feel like you should wear. Give yourself the permission to stand out and to be you.

Do you believe that our wardrobe and style affect our business?

Oh absolutely!! Your style is a reflection of who you are, and when there’s a disconnect there, it impacts how we show up - whether it’s showing up for our clients, our brand, our business, or for ourselves Your brand values mirror your personal core values, and all of that is part of your client’s experience while working with you and your business If there’s anything that is out of alignment, your client will feel that and it will either negatively impact their experience while working with you, or it will prevent them from wanting to work with you all together. So, if you’re wearing clothes, or showing up in a way that feels like it is dissonant with your brand, your clients will feel that. They probably won’t realize that your style is what’s impacting their decision, but they will feel the energetic disconnect

It’s not your job to dress for your clients, but you should absolutely dress for yourself and your business When you’re providing a luxurious experience for your clients, there should be a sense of luxury in your style That doesn’t mean that you have to wear all high end designer pieces, but you should absolutely focus on the quality of your fabric choices, the fit of your clothes, and having a put together look from head to toe.

If you want your clients to feel relaxed and comfortable with you, like they hired someone they would love to hang out with, you can choose more casual clothes for your style. The key here though, is making sure that when you’re wearing casual clothes, that you can still be in “business mode”, that you’re not too casual, that you lose your focus and your drive

How are you Becoming Iconic this year?

Why would someone hire a personal stylist and when is the best time for someone to do this for themselves? SUSAN'SPHOTOS BYJessicaLynnPhotography @susanpadron

I am going big with my goals for this year When an opportunity comes up that seems scary, I’m going to remind myself that there’s a reason that opportunity entered my orbit. I’m going to feel empowered by having the ability to say yes or no, and feel confident with all of my efforts