5 Stylish Gifts for Your Mom

1.    Give your Mom the gift of time. Let her invest in herself by creating a block of time to spend editing her closet. A closet edit  is therapeutic and will help your Mom feel more confident and less stressed. Start by eliminating your Mom’s distractions for at least three hours. Next, give her the tools she needs to enjoy her closet edit such as candles, a glass (or bottle depending on the size of the closet) of wine, pad to take notes about the wardrobe pieces she needs, and a full length mirror. Your Mom will emerge from the closet a new woman with an organized and true sense of personal style. 

2.    Help your Mom create a look book.  After her closet edit, she will have a renewed sense of new and different outfits to choose from. Take a picture of each outfit (don’t forget to add accessories) to help your Mom get dressed quickly and easily each morning. Create a book for her to keep in her closet that has pictures of at least twenty outfits she can easily throw on each morning. The next time she is running late she can reference the look book for an outfit she knows looks great and makes her feel confident.

3.    Create a relaxation day for your Mom. Purchase her favorite style magazines and create a style library she can read while relaxing on the beach or at the spa. She can jump start her style simply by getting inspiration from magazines. It doesn’t take a lot of money to invest in your personal style, just good information so you can tweak what you already have.

4.    Show your Mom how she has inspired you to become a confident and successful woman. Make a list of all the ways her actions have influenced who you are and the impact you make on the world. Include this list in the card you give her. It will have more meaning than the saying Hallmark thought of.

5.    Purchase a gift certificate to her favorite boutique and schedule a time for her to have some fun  shopping. Encourage your Mom to bring the notes she made during her closet edit with her. Her notes will direct her to wardrobe pieces or accessories that will help her develop a versatile wardrobe that works lifestyle.

Let Charleston Style Concierge create the perfect gift for your Mom with one of our style services. Contact us at 843.323.2466 for great ideas of how to personalize a style experience for your Mom. Gift Certificates are available.

Here in Charleston, SC it’s important to cater your style  around temperature and UV index changes. Before stepping foot outside for a downtown stroll, remember the three spring essentials (in addition to sunscreen) for looking fabulous, while protecting yourself from the sun.

The Three Essentials for a Spring Stroll:

1)  A floppy hat: Protect yourself from the sun while looking fabulous in a chic floppy hat. Wear an SPF lotion on your face, as well, for double protection. When you walk down the street on a hot day, sweat tends to wash away a lot of the SPF you have on, which is why it’s important to have another form of protection. You can never be too careful when it comes to protecting yourself from the sun.

2)  A light scarf: Jazz up a light-colored spring outfit with a bold and colorful scarf.   A light-weight scarf adds color, flare, and texture to your spring outfit and also protects delicate neck skin from the sun. You might be thinking a scarf will make you sweat profusely, but the right feather-weight scarf is airy and light on your skin.

3)  A pair of sunglasses: Protect your eyes from the harsh sun with a pair of chic sunglasses. The combination of the floppy hat, light-weight scarf, and sunglasses is a fantastic look for spring, and can be adapted to your own personal style. No need for make-up—just an SPF lotion on your face, a light dusting of powder, and some mascara will do the trick. 

Need a personal shopper in Charleston, SC? Let Charleston Style Concierge find you the perfect spring essentials to fit your individual lifestyle. We’ll help you improve your personal style and provide you with tips and strategies to have lifelong effortless style. Contact us today at 843.323.2466 to learn about our many services, including closet editing, personal shopping, and personal styling.

Charleston Fashion Week 2009 began with a bang Tuesday night as six semi-finalist emerging designers showcased their fabulous spring collections. The night was speckled with seductive backless dresses, 70s style vintage attire, geometric dresses, vibrant colors, and floral touches, as each designer offered a completely different collection from the next.

One of my favorite designers was South Carolina native Caroline Baker, owner of the Maude Couture line. Her eco-friendly Plumage Collection was absolutely stunning, boasting recycled beads, organic materials, elegant colors, feathered silhouettes, and exquisite backlines.

Baker’s Plumage Collection is a must-have for spring couture fashion. The airy, backless dresses are perfect for cocktail parties or black tie events during warm spring nights. Below are some photos of the Plumage Collection, illustrating magnificent backless couture:

Backless dresses are classic and reveal one of the most elegant areas of skin . . . the back. This look isn’t just a cocktail party / black tie look, it can be pulled off during both day and night—both different styles of course.

To pull this look off during the daytime . . .

·        Find a blouse with a small dip in the back neckline to show off an appropriate amount of back. The backline shouldn’t drop further than the bottom of your shoulder blades. It’s also important to make sure your bra isn’t showing.

To pull this look off during the nighttime  . . .

·        Find a top or dress with a plunging backline that goes a bit further than mid should blades. Many of these tops and dresses cannot be worn with a regular strapless bra. I suggest finding stick on cups. These help hold your bust in and control that area.

·        Do not buy a top or dress with a really low plunging neckline and a really low plunging backline—you might as well go out naked. The key is to find a tasteful top or dress that exude elegance. Below are some examples of tops or dresses from the Plumage Collection that are done just right.

This spring, make a fantastic first impression without emptying your wallet. A wardrobe restyle doesn’t have to cost tons of money. With the right versatile outfits, you can mix and match without looking like you wore the same outfit twice. Contact Charleston Style Concierge  today at 843.323.2466 to learn how you can develop effortless style and eliminate stressful days trying to find an outfit that works from your closet. Our services include closet editing, personal styling, personal shopping, and more. Isn’t it time you looked amazing this spring?

If the bursting closet in your room somewhat resembles a growling monster with relics from the past, it’s time for a major closet clean-out .  This may seem like a daunting task—but it’s not.

What a closet clean-out will do for your lifestyle:

·        Eliminate that 15-30 minutes in the morning (and in the evenings) when you search for the perfect outfit you have in mind. Think about it—you can sleep during that extra time, and you won’t be so cranky in the morning because you’re late for work, and wearing something you don’t feel confident in.

·        The appearance of a color-coordinated, well-organized, and uncluttered closet can do wonders for your mood. No matter what your lifestyle, a clean and organized room is rejuvenating, and makes you feel on track in life.  

·        Instead of being aggravated with the horrific task of searching the cavernous depths of your closet for one piece of clothing you have in mind, an organized closet will eliminate the possibility of aggravation.

What items to part with and why:

·        That decent-looking sweater with fuzz balls dangling all over—not a good illustration of the image you want to portray.

·        The casual top you used to wear out in college that is so out-of-date, yet you convince yourself you might wear it again. You won’t. Rule of thumb: If you haven’t worn it in a year—give it the old heave-hoe.

·        Jeans that just don’t fit, or are so “broken-in” their starting to rip at the seams. Of course, the casual pair of jeans you wear around the house for messy chores and painting jobs can be kept (in the garage), but when you know you haven’t worn a certain pair of jeans because they simply don’t fit anymore, you simply need to buy a new pair. 

Sometimes it’s hard to part with certain articles of clothing—you feel bad throwing them away. Don’t. Goodwill is a great place to bring clothes you don’t wear anymore. Thrift shopping is huge now, especially in this tough economy. Not only do you provide clothes that others will wear (that you know you won’t anymore), but many times you receive a tax write-off. It’s well worth it.

Cleaning-out your closet takes approximately only three hours of your time, and on a relaxing Saturday, it could be the perfect chore to tackle. It doesn’t have to be stressful. Put on your favorite music, open a window, and get going. You’ll be finished in no time, and you’ll have had fun doing it.

The word fit gets thrown around a lot in our lives. Something may not fit your lifestyle. Your last job just wasn’t a good fit. Or maybe last week you were really fit to be tied. With so many things in our lives revolving around what fits, how is it that fit gets thrown out the window when it comes to our style?
 Does it fit? That is the question you heard from your mother right before she came into the dressing room with her fit checklist. There were a series of squats, bends, and seated positions before the pants in question were deemed a good fit. Now, as an adult, you may have your own fit checklist, but does your clothing really fit?
When it comes to great style, fit is key!

When buying a new wardrobe piece, determine its versatility by calculating its cost per wear.  Cost per wear is the original cost of an item divided by the number of times or ways it can be worn. 

Let’s say you find the perfect trench coat for $300.  It is classic in design and neutral in color.  This coat can be worn all year round and will be a wardrobe staple for years to come.  During that year, even if you only wear it twice a month, its cost per wear would be $12.50.

Cost Per Wear:  $300 Trench Coat/ 24 Times Worn = $12.50 Per Wear

Cost per wear is a helpful tool during the allure of a killer sale.  A $60 top on sale that you can only wear twice might not be such a great deal.  That top has a cost per wear of $30 and won’t help you figure out what to wear on a daily basis.

Calculating cost per wear is often thought of as an advertising tool to get people to spend more money that they normally would be comfortable doing.  For me, it just makes good sense.  It forces me to analyze the versatility of each item I buy to determine if it will be a good investment for my personal style, lifestyle, and wardrobe.

Charleston Style Concierge believes in the importance of creating a versatile wardrobe.  Contact Charleston Style Concierge to get great versatile style.

Do you envy the woman who always looks stylish and put together no matter what?  You know the woman, the one who looks like she spent hours getting ready with a stylist and tailor at the ready.  You will be surprised to find out that many of your style icons (I’m talking real world style icons.  Your co-worker, the neighbor, your best friend.) are able to get dressed in minutes with minimal effort, and look fabulous. 

Get effortless style.

A Perfect Fit.  Without fit you have no style.  A trendy blazer that is too big will look shlumpy and outdated.  The same blazer too small makes appears as if you are trying too hard, and will remove the chic sophistication from an outfit.  Learn about your body type and dress it appropriately.  It is sometimes hard to see our bodies for how they really are.  Get advice from a personal stylist or ask a trusted friend to help you examine the fit of your clothing.

Embrace Your Personal Style.  Stylish women own their look and exude confidence because of it.  Take note of the style and type of clothing that makes you feel like you can conquer the world.  This is your personal style.  If the trendy item of the month doesn’t fit your personal style, it will just look silly on you.  Find a style that makes you feel sexy, confident, and proud.  Then embrace it, that’s your style, and what makes you unique.

Flaunt your Assets.  The put-together women of the world know what their best and worst body features are.  Nobody is perfect, and everyone has at least one hang up about their body.  Stop dwelling on the parts you don’t like and flaunt the parts you do.  As you study how to play up certain assets you will learn how to downplay you least favorite body parts, and stop worrying about them.
Create a Versatile Wardrobe.  French women are a great example of how chic a versatile wardrobe can be.  Walk the streets of Paris and you will find women who put together fabulous outfits with fewer pieces than hang on your husband’s side of the closet.  Examine your lifestyle and then purchase wardrobe pieces that can be mixed and matched to make different outfits.
Accessorize.  Accessories are one of the most important parts of your outfit.  The right accessory is the missing link between you and your style icon.  Learn to accessorize with unique pieces that compliment an outfit.  Add pizzazz to a boring outfit with a colored shoe.  Carry a handbag in a pseudo-neutral color like purple, pink, or burgundy.  It goes with everything and will save you time from changing back and forth.
 Effortless style isn’t just for celebrities.  Change how long it takes you to get dressed and feel good every time you walk out the door.  For help creating your effortless style contact the Charleston Style Concierge.

(CNN) – The presidential inauguration party tops the list of formal affairs next January, and President-elect Barack Obama is rumored to be preparing for his big event: He’s believed to have ordered a simple and classic black tuxedo by the union-friendly suburban Illinois-designer Hart Schaffner Marx, a stylist to which the president-elect is said to be faithful, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Read the full article

It’s a new year. Don’t settle, make a change.

This morning I saw this bumper sticker. Give it some thought.

“If we don’t change direction we will end up where we are going.”

Get inspirational and stylish quotes sent to you each week with Charleston Style Concierge‘s Style Solution. Sign up now.

People ask me all the time if the economy is hurting my business. The answer is: it’s not, and in fact, it’s just the opposite. We are busier than ever, and are showing our clients that the economy doesn’t have to impact their wadrobes negatively. Instead, we are presented with an opportunity to be more creative with what we already own.

In any economy the best place to start developing your style is in your own closet. Before heading out to buy something new, shop your closet first. Even if your closet is perfectly organized, shopping in your own closet will remind you of items you may have forgotten or haven’t worn in a while. If you are open minded and creative while looking through your wardrobe, you will discover new ways to wear old favorites.

Shopping your closet will help you create a mental inventory of what you own, and what you actually wear. Keep a notebook near your closet and make notes of the items your wardrobe is missing. Once you know what you need you can take advantage of the deep discounts retailers are offering right now.

For help determining how you can use what you already own in new and fresh ways check out our Virtual Style Consultation and Coaching Services. Charleston Style Concierge can help you develop the personal style you desire and teach you how to take advantage of the great discounts offered by retailers to gain a more versatile wardrobe.