10 x reasons why men book a personal stylist / shopper
If you've ever wondered what sort of men use a personal stylist or personal shopper, other than celebrities, or perhaps you're thinking about booking in, but are not sure if I can help, then here are some of the reasons my clients are prompted to work with me.
If you don't see your 'problem' here, but would like some help getting your wardrobe and image together, then send me a message and we can have a chat.
1. They've become single again & are starting to go out on dates
This is a common reason for guys to book in. If they've split from their partner or wife and become newly single it often feels like the right time to freshen up their look. Their other half may even have been buying or helping with their clothing choices, but now they're on their own and could do with a female opinion, and some new ideas.
When you're back on the dating scene, the right clothes really help give you confidence and make you feel good, and that in turn makes you act in a more assured way.....and you know how attractive confidence is right?! Even if you've been single for awhile, you might have decided 2023 is the year you'd like to do something about it!
I can definitely help with the clothing side of things via a personal shopping trip and if you'd like help with other aspects of dating then have a look at Dating Coach Hayley Quinn's "Dating Academy" and for specialist online dating photography check out "Hey Saturday".
2. They've been promoted at work or are starting a new job
Frequently clients come to me because they've landed a more senior role at work or are moving to a new position. Quite often, it's with a company who has a smart casual (or even a very casual) dress code, so they don't actually have to dress in smarter clothes, but they want to.
They'd like to exert some authority with what they wear and don't want to be dressed the same as those in junior roles. The trouble is, they don't know how to do that without reverting to a suit and sticking out like a sore thumb or worse still, looking like they're going for an interview somewhere else!
If you're in this position, you'll still want to be relatable so you fit in, whilst marking yourself out as being higher up the ladder. By upgrading your wardrobe in subtle ways you can easily reflect your seniority and you'll be pleased to hear I've dressed loads of guys who work in tech companies, start ups or creative businesses, so I'm very adept at this type of shopping!
3. They know they could look better but don't know where to start
Loads of clients tell me they've been driven to look for help after they've come back from yet another shopping trip empty handed or with just one or two things and felt mega frustrated. They've wandered the shops aimlessly or felt overwhelmed in department stores like Selfridges. They've sometimes had a favourite shop but it's closed down or they feel they've outgrown it and they don't know where else to go.
They also don't really feel like they can trust the sales assistants to give them an honest opinion but don't have anyone else willing to help. They may have got as far as identifying a look they like or a celebrity who's style they admire but don't know if it'll suit them or how to adapt it to their lifestyle. They feel a bit stuck and know they could look much better or more modern but don't quite know where to start.
And that's where I come in......helping them to look like the best version of themselves. I do it by assessing where they're at with their current wardrobe which we edit, and then by taking them on a thoroughly researched and targeted shopping trip to fill their wardrobe up with clothes they actually like and feel good in.
4. They're getting married, going to a wedding or have a special occasion or holiday coming up
As you can imagine, last year I was inundated with customers who'd been invited to delayed post pandemic weddings, and needed outfits. As well as the ones who were attending as guests, I also have the grooms-to-be coming to me to be dressed for their special day, plus requests to find outfits for wedding anniversary celebrations or 'big' birthday bashes.
Sometimes we shop for the honeymoon too, and other clients like to go shopping for general holiday clothes. This can be for anything from from beachwear to snowboarding gear.
It's fun shopping for special occasions, and we can go classic and concentrate on getting all the details right, or for something you might not be brave enough to choose on your own or have even thought of. Part of the enjoyment is in the planning (which I'll do for you!) and anticipation, and when you've got the right outfit and you're feeling good it can really help make the occasion even more special.
5. They don't have time to go shopping for clothes
Possibly the most common reason for men to come to me, is simply that they don't have time. They have very busy jobs, travel a lot for work, have kids, elderly parents to look after or all of these put together.
Which means they just don't have the time to go shopping, let alone look around or even think about it much. Their weekends are much more likely to be taken up ferrying kids around or doing chores, than trying figuring out whether they should get the wider leg pleat front chinos or stick to the flat front ones. Plus their partner is probably too busy as well or maybe not into clothes enough to be able to help.....and I've been told by more than one couple, that they start arguing when they go clothes shopping together.
And so it just gets left and they grab things online which may or may not be perfect but they keep anyway, or shop in a rush at airports, or go back time and time again to the same shops which may not necessarily suit their lifestyle or tastes anymore but it's the easiest option.
So in the interests of saving a few arguments (or even marriages!) it might be worth looking into outsourcing to a personal stylist like me. I can introduce you to new places to shop and do all the research and thinking about how the outfits go together for you, making it much easier, more efficient, and saving you time in future too.
6. They've lost or gained weight
After lockdown this was one of the things that so many people came to me for - they'd either gained weight as they'd become less active than before, or they'd lost it as they'd had loads more time for fitness during the pandemic. They needed new clothes but weren't sure where to start.
My first question was always - "do you think you'll stay your new weight?" If the answer was yes, then we'd book in a shopping day to buy some new clothes, as it's good to embrace your new size (whatever that may be) and dress to enhance it and feel good about yourself. Plus, if you need to replace your whole wardrobe, it's far less painless if you have some help at hand!
If they weren't so sure, first we'd do a wardrobe edit and put the things they still liked but didn't fit, in a suitcase in the loft or out of sight somewhere, which they could revisit in 6 months time. Then we'd look into the possibility of having some things altered (this is the tailor I normally use), see if some things could still be used, and make a list of what definitely needed to be replaced. After that we'd go shopping on a bit of a reduced budget and get some good basics to see them through and wait till their weight had stabilised to go shopping for investment pieces.
7. They’re coming to the UK and want to make the most of the shops in London
A fair amount of my clients are based outside the UK and they visit London from time to time. Often they're British and are visiting family and like to shop whilst they're here but don't have much time. Or sometimes they're on holiday and want to see the hidden gems and smaller boutiques, rather than just the more touristy parts and generic department stores. There may be certain shops they've heard of and would like to to visit and they appreciate having someone help them plan a route and navigate their way round the city. Other reasons are because it may be cheaper to go shopping for clothes in London than their home town and / or because there's far more choice.
I've got clients from a lot of different countries, including ones that come over from Switzerland, Costa Rica, USA, Canada, Australia, Thailand and Argentina. If you're thinking of visiting London in 2023 and you'd love to have someone help you make the most of your time and show you all the great places there are to shop here, then get in touch and we can make your time here super efficient.
8. They're pitching for business, funding or have a big presentation or event coming up
Some of the outfits I've shopped for with guys in the past have been for book tours, giving talks, pitching for funding and for outfits they feel confident in to be more visible in the press. Often these men don't work in traditional "city" type jobs and like to look more creative or add some flair or a twist to conventional workwear but still look professional.
We've elevated their look from their regular day to day wear, but I've been specifically asked on more than one occasion not make them look like a banker! (Not that there's anything wrong with how bankers look, but these guys just wanted to look less conservative.) I love these types of jobs where we get to express the personality of each individual through what they're wearing, and figure out what makes them feel great and super confident to go out there and smash it.
9. They’ve only just realised such a thing as a personal stylist / shopper for men exists!
Lots of people know celebrities have stylists, and they know in-store personal shoppers exist and perhaps they even know that women have help identifying colours etc that suit them but they never realised that there were personal stylists / shoppers for men!
Once they find out that someone could help them with the dreaded task of shopping for clothes, they want to find out more. They love the sound of someone helping them to sort through their wardrobes, tell them what colours suit them, guide them round the shops and even write lists of outfits for them afterwards, so they book in to try it out....and most say, "I wish I'd done it sooner" and come back time and time again!
10. Their friends have told them they look like a homeless person!
Okay, admittedly there's only been one client who told me this is why he enlisted in my help! More than one of his friends actually told him he looked like a homeless person......rude! Since then we've been shopping multiple times, and they don't say it any more. They just tell him how trendy he looks, give him compliments, and ask him where he got his clothes :-)
If your friends try to "suggest" to you that perhaps you should update your wardrobe, then maybe it's time to take the hint!?
Has one of the reasons above resonated with you and you think it's time you got some help? Then hit the button below and fill in your details telling me a bit about yourself and I'll get back to you and we can make a plan to get your wardrobe sorted in the next few weeks!
"Having dithered for ages about updating my wardrobe I finally got my act together and decided to do something about it.
A day spent shopping with Sarah is a great investment. Prior to meeting we chatted on the phone and I filled in a questionaire which helped her to plan a range of clothes for me to try at a number of different shops. Her notebook was crammed with ideas and suggestions she wanted to try out.
The day was fun, informative and most importantly I walked away with a range of new clothes / outfits I love. The following day Sarah sent me a document with a list of outfits I could put together with both my new clothes and items from my existing wardrobe.
When the time comes I won’t hesitate to ask for Sarah’s help again."
Did you like this post? If you'd like to find out more about what's it like to work with me, check these posts out too:
What you can expect from an in-person personal shopping trip
7 x common concerns about working with a personal stylist