Hire a Personal Shopper, the Benefits and Disadvantages

What could possibly be better than having someone pick out cute, fashionable outfits just for you? If you've been thinking about hiring an online personal stylist, read on to discover both the advantages and - yes, there are some - disadvantages of doing so. 

Advantage: You never have to leave the house to shop. Depending on the type of personal stylist you hire, your initial consultation can be via Facetime or Skype. From there, your shopper puts together outfits that are sent straight to your doorstep. If you decide to have a closet cleanout, where your stylist goes over your current wardrobe and advises you on what to keep, have altered or donate, you still don't leave your house as your stylist comes to you.
Disadvantage: You're not leaving the house to shop. While the convenience of this type of shopping can't be beat, there's something to be said for actually going out to a store and trying something on. You can easily work around this advantage by setting up a full wardrobe update where your personal shopper not only pulls together items in a pre-arranged fitting room for you to try but also walks the store with you, showing you how to pull your styles together.

Advantage: You will look and feel amazing. Whether you hire a personal shopper online or in person, if that shopper is competent, you will definitely enjoy the rush of wearing a brand new, stylish look. Many lives have changed for the better all thanks to a savvy style makeover.
Disadvantage: Your look may not be a reflection of who you really are. There are two types of personal stylists: those who can put together great outfits and those who put together outfits that are great for you. With the former, you will look fantastic but at best you will also look like an ad out of a fashion magazine and at worst, you'll look like everyone else - and that's not necessarily the best look for you. With the latter, you will shine with an inner confidence and beauty because the clothing and accessories pulled together for you reflect who you are rather than some look you're trying to copy.

Advantage: An online personal shopper can be extremely affordable. The level of personal shopping services you can get largely depends on your budget. Style boxes are extremely reasonable and can be purchased either on a one-time basis or as an ongoing subscription. This is a great way to put your toe in the water before deciding to pay more for more extensive services.
Disadvantage: A personal stylist can be extremely expensive. A full wardrobe makeover complete with someone to hold your hand and pull together outfits for you can easily run north of a couple grand. However, with a personal stylist this is certainly a case where you get what you pay for. Think of it this way: a professional's time is valuable. That person has expertise and offers a service, both of which are also valuable. It may seem like a splurge but if you're serious about changing your look and changing your life, the investment is well worth it.

The Convenience of an Online Personal Shopper

It seems like only yesterday we all fell in love with the convenience of online shopping. Shoe shopping in your jammies at midnight from the comfort of your own couch? Yes, please! While we held a glass of wine in one hand and a mouse in the other, the internet revolutionized the way we shop. However, an interesting thing happened on the way to the fridge for a refill of chardonnay. Shoppers realized something was missing - a personal touch. 

According to ResponseTap, a call data analytics company, 73 percent of consumers prefer talking to an actual human being before making their purchase. Automatically generated suggestions are all well and good but ultimately, speaking with a personal shopper online is what seals the deal by combining the convenience of online shopping with the personal touch consumers crave.
How it works.

There are two main types of online personal shoppers. The first is the subscription box service companies such as StitchFix offer. While each service is slightly different, they all basically work by figuring out your preferences and then sending you items based on those preferences. These services are extremely convenient in several ways:

• Clothing is delivered straight to your home.
• Return shipping is either free or included with your subscription fee.
• You only pay for the clothing you keep.
• Often the clothing you receive is something you might not normally pick out but is something you end up enjoying.

The only problem with these subscription box services is there may or may not be an actual person choosing your items, and your contact with that person may be fairly limited or even nonexistent. That's where the second type of online personal shopper enters the picture.

This type of online shopper is much more, well, personal. You can meet online through Skype or sometimes even in person, and instead of taking an online quiz to suss out your style, your personal stylist talks with you and gets to know you through friendly conversation.

From there, your specific needs are discussed so your personal shopper can put together a box with completely unique clothing and accessories just for you. You won't have to worry about showing up at work or a special occasion with the exact same trendy pieces and look someone else is wearing.

Choosing an online shopper.

If you'd like to try out an online personal shopper, consider looking for someone physically located near you. That way, if you would like to meet in person, you can. Often the online personal shoppers who offer to consult with clients over Skype or in person offer additional services such as closet cleanouts and complete wardrobe makeovers.

Even better, these personal stylists can shop for you and bring looks directly into your living room so you can try them out immediately - no waiting for them to arrive through the mail and no having to return anything you don't like. The convenience of this type of personal shopper truly combines the best of the online and offline worlds.

Have you ever thought about getting a personal stylist?

Wouldn't it be great to look in your closet and see nothing but stylish clothing that not only fits your body perfectly but that also makes you feel like a million bucks?Luckily, this can easily be a dream come true. Thanks to the Internet, your personal wardrobe stylist is now just a click (or tap!) away. If you've ever thought about getting a personal stylist, here's why now is the time to go for it.

A personal stylist will get you organized.

 

                                      

Have you ever dug to the bottom of your closet only to discover a cute pair of shoes, a scarf or even a pair of pants you completely forgot you had? There are often hidden treasures buried at the back of your closet just waiting to be rediscovered. However, you might as well not own them at all if you can't find them. A personal stylist can go through your closet, helping you ditch the dead wood and make room for a new and improved wardrobe. At the end of the process you should be able to easily see everything in your closet so you can quickly pull together a stylishensemble.

A personal stylist will choose outfits objectively.

The clothing style you choose for yourself might not be the most flattering. It's easy to pick out clothing because it's comfortable or inexpensive. Even the most stylish among us can sometimes fall into a fashion rut. However, if you only go with what's familiar, you're not necessarily going to look your best. A personal stylist will put together things you probably never would have thought of,gently nudging you out of your comfort zone while choosing pieces thatflatter your body type.

A personal stylist will put the spring back in your step.

When you look your best, it's a lot easier to feel your best. A great personal stylist won't just get to know your body type but will also get to know you as a person in order to get the best sense of your personal style.Having a great wardrobe won't just improve the way you look but will improve the way you feel about yourself as well. Giving your self-confidence a boost might be just what you need to take a leap forward in your career or finally ask that cutie out.

A personal stylist will save you money.

Personal stylists provide a wide range of services from suggesting outfits, doing closet cleanouts, as well as actually going with you on shopping expeditions. Depending on which services you want, hiring a personal stylist can seem like a major investment. However, the truth is a personal stylist can ultimately save you money in the long run by helping you avoid wasting money on clothing you'll never wear and on items you mean to return but never do. Not only that but it's amazing how many different outfits you can get out of a few high quality, versatile pieces. Investing time and money inpersonalized clothing is certainly well worth it.