Super Shopper saves the day

“Help me Annie” read the text on my phone at 8.30 one Saturday morning.

My client ‘C’ had been invited to a formal black tie event at an embassy in Wellington ...the invitation came in on Friday afternoon, the event was Monday evening and C had to be at work by midday on Saturday (as well as most of Monday) so we literally had 2 ½ hours, and a limited number of places to shop in our regional town.

A few quick questions established that C had the perfect dress, a floaty black near ankle length dress … she had a possible wrap but shoes, pantyhose, a bag and earrings were needed at the very least.

We arranged to meet at a local shoe store, I arrived early, scouted the range and felt we were not in the right place yet … lucky we have a few shoe shops in Blenheim to choose from really. Once she arrived and we had a chance to chat a bit more I learned several things:

- My client HATES shopping

- Her shoes needed to be comfortable for several hours of standing

- High heels were a no no (mid heels at the most)

- These shoes would be joining a small select group of footwear in which every pair had a part to play … these new ones could not be one event wonders

We had a reasonable budget for the right pair of shoes + other accessories but could save time and money by me supplying a bag I have at home, and C using a wrap she already owned.

A quick flick through Big Brand outlets one and two with no luck but we were women on a mission and had no time to dally.

We arrived at the locally owned shoe store which stocks a nice range of stylish and comfortable shoes and worked with a most obliging sales woman to narrow the possible choices down to 2. Much walking back and forth in both pairs to test the comfort and discussion of how the options would fit into my client’s wardrobe in the future helped her narrow the choice down to her final purchase. It was very handy that the loan bag and the shoes had features that tied them together nicely.

So now we were sorted for dress, shoes, bag and wrap and we still had 30 minutes to find a pair of earrings. Off to the next locally owned collectibles shop with its variety of scarves, candles, lotions, soft furnishings, home décor additions, gift items and jewellery including very nice earrings. And sure enough with the right knowledge of style story, dress code, facial proportions and C’s personal style we were able to stay focused and concentrate on finding exactly what was needed.

And with these tools at hand and a nice selection to choose from we were lucky enough to find the perfect pieces of bling to finish a gorgeous and completely event appropriate outfit that helped boost C’s confidence and ensured she had a fabulous evening.

And we had time for a post shop coffee !! C could relax and head off to work knowing she was all organised and ready to go. She was very happy with her shopping experience, and felt that every detail had been considered. Her requirements of comfort, practicality and versatility had been met and the outfit pieces would all be worn again in different ways and for different occasions.

Shopping with a personal stylist saved C a great deal of stress and time, helped her get a fantastic result and ensured that she really enjoyed the event.

Every shopping trip could be this easy and fun, just give me a call to see how I can help you take the stress out of getting ready for your event.