2019, the year of getting my own Personal Shopper/Stylist

Mkay, so high up on my list of things to post about is raving about some of the stuff I've bought and received, for both myself & my daughter. Which will, obviously, be spread across multiple posts.

I'll start by telling you about a combo Xmas 2018-Birthday 2019 gift that I asked my Mom for: a stylist!

Okay, so I am sure that sounds crazy to many of you. But the way I figure it, I'm nearly 40 and gifts should really be about the big ticket items I'd love to have but would probably not buy for myself (in case anyone is curious, I'm angling for DNA testing for my 40th next year!).

So, wa-ay back in 2018 I was listening to Pippa Hudson on my way home from work one afternoon (nearing 40, I can finally be honest that Cape Talk is definitely my station of choice - altho honestly it has been probably since my 30s back in JHB starting with 702) and heard her chatting to Candice from With Style. My interest was piqued! She sounded just like what I'd always wanted: she comes to your house, goes thru your closet with you and tells you what to get rid of and what to keep. Then takes you for a shopping session to refill your closet with better suited items. And then does a follow up to show you how everything pairs together really well.

This is what I have been dreaming of for years! My 20s were easy, I wore what I wanted. And honestly, the rule was probably the tinier the better, looking back at the photos. But as I've mentioned a few times, I'm now heading for 40 and still struggling to lose the extra 15 kilos I've been carrying since my daughter was born (and she'll be 5 in a few months, so I may have to admit they might not be going anywhere and find another way to be comfortable with myself and my new normal).

So mostly I have no idea what to wear anymore. I have so little time to go shopping and browse to find the exactly right thing for myself and usually it is pretty damn soul destroying anyway. So I just chucked on a uniform of blue jeans and a t-shirt, a hoodie if it was cold. Done and dusted. And so boring. But luckily totally acceptable in my work environment, so I became stale in my outfit choices. And I knew it and felt it.

So this was what I requested and received for my gift! I know my Mom mostly got it so I could be the guinea pig because if we're honest, both her and my sister were also super keen for the same kind of service, but couldn't justify the expense and really were not sure if it would be worth it.

Skip ahead to now and let me just say, it has changed my life. My Mom and my sister have also both had sessions and I've even had a seasonal follow-up!

I am still working on losing the weight (more on that in another post), but in the weeks after my first shop with Candice, I got so many compliments from people telling me that I look like I'd lost weight. Nope, I was finally just wearing better fitting and better suited clothing.

I was definitely nervous about it up front, not seeing myself as a boutique-y or even Waterfront clothing shopper (more a pnp or woolies due to convenience kinda girl), but doing the shop with Candice was incredible. I didn't look at prices (I gave her a budget to work with upfront) and I didn't look at sizes. I didn't give up and feel awful when something didn't fit because I knew she had loads more options to try. It was thoroughly refreshing and I'd highly recommend it.

I'm not quite ready for stand-alone shopping again just yet, but I definitely have a better sense of the basics. Doing the follow-ups are easier and cheaper because you skip the closet clear out and she already knows your style and sizing. So I'd probably do it again a time or two more. But for now my cupboard is pretty well stocked again and I should likely get rid of a few more older items (I still have stuff from before my kiddo was born!) that I couldn't let go of in the first clear out, but now I can see that I'll likely never need or make use of again.

So refreshing!