I’ve been listening to business podcasts, and one of the things that they talked about was, “Aren’t you happy to spend money on other professionals who do things for you?”  I think that a lot of us aren’t.  We want to be the ones who know how to do all the things!!!   Self-reliance is a thoroughly American value.

For every client who’s thrilled to tell her friends how much fun she had with me, I have a client who doesn’t want anyone to know she worked with a professional image consultant.   Somehow it’s a little shameful, to spend that much money on vanity – and not only spend the money on the clothes and the new look, but spend money on someone to tell you how to do it.

After all – we’ve all spent a lifetime reading books and magazines that tell us how to dress.  We should be able to handle it.   Right?    There’s a level of guilt there.

I don’t mind at all if you want to DIY your new look – that’s why I wrote a book.  I want to be of help.   And my book will walk you through the science of what I do.  It asks the same kind of questions that I ask in my consultations, and it’s full of loads of helpful information.   That’s why I write a blog.

When I work with a client, I not only give them a copy of my book, I also spend as much time as I can teaching them why I’m recommending the things I am – why is it that this color will work better than that, why is it that this line is more flattering, why is it that this combination reads as more approachable… etc.   Education is important to me.   I don’t expect that I’ll be standing by their sides at every purchase for the rest of their lives, they need to have the tools they need to go forward.

Some folks can get everything they need from me from reading that book or this blog – I celebrate you!   But not everyone can… and that’s okay too.  Because I’m a teacher, I’ll walk you through the “whys” and then I’ll get your closet cleaned out, make your shopping list, and then help you shop.   You might never need my services again – you very probably won’t need the first service more than once in a decade.

Working with an image consultant can be the help you need to learn to DIY the rest of your wardrobe adventures, or it can be an ongoing relationship.   Think of me as the accountant that comes to clean out your files, set up a bill-paying system, and show you how to use it.   You might learn so much that you never need to see me again, you might call me back to do your books once a year at tax season, and you might throw up your hands and decide that you don’t want to deal with it at all and call me in once a month.   That’s up to you.

Maybe the issue isn’t the discomfort with working with a professional, maybe it’s the expense.  The book is about the same cost as a coffee + cookie, and that’s a lot less money than it costs for an hour of my time.    I get you.  That’s why there is a book, that’s why there’s a blog – I want to help.   Not everyone is ready to replace half their wardrobe in a month – clothes might be cheaper than any time in history, but they’re still not free!   Metamorphosis is not an inexpensive process.   If that’s you – stay tuned.  I’ll be writing more about wardrobe planning soon.  Take notes and do your homework, we’ll get you where you need to be.

As with every DIY project, if you’re willing to put in the time to learn and the time to work, you can get the result.  If you’d rather work with a pro – well, you know where to find me.  I’d love the chance to work with you!