Client Outfit Styling: Maximizing New Purchases

It feels great to be back from my hiatus, and I mean really back. My return was postponed a week due to my horrendous cold and and throwing out my back. During my time off this August I still saw clients. One appointment was with my client, Ms. Chic; a longtime client whom I have blogged about many times before. We had an outfit styling session to create looks using some of her new pieces. Knowing how much you love these posts, I decided to kick off the fall season with this one.

There are a lot of looks that came from our outfit styling session to get through so I am going to get right into it.

Client Outfit Styling: Maximizing New Purchases

As you will see in the outfits, I am using Ms. Chic's new purchases multiple times to the value of this exercise for yourself. If I can still find the items Ms. Chic purchased online I will share them.

Look #1

I started with the Oshima pants from MM. Lafleur. While most of my clients have looked good in MM. Lafleur's Foster pants (my personal fave too), Ms. Chic looked better in the Oshima style. I styled them for dressy casual using a Vince top and two necklace options that Ms. Chic already owned along a new pair of strappy sandals from Louise et Cie.

Look #2

Using the Oshima pants, I styled this look using a burgundy Theory top that Ms. Chic purchased last year. All of the earrings options Ms. Chic already owned. The shoes, however, were new. I styled this look for different occasions using Splendid wedge sandals, Vince slides and strappy heels from Sigerson Morrison. These shoe options gave Ms. Chic the ability to dress the outfit up and down.

Look #3

This is another outfit using the Oshima pants from MM. Lafleur. I styled a softer look using pieces in Ms. Chic's closet. Nothing here was new. With just a shoe and accessories change this outfit can be changed for different occasions.

Look #4

There weren't many clients who were interested in the cold shoulder trend, but Ms. Chic was open to it when it looked good, which was, admittedly, rarely. This top from BCBG was one of the few times this top looks great. It worked with the Oshima pants for a night out weekend look. Not wanting to overdo the neckline, I added several jewelry options and shoe options, some new and some old.

Look #5

This is another look I styled with the Oshima pants using a top that Ms. Chic already owned. I believe it was by MICHAEL Michael Kors. I gave them several shoe options and earrings to choose from to finish the outfit different ways.

Look #6

I'm now moving to the popular Greenpoint skirt from MM. Lafleur. I styled several looks using this style. It's such a comfortable, easy and versatile skirt that I wanted to make sure Ms. Chic got the most from it. This first look I styled with a Max Mara jacket that Ms. Chic recently acquired. Underneath the jacket, I used a T. Tahari top from several seasons ago, a variety of pumps that were already in Ms. Chic's closet and a long gold necklace.

Look #7

This next outfit with the Greenpoint skirt was styled with all existing pieces in Ms. Chic's wardrobe. To make the classic seersucker blazer look updated, I added several colorful shoe options and suggested the novelty burgundy necklace when wearing the two burgundy colored shoes.

Outfit #8

For a non-jacketed look for work, I styled the Greenpoint skirt with this peackock printed top that Ms. Chic already owned. With such a bold top, I kept the shoes simple using a pair of navy and deep teal pumps. I gave Ms. Chic several necklace options.

Outfit #9

All of these pieces I paired with this skirt have been in Ms. Chic's closet for some time. The top was purchased one of the first years we worked together, which is at least five years ago. The shrug is the style that we call the World's Dumbest Cardigan because it is simple but not cheap. Thankfully, it gets a lot of wear. This particular color is several seasons old.

Outfit #10

With such a simple base as the Greenpoint skirt and BOSS Hugo Boss top that Ms. Chic purchased last year, I gave her plenty of shoes and accessories options to select. Clearly, it's hard to get bored with the pieces in this outfit when there are so many ways to finish it.

Outfit #11

This purple jacket is an Akris Punto style that is several seasons old. Like this jacket, the rest of this components are existing pieces from Ms. Chic's wardrobe.

Outfit #12

Using another Michael Kors shrug that Ms. Chic has, I created this outfit. Underneath the top, as in Look #6 and gave Ms. Chic several shoe and jewelry options.

Outfit #13

Using a mint green top that has been in Ms. Chic's closet long enough for me to forget who it is by. It might be Banana Republic. I layered a round neck shrug in navy from T. Tahari over the top and finished the look with blush shades.

Outfit #14

This last look using the Greenpoint skirt I created using an orange Vince Camuto top and white blazer from Peserico that Ms. Chic bought last year. I have no idea when we purchased that top together. I have Ms. Chic several shoe options and a statement necklace to finish the outfit.

Outfit #15

Moving on to this grey sheath dress from Peserico (ignore the fact that the website says it's navy, it's a deep grey), which was probably one of the most popular pieces purchased by my clients last season. It must have been a popular style for the line in general because they are running it again. Using a Reiss blazer that Ms. Chic purchased last year, I created this understated work look and gave Ms. Chic the option to add burgundy pumps and necklace for a pop.

Outfit #16

Using the very popular Morandi cardigan from MM. Lafleur, I created this soft work look that I popped with soft blush tones. The color combination is so soft while still looking powerful.

Outfit #17

This is the same outfit with just an accessories change. I used a necklace that Ms. Chic has had in her closet for some time and a pair of Sam Edelman Hazel pumps in a perforated oatmeal suede.

Outfit #18

This is another option where the outfit stayed the same but the accessories were changed. This is a gorgeous Anthropologie necklace from last year that I styled with two shoe options, the nude Sam Edelman pair and two tone burgundy and orange pumps.

Outfit #19

This was a relatively inexpensive little white jacket that I styled with the Peserico dress. I kept it understated with the shoe choices and burgundy earrings.

Outfit #20

I warmed up the dress using a khaki Akris Punto jacket that Ms. Chic purchased last year. Sticking with the soft, warm theme, I added the blush pumps and necklace.

Outfit #21

To work with the blues and greens in the BCBG necklace, I added two shoe options that Ms. Chic could consider. If you haven't checked out BCBG necklaces, I have been pretty impressed by them. Many of the styles Ms. Chic purchases come from there. Over the jacket is the Peserico blazer.

Outfit #23

This last outfit I styled with the Peserico dress I styled with the Michael Kors shrug, another BCBG necklace and several shoe options, all which work with the outfit.

Whew, that was 23 outfits (more, actually, if you count all the multiple shoe and accessories options) and I created all of them using just three core pieces, the MM. Lafleur Oshima pants and the Greenpoint skirt and the Peserico dress. This is why it is so important to take time to mix and match to make sure you are getting the most from your new purchases. Thanks Ms. Chic for allowing me to share photos from your outfit styling session.