I imagine that most women get their first style coaching from their mothers. I wouldn’t know; my mom’s a great lady, but style and fashion just aren’t her thing.
Although my co-editor Linsi’s mother is far more stylish than mine, Linsi and I have often talked about how women keep up with all matters related to style and beauty. How often to get a pedicure? We have no idea. What bags and shoes are right for day and night? Until I became a wardrobe strategist and figured it out, we weren’t quite sure of that either.
I believe that, even if you have or had a stylish person in your life like a mother or a sister, it’s still good to have a close group of friends with which you can bounce your style ideas off of. Keep in mind, they wouldn’t be approving your style – only you do that. Instead, this would be a group which shares ideas, opinions and tips.
Lucky for us, we have the all great and powerful tool, Facebook, to help us connect with friends anywhere. So, here are some steps you can take to form your own style council:
- Set up a group on Facebook; you can make it closed or private depending on how much you want to share with the outside world – but I don’t recommend keeping it open. You want a limited number of friends here
- Make a list of women friends who are active enough on Facebook and with whom you’re close enough that they’ll be interested in joining and participating in your group and invite them. You also may want to contact them in advance by email, text or phone letting them know of your idea
Voila! That’s it – almost. Most groups need a leader, and that’s probably going to have to be the person who forms the council (YOU). People are busy and usually must be coaxed into participating in new ideas.
So, now that you’ve formed the council, what do you share?
- Your outfit of the day; brag about the awesome combo you made or ask the group what they think
- Your outfit for a special occasion – cocktail party, outdoor spring wedding, a hot date, etc.
- Fashion trends you love or hate (FYI, the topic of knit maxis seems to spark heated debate these days – so maybe stick with something a little more neutral to start)
- Sale alerts; sign up for Hipiti and let your friends know when they can build up their wardrobe for less
- Fashion news or blogs
Before you know it, you’ve got your very own team of style buddies – there to help you navigate the complex waters of fashion and shopping. With your friends behind you, you’ll feel more confident about your overall look and maybe even a little excited to build your style.
If starting your own Style Council isn’t for you, you’re in luck – because I’m inviting you to join mine! In my group, the Ladies’ Closet Social Club, we do all of the above – but you also have special access to me as a wardrobe strategist. Have a fashion question? I’ve got fashion answers.
The group isn’t quite open yet, though. However, I AM giving away 3 spots in the group to celebrate the relaunch of my website, the Wardrobe Code. If you’re interested in learning more about the group and adding yourself to the drawing, visit my website and learn more.
Until next time, stylish ladies!
