Style Fashion Guides
Get Personal with your Shopping
Traditionally, personal shopping was reserved for A-list clientele with limited time and an unlimited budget. So what about us 'ordinary folk' - don't we deserve to escape shop floor queues and the dreaded fashion disaster? Well thankfully, the luxury of a personal shopper is no longer reserved exclusively for the 'rich and famous'. Now, the benefits of fashion advice have become an integral part of most department stores' sales portfolio. What's more, in most cases, the one-to-one consultation is free!
What Do They Do?
The idea is to lose the stress out of shopping and to allow the personal shopper to do all the hard work. Whether you're after everyday wear or an outfit for a special event, simply rely on the personal shopper's expert knowledge while you gently sip a cup of tea in the private suite. The aim of the personal shopper is to take into account your body shape, as well as your budget. Maybe you have finally shed those extra pounds and need assistance in styling the new you!
First Come, First Served
The good news is that Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge offer a complimentary personal shopping service. They were the first to introduce the concept in 1992. The benefits of becoming a regular at Harvey Nichols is that you can return to the same consultant on each visit. You may even receive a call if the consultant feels something has come into the store that may suit you. And there is no obligation to purchase items at the end of your Harvey Nichols consultation. The only snag is that to take advantage of the service, you need to book in advance by calling 020 7259 6638.
At a store near you
John Lewis also offers a fashion advisory service - and yes, it is free of charge with no obligation to buy. Danielle Lemarechal in their Southampton store stresses that it's the impartiality of their advice that is at the heart of their success and that finding what suits you best is not commission based. Furthermore, they enjoy broadening your fashion horizons, be it updating your current wardrobe or finding just the right outfit for the mother of the bride.
Surprisingly, many fashion advisors encourage their clients to spend more frugally on their first visit. Michelle Norris, a John Lewis fashion advisor, says: "People find it too easy to overspend at the beginning. We would rather they just bought a great pair of trousers with a top and then come back in a couple of months time and let us build a relationship with them. In this way, we can help them put together a good capsule wardrobe that really works for them."
What then, is the mark of a really good personal shopper? Michelle says it's a combination of years of retail experience and knowing how to put people at their ease. "We're a bit like Trinny and Susannah - but a bit gentler," she says.
"I look at people's eyes, hair and body shape. Beyond that, I might notice that they're wearing interesting jewellery and discover they were perhaps once an art student, and would love to wear more trendy or artistic clothes, but have lost confidence. I can help them to bring out their real personality".
John Lewis has just recently opened their personal shopping service to men, but make sure you book an appointment with your local store before you rush out for that long awaited make-over.
The idea is to lose the stress out of shopping and to allow the personal shopper to do all the hard work. Whether you're after everyday wear or an outfit for a special event, simply rely on the personal shopper's expert knowledge while you gently sip a cup of tea in the private suite. The aim of the personal shopper is to take into account your body shape, as well as your budget. Maybe you have finally shed those extra pounds and need assistance in styling the new you!
First Come, First Served
The good news is that Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge offer a complimentary personal shopping service. They were the first to introduce the concept in 1992. The benefits of becoming a regular at Harvey Nichols is that you can return to the same consultant on each visit. You may even receive a call if the consultant feels something has come into the store that may suit you. And there is no obligation to purchase items at the end of your Harvey Nichols consultation. The only snag is that to take advantage of the service, you need to book in advance by calling 020 7259 6638.
At a store near you
John Lewis also offers a fashion advisory service - and yes, it is free of charge with no obligation to buy. Danielle Lemarechal in their Southampton store stresses that it's the impartiality of their advice that is at the heart of their success and that finding what suits you best is not commission based. Furthermore, they enjoy broadening your fashion horizons, be it updating your current wardrobe or finding just the right outfit for the mother of the bride.
Surprisingly, many fashion advisors encourage their clients to spend more frugally on their first visit. Michelle Norris, a John Lewis fashion advisor, says: "People find it too easy to overspend at the beginning. We would rather they just bought a great pair of trousers with a top and then come back in a couple of months time and let us build a relationship with them. In this way, we can help them put together a good capsule wardrobe that really works for them."
What then, is the mark of a really good personal shopper? Michelle says it's a combination of years of retail experience and knowing how to put people at their ease. "We're a bit like Trinny and Susannah - but a bit gentler," she says.
"I look at people's eyes, hair and body shape. Beyond that, I might notice that they're wearing interesting jewellery and discover they were perhaps once an art student, and would love to wear more trendy or artistic clothes, but have lost confidence. I can help them to bring out their real personality".
John Lewis has just recently opened their personal shopping service to men, but make sure you book an appointment with your local store before you rush out for that long awaited make-over.
