by Elfrena Foord
I’m a Certified Financial Planner and it is my business to help people make smart choices about their money. Sometimes people think something is an expense when it really is an investment. This is the situation when spending money for a clothing consultant such as Stephanie Cumberland. Here are 3 reasons that I have found that make Stephanie’s services an investment.
- I’m happier with the clothes that I have so I shop less.
Stephanie came to my home and went through my closet. I tried on most of the clothes I owned. Stephanie educated me about what things enhanced my appearance and worked for my body type and which ones didn’t. It was interesting that the clothes that I didn’t wear much and had conflicting feelings about were just the ones that really didn’t suit me. She also showed me how some garments needed alteration – they were either too big for me or needed some small change to make them just right. Now I have fewer clothes but everything in my closet works for me so I’m much happier getting dressed in the morning. - I have new outfits right in my closet so I shop less.
Stephanie has a service to come to my home and make new outfits with the clothes, shoes and jewelry that I already own. Most of us like to get new clothes at the beginning of the new season. Much to my amazement, those new outfits are right in my own closet. Stephanie puts together combinations that I bnwould never have thought about. She takes pictures of the outfits so I can just leaf throgh my pictures to decide which new outfit I want to wear. If there are items I’m missing, Stephanie recommends what I need to buy. Her outfits are more interesting than I would put together myself. My sister said “That’s not a Stephanie outfit, is it?” No, it was one of mine and it didn’t have the “Steffie magic”.
3. I don’t make costly shopping mistakes.
I bought a necklace and Stephanie showed me how it was the wrong color gold for my skin tone. I returned it and more than made up for the cost of her services. Also, I’m now educated on what works for my body type so when the sales clerk tells me how wonderful something looks on me, I know when it doesn’t so I don’t buy it. If I have a question, I can always send Stephanie the picture of what I’m considering buying and she will give it the thumbs up or down since she knows me, my body type and my wardrobe.
Stephanie keeps up with the current styles so I don’t have to. She will show me when I have things that are outdated and need to be discarded (even when they aren’t worn out yet!). Then she shows me how to update my wardrobe with some simple new additions to what I already have.
Besides being a good investment for the above reasons, Stephanie’s perspective has other benefits. Here are two examples from my experience. First, she gets me out of my ruts. I have avoided dangly earrings and worn button earrings. She showed me how the dangly earrings balanced my head and shoulders and deemphasized my long neck. Secondly, she gives me makeup tips. I have puffy bags under my eyes (a genetic gift). Stephanie showed me how to minimize them- just another aspect of Stephanie’s all-encompassing services.
I have told many ladies about Stephanie’s services. I am amazed that they stare at me in horror. That can’t believe that I would let anyone see my closet. They ask me if she is mean and critical. I always say she is just a lot of fun. And they fear the cost. From my experience, this is one of the best investments any woman (or for that matter a man) can make – look better, be happier and spend money wisely for the best results.
