Sharpen Your Look

No worries—that’s where personal stylists come in. Whether you’re going through a career change, looking to lighten your luggage while traveling or cleaning out the old to bring in the new, these champions of your closet have got you covered. And as our three subjects will tell you, their expertise is just as worthy as any above-mentioned object of lust (yeah, even Mr. Posh).

Lee Willis

The dilemma: Buying individual pieces (often on sale) without thinking of how to incorporate them into a complete look.

The fix: Make a list of items that you need to fill out your wardrobe or a particular outfit, and take it with you when shop, suggests Willis’ personal stylist, Barbara King, who graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and has worked as a stylist in Los Angeles and other major cities. Often, shoppers are tempted by a deeply discounted top simply because it’s deeply discounted; instead, they should think about what they can pair it with—from pieces they already own—to round out their wardrobe or create a complete outfit. "Less is better," King says, "because you get more creative if you have fewer items in your closet. Most of the time, people only wear 20 percent of their wardrobe."

Willis has things in her closet that she bought years ago, yet they remain unworn and with tags still attached. King starts with one item—a metallic, boxy jacket—and flips through rows of tops and pants in her closet to see what could work with it. As they go, they set aside items to be donated that are too outdated or not "her" enough to keep. When they find a piece that works, it gets hung with the jacket, along with jewelry and other accessories to complete the outfit. Soon, Willis has two unique looks that incorporate the "I-bought-this-but-I’ll-never-wear-it" jacket.

"The more you have, the more confusing it is [to figure out] what goes together," says King. Keeping a closet pared down to just the pieces you love and organizing it—whether by outfit, sleeve length or color—lets you see what you have and helps you see each item as a part of a whole rather than as a stand-alone.

Stylist's Tip: Keep all of your clothes on the same kind of hangers. Your closet will look neater and more consistent, and you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for more easily.

Debbie Pirrello

The dilemma: She travels a lot with her husband, so clothes that are easy to wear and versatile are a must.

The fix: Keeping your wardrobe simple and building upon a foundation of basic items is key, says Judy Starnes, co-owner of Janet Marie Studios in Fort Myers. She’s been working with Pirrello for more than four years and says that, for her, it’s all about mixing and matching to keep from packing more than necessary.

"I try to make everything make sense so that she’s not just buying an outfit and then another outfit and another outfit. She’s buying pieces that are interchangeable and are going to give her a lot of future leverage in her wardrobe," Starnes says, which is essential to Pirrello as a frequent traveler.

When Pirrello arrives, Starnes has already selected a variety of items from the "mother closet" in her appointment-based boutique that are appropriate for her lifestyle. She is drawn to a gray jersey skirt and top with satin ties on the sides, and Starnes immediately suggests new combinations for occasions from casual to cocktail party. By adding a jacket, she can wear it to a fancy restaurant, or she can swap the skirt for jeans for a day of shopping.

"Judy makes suggestions about putting things together that I never would have dreamed to put together," Pirrello says. "Thank goodness for that, because I walk out with something that really pops. I get compliments in Las Vegas, in the airport—everywhere—on the things I wear."

Stylist's Tip: Wearing only black and white gets tired; adding a colorful or unique accessory lends visual interest and pulls everything together.

Laura Russo

The dilemma: An elementary school teacher-turned-salon owner needed a wardrobe update to look the part in her new profession.
The fix: When making a transition between careers, sometimes it takes no less than a complete wardrobe overhaul to establish an image appropriate for a profession. In Russo’s case, she had "hundreds of sweaters—literally" that were better suited for time spent on the playground than as the then-owner of Salon Soleil in Naples.

She needed clothes that would make her look approachable and put together that were also professional enough for a meeting setting. "We wanted her to look sassier," says her style and image consultant, Cheryl Lampard, founder of Style Matters International.

Because Russo is petite, Lampard selects body-conscious silhouettes, like fitted, patterned shift dresses that hit at the knee, and slim-fitting pants to make her legs appear longer. A slightly shimmery jacket goes over a belted tank top and printed pencil skirt to pull the look together and give it an extra dose of dimension.

Stylist's Tip: Follow the rule of three: Whenever you buy a new item of clothing, ask yourself if it works with three other things in your existing wardrobe (other garments, accessories or jewelry). If it doesn’t, reconsider the purchase.