The best part of moving into wardrobe consulting is the teaching and training I’ve received from a seasoned stylist who has also become a good friend. We meet weekly and she has an amazing curriculum around working with others, organizing your business and styling in general. 

A few weeks ago, she visited my closet. I realized then that we all have the same worries and hangups about our closets, our junk, our idiosyncrasies and measuring up to some standard we assume someone set. I found myself prefacing the visit with lines like, “Please excuse the chaos … Don’t look at this area … I’m sure your closet is much better than mine … I don’t wear half of this stuff.” She of course entered in with grace and ease. She reassured me that she’s seen it all and I’m sure she has. We went through some items that I was having trouble putting an outfit together with and she suggested I declutter some areas that needed a major edit, i.e. athletic wear, sweatshirts and shoes! 

She also encouraged me to add more “white” space by displaying a pair of fabulous heels (that are now too tall for me to wear) with a photograph or some other way to pay homage to their fabulousness. We needed to create some breathing room so we could think and create. We finished our session with a handful of things in the donation pile, some newly designed outfits from my existing selection and a plan to reorder my closet. Now, if I were truly her client, she would have done even more to help me get to the finish line of organizing, but I knew I could do it on my own. 

So that brings me to the purpose of this blog. We all make assumptions about what a wardrobe consultant does and how we couldn’t possibly need/afford one. You may think that just because you shop at Marshalls, Poshmark or the outlets means you can’t use the benefits of an outside professional opinion. I’m here to tell you that you absolutely can! So far I have helped someone pack for a 10-day trip (in 2 hours), shop for a graduation dress (1 hour) and redo their entire wardrobe (10 hours, which included cleanout, shopping and styling sessions). 

The best part? You can decide how you want me to help you. You may choose to spend 1 hour together to sort through what you have. Or there may be a wedding weekend coming up and you’d like some ideas on styling your existing dresses in a new way. Need new tops or shoes for the upcoming season? Hire me for 30 minutes and I’ll send some links for new tops or shoes. Or perhaps you have a mom, sister or daughter who has a birthday coming up. Gift her one hour of my time, and let her choose how we together.

Other ways I can help:

  • Rush shopping for college bound daughters
  • Parents’ Weekend Attire for Mom
  • Prom/Wedding/Black-Tie Brainstorming
  • Shoe Upgrade
  • Q & A session via Zoom or in-person
  • 1-hour wardrobe assessment with recommendations for new additions
  • Work outfit refresh
  • Interview/first job attire
  • Concert outfit consultation
  • Office party options
  • Accessorizing existing wardrobe
  • Website subscription selections (Nuuly, Rent the Runway)
  • New season refresh
  • Online sourcing

As you can see, we can do this any way you want. Hiring me is a personal decision that I don’t take lightly. It is a private deal between you and me. I do not disclose anything you don’t want me to via this blog or anywhere else. We work as partners so that at your next event, people will say, “Wow! What’s changed? You look amazing!” 

Here’s what a few clients have had to say about working together:

“I was so happy with the outfits Ashley chose for me and thoroughly enjoyed wearing everything. Honestly, she put together things that I would never even think about. It was so much fun, and I felt so stylish and well-dressed.”  -GT

“I always love shopping with Ashley. She has a way of working her magic to help me think outside of my comfort zone. She has dressed me from head to toe, and I walk away feeling fabulous and stylish.” -MO

“Ashley’s guidance and expertise has pushed me to explore and expand my fashion sense. I’ve never been a huge fan of shopping mostly because I never know what to buy. Ashley encouraged me to pull the trigger on a rental clothing site. To my surprise, I had fun with it. Watching her zone in on why an item worked or didn’t was so helpful … my favorite part was the compliments I received from strangers and friends when I wore my new selections. Ashley has built my confidence in what works for me, taught me what to avoid and pushed me out of my very limited comfort zone.” -LD

Oh By the Way, if you’d like to schedule a time to discuss working together, email me at obtwblog@gmail.com. I would love to chat!


Oh By the Way part 2, I couldn’t resist sharing some fall finds I’ve had my eye on!