What is a personal stylist?
A personal stylist is an individual capable of advising others on their wardrobe in an objective manner, independent of the stylist’s own personal style or allegiance to any particular fashion brand. A personal stylist has an extensive knowledge of fashion, beauty and accessory trends and brands. A personal stylist can dress all different body types and take into account a client’s budget, lifestyle, and personal style when advising them on what to wear and buy.
Personal stylists are not just for the rich and famous. Hiring a personal stylist is a cost-effective, time-saving and enjoyable experience for any busy man or woman wanting to look and feel put-together every day.
What differentiates Real Life Style from other personal stylists?
Real Life Style is a full-service, luxury personal styling team. Our stylists go above and beyond in assisting their clients and there is no fashion problem that is impossible to solve. We tailor our services to fit each individual client’s needs, whether that be in-home shopping appointments or fittings in our office.
Lani Inlander, the owner and chief stylist of Real Life Style, launched RLS in New York City 15 years ago and has been helping clients around the country look and feel their best for over 20 years. She is the most experienced personal stylist in the DC metro area and leverages her New York fashion contacts for her DC clients.
How does the styling process work?
Real Life Style follows a 5-phase process to give your wardrobe a complete makeover. This includes the wardrobe makeover (closet edit), personal shopping, and outfit creation. To read more about the styling process, check out the personal stylist services section of our website.
How long is an average styling session?
Each phase of the process takes an average of 3 to 4 hours. You can expect to work with us for 10 to 12 hours for a complete wardrobe overhaul. Read more in our blog post, “How Long Does a Complete Wardrobe Overhaul Truly Take?“
I don’t like the clothes in my closet and I just want to go shopping. Do you always edit the closet before shopping?
We prefer that all new clients edit their closet with us as a first step to the process. How can your stylist know where to go if she doesn’t know where you’ve been? The closet review gives your personal stylist a wealth of information that can only be learned through this process. She will be able to view different shapes, colors, and styles on you and she will be able to use that information to create an individualized Style Report for you and her to use when shopping. Your stylist will also set up organizational systems in your closet that add value to the wardrobe makeover process, allowing you to easily see your clothing and get dressed every day.
I’m pregnant/just had a baby/in between sizes right now! Why should I spend money on clothes when I’m just going to change sizes again?
The wardrobe makeover isn’t just about spending money on clothes, it’s about finding the confidence to put your best self forward and learning what looks best on you. We understand being in-between stages of your life because we’ve been there too. Real Life Style can give you the power to feel and look your best at every size. Why waste time and energy feeling bad about yourself? Plus, our stylists are experts at creating a cheap and chic wardrobe for women who expect to grow out of their clothes.
I hate shopping!
Great! Many of our clients hate shopping and find that we make fashion fun again. Hiring a personal stylist makes shopping as painless as possible. Imagine walking into a department store and passing the entire sales floor to walk straight into a fitting room with clothing chosen specially for you. Or, if even the idea of stepping into a store makes you nauseous, we can bring the store to your home.
Who is your average client?
Our clients are typically working women and mothers looking to feel more confident and put-together, but we have experience working with people of all backgrounds, professions, ages, and aspirations. To get a glimpse of some of our client’s backgrounds and how we helped them, visit our testimonials page.
What about my boyfriend/husband/partner?
We LOVE styling men. If your husband is having a hard time letting go of his pleated pants and stained t-shirts, it may be time to call in reinforcements. This does not have to be your job!
Where do you shop?
We always take the client’s personal style, needs, and budget into consideration before coming up with a shopping plan. For our first shopping appointment with a client, we will typically take them to a department store such as Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, or Bloomingdales to get the most clothing in the shortest amount of time. As the closet fills out, we utilize our connections to local boutiques and designers to get our clients special pieces that will add interest to their wardrobe. And of course, we are skilled online shoppers.
How much does the service cost?
We have three different price structures available. Contact us to get a quote.
I’m not ready to spend the money on a stylist, but I need your help!
Subscribe to our blog and get free fashion advice delivered to your inbox every week! Our Wear Your Power E-Course is a cost-effective guide to follow our signature steps with our detailed advice. Best of all, you get to ask Lani your remaining fashion questions once you have completed the course! You can also have Lani present her signature Wear Your Power corporate seminar to your office.