Most of us pay professionals to cut our hair or clean our teeth not because we are physically incapable of doing so ourselves, but for the almost infallible guarantee that these trained individuals can do it better.
Why not apply the same theory to shopping?
Celebrities call them "stylists," but for the rest of us who need not concern ourselves with high-profile red carpet appearances, a personal shopper can be more like a trusted second opinion.
HERS Boutique, 309 N. Water St., recently launched a new line of personal shopping services that owner Elissa Elser says is grounded in helping people develop their own sense of style. She and HERS stylist Andrea Papke offer in-store personal shopping consultations by appointment, special home visits for seasonal wardrobe refreshment as well as complete closet renovations.
Elser, who cut her teeth at Barneys New York and as a personal shopper for Marshall Field's, is an experienced fashion analyst and knows that no outfit is complete with out confidence.
"Just by looking through someone's wardrobe I can gauge whether or not they like prints or solids, whether they like classic pieces or more funky, hip pieces," she says.
"From there, my goal is to help people branch out a little bit, try new things and gain a comfort level in some of the trends. I think people can get stuck in a style rut and my goal is to get them out of it."
She begins with a series of questions: Who are your favorite designers? Where do you like to shop currently? Once she's got a grasp on what you like she can help you expand.
"A lot of times you'll see the 'What not to wear' pieces and that's not the direction we're aiming -- looking at people's figure types and saying 'you can't wear that.' We're looking to open doors for people. We want to let people experiment with different things."
The in-store personal shopping consultations are free and usually centered on a specific outfit. HERS asks that you call ahead of time to schedule an appointment and indicate what type of outfit you're looking for and any color, style or fabric preferences you might have.
The seasonal wardrobe refresh costs $75 for one to two hours of apparel education. Elser or Papke arrive at your home, fashion in hand, and help you incorporate the pieces into your existing collection, as well as school you on which colors styles and accessories best suit you new looks.
The complete closet overhaul is a 4-5-hour affair for $200. The first step is to weed through your wardrobe, helping you decide what to keep and what to have altered. Phase Two involves highlighting new combinations and accessories to maximize what you already own. Lastly, they offer a consultation on colors and concepts that best suit your personal style and leave your with reference photographs of the new outfits they helped create.
"We're open to people who don't have a personal style and helping them develop one," says Elser. "So many times people come in and say, 'No, I can't wear that.' My rule is, you at least have to try it."
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.
As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”
