Demystifying personal shopping - Part 4.

And now, the part we've all been waiting for!  Please welcome guest blogger, Amy Swartz, manager and personal stylist at Nordstrom in the Natick Mall.  As you may recall, Lisa and I just had an appointment with Amy. Amy gives us an overview of the top 5 things to expect in a personal shopping appointment.  Thanks for blogging with us Amy! ~ JH & LB

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Thought personal stylists were just for socialites and celebutantes? Not so! Stylists are resident experts at all things fashionable—from knowing who’s wearing what to knowing how to put it all together. They can help make your shopping experience easy and a lot of fun, with personalized attention and advice that’s tailored just for you. In the fourth installment of this series I wanted to go over the “Top 5 Things to Expect in a Personal Stylist Appointment”: 

1.     A full room stocked with goodies and looks upon arrival - When you begin your appointment, the personal stylist will take you to a dressing room where you will be able to look at the clothing, shoes and accessories they have selected for you to try on. If the sizing isn’t working, they will be the one going back and forth to the racks to get a different sizes, colors or styles, while you can sit and relax. Something that can help the stylist when selecting items is sending them pictures or a list of what you’re in need of prior to the appointment. Jen and Lisa do a great job of this. Jen even sends me her Pinterest link so I know EXACTLY what she’s feeling for the season.

2. Time Efficiency/Personal Service – When you first arrive to your room, the amount of merchandise can be overwhelming, but keep in mind that items get weeded out as the appointment progresses. The selected merchandise has been taken from departments all over the store based on what you have communicated to your stylist. I often let my customers know that it would’ve taken them hours to navigate the store and pull items, let alone put it all together. It is our job as stylists to know where everything is, so let us do the grunt work! If the promise of all that schlepping doesn’t entice you enough, how about the fact that someone is there to only talk about you and how these clothes look on you? It's all about the customer during the appointment and sometimes a girl needs that. And it’s great during the holidays when time is of the essence; you can email them your holiday shopping list, and within hours, all of your holiday shopping is done and while still drinking coffee in your bathrobe!

3. Getting the right stuff and finding the right fit - Who doesn't want clothes that flatter them? I think this is one of the keys to style that is hardest to achieve. We are really at the mercy of trends and the shape of clothes is part of those trends. Personal Stylists can choose things for you that fit your body well and flatter your own shape. So if you have a particular body issue that you are having trouble with, they can pick things out for you that you didn't know would work for your shape. Having an unbiased person helps you get out of ruts and step outside of your comfort zone to get beyond body image issues. Once you’ve established that partnership with your stylist you will begin to feel a sense of trust with them. They can pull things that you may have never pulled in a million years, but somehow it looks fabulous on!

4. Work within your schedule and budget (plus it’s free!) - We have stylists here at Nordstrom seven days a week, from store open to close. You tell us when an appointment works best for you and we can accommodate. The service is complimentary and the amount you choose to spend is totally up to you. We work with customers with all ranges of budgets. During appointments we will always try our very best to stay within a specified budget, working towards achieving the best possible value for items you may purchase.

5. By the way, it’s not just for women anymore - As of the January 2012, Nordstrom in Natick has four stylists based out of the men’s area. Whether it’s for your husband, father, boyfriend or son, let’s be honest ladies, all of the men in our lives could use a little shopping help. Men’s stylists are a godsend! They can set these men up for every aspect their lives as well as assist with ordering made-to-measure suits, dress shirts and ties. They’ll be so happy you sent them here they may even come home with a little gift for you!

At the end of the day the stylists and the Personal Stylist department at Nordstrom are here to help make your shopping experience less of a chore and more of an adventure. Just ask Jen or Lisa! Please feel free to reach out to me if you are interested in hearing more about the program or are interested in booking an appointment. Thank you!