Today’s blog post is a little bit different from the usual format. Because, today, I’d like to introduce you to one of my very special clients.
This, ladies, is Jo Pink.
Jo is one of the wonderful women I’ve been lucky enough to work with. I first met this fab person through Dr Joanna Martin’s One of Many organisation.
Jo told me that she got my name from Joanna, when she asked her who helps her put outfits together for her events. Jo had been planning to invest in an image consultant for a while, having suffered many years of shopping and dressing-related stress. When she got in touch with me she described her main problem, saying: “I’ve never known, really, how to dress myself.”
Jo solved this problem by relying on a serious of “uniforms”. Can anyone relate?
As a teenager, she had a rebellious “gothic” stage, before she went into “hippy traveller” mode. Then as she settled down and developed a network marketing business, she relied on a classic workwear. After she had her kids, Jo retrained as a plumber, which meant she was always in plumbing gear, or the classic mum uniform – jeans and t-shirts. Gradually over time her “creativity, shrank and shrank and shrank” until all she ever wore was jeans with the odd variation on that theme.
She said: “Shopping was always a nightmare; I didn’t know what to get or where to look. I would try on different things and think: “Oh god, that looks awful.” Every now and then I’d buy something new, wear it once and decide: “no, it looks awful”. I just didn’t have the confidence to wear things a second time.
When I met Joanna Martin, I thought: “She looks fantastic all the time!” and I realised I REALLY wanted to know how to do that. I asked her “Who dresses you?”. When I got some money from selling my house, I decided to treat myself by investing in Helen’s services and a shopping spree.”
Jo booked herself in for a Transformation Day and a Personal Shopping Day a couple of weeks on London’s Oxford Street. During the Transformation Day we discussed the kind of clothes that Jo had a been relying on, what she likes to wear and where she had difficulties. I put together a bespoke clothing prescription for her by the best colour, shape and style of clothing for her body. In other words – which would be the clothes that would most flatter her colouring and shape.
Then I used the clothing prescription when we went shopping to narrow down the best items in each shop for Jo and brought them to her in the changing room to try on.
In her words:
“So, we went shopping and the clothes I’ve got now – I absolutely LOVE them. It has been life-changing. Now I know what to look for, where to go, what works and what doesn’t. I feel reborn!
Helen got me to try on a dress that I would never have looked at. When I tried it on I thought: “That’s AMAZING!”. I’ve got things in my wardrobe that I can’t wait to put on again and I am so excited about going shopping in the winter to look for the next lot.
It was something that had to happen. I’m 44 and I can’t keep dressing in clothes that don’t suit me. I had nothing in my wardrobe that I felt comfortable with or passionate about.
It is hard to be objective when you see yourself in the mirror and to know what suits you, unless you’ve been taught. How will you know which clothes are right for you unless someone teaches you?
Working with Helen was really fun. She gives you her full attention and meets you on your level so that she can work out exactly what you want. She is really knowledgeable and she really cares that you feel great about yourself.”
I’m very proud of the work that Jo and I have done together and what we’ve achieved. It’s great to see her smiling again and feeling confident about herself and the way she looks.
For more information about the Transformation Session and what is involved drop me an email at helen@helenreynoldsstyle.com.
