I never really thought about hiring a stylist, but then COVID hit. After months of quarantine and working from home, I realized that I'd gotten pretty shaggy and unkempt. And as a 53-year-old man, I'd been thinking about upgrading my look to something more professional and age-appropriate. I mean, I'm not a slob by any stretch, but I'd really let a bland, generic, business-casual look take over my wardrobe for the last several years - it was the path of least resistance. The "silver lining" of COVID quarantine was that it was the perfect excuse to make some changes so that I could come back new and improved.
I did a lot of internet research. (Did I mention that I'm a medical librarian? My job description is literally helping doctors and nurses conduct research into evidence-based practices that demonstrably improve patient outcomes. No matter how good you think you are at research using the internet, I have an MS and a PhD to back me up, as well as years of professional experience under my belt. Those are the same skills I used to find the best resources for personal styling. I tell you this to let you know that I. Did. Not. Mess. Around.) My research was thorough, and it kept leading me back to Patrick at Pivot Image Consulting. I searched for the best. I found the best. I found the Best of the Best, in fact.
I had a few questions before committing to an online session. Patrick was great about responding quickly and professionally, and with no sales pressure to follow up with a paid session. That's one of the ways I knew I was talking to the right guy -- he knows the value of his expertise, he's respectful of a potential client's time, and he doesn't need to pressure you. Right off the bat, I got a great sense of who he is.
A couple of email questions convinced me that I needed a full online session. I scheduled it, and then I got the prep "homework" - a questionnaire and a request for some pics of my wardrobe. I strongly recommend that you take a couple of days to do the prep work. It's not hard to do, and you can totally knock it out pretty quickly, but it's worth a little reflection about what you want out of the session. It's also worth the personal honesty to really see yourself and your "problem areas" - Patrick will see them (you're paying for his objectivity, after all), so just go all in on honesty and self-knowledge. It softens the blow later.
The session itself was just insight after another. Starting at the top of my head and working down, Patrick addressed everything:
Hair + style + grooming
Facial hair + style + grooming
Facial skin care
Glasses
Shape of my face
How hair + facial hair + and glasses frame my face
How to work with my natural coloring, and how those colors work with my clothes
We moved on to talk about my wardrobe, what worked and what didn't. We talked about how to fit clothes to my individual body shape. It wasn't so much about "accentuate the positive and draw attention away from the negative" as much as about fitting your clothes correctly. That is to say, there was no judgment about my build or how I got there; it was all about finding the best way to present myself. It wasn't problem-solving; it was refining and enhancing what was already there. I may not be communicating this clearly, but Patrick's approach was entirely building up, not about tearing down and re-building, if that makes sense?
Patrick took into account the types of clothes that I like and items that caught my eye. He analyzed everything about me (hair, facial hair, grooming, build, colors, comfort, budget, time, etc.), and he came up with a series of recommendations designed specifically for me:
Colors
Cut
Fit
How to determine size and fit
Materials
Brands
Places to shop
Return policies
Patrick produced a comprehensive written report, and he recorded our online session. I have both of these products (plus more!), and I go back and review them as I make new purchases. I took specific items from his report and put them on my phone so that they're always at the ready whenever I'm looking for something new.
He really couldn't have made it easier. Shopping used to be a painful slog, like going to take a test when you already expect to fail. Now it's like taking a test where you've already got all the answers on your phone.
I fully, unequivocally recommend Patrick and Pivot Image Consulting. I've been 100% satisfied with this service, and I know you will be, too. read more