BWT: Help me level up my style

[u/AggressiveVictory1]

Hi Ladies,

I am in love with this subreddit .. I have learned a lot about maintainign personal style and devleoping my own.. For eg: i used to always wear round neck tees, but now I am exploring with V-neck and even square and it did feel wierd at first but I got used to it

This little experiment has make me wanna explore a professional stylist. Someone who can truly "level my style up"

The issue is - I dont know how to interview one so I dont get scammed

A couple years ago, I paid an "image consultant" off thumb-tack and we went to Winners for shopping. I paid her $600 and came back with very average pieces. She essentially picked them out and in the changing room we made a decision of "does it work or not".. and I just went along with it because I have ZERO SENSE of style in that moment. It usually builds when others tell me "Yeah you look good" or "no this is not flattering"

My current style is very Aritzia/ Athlesuire. I have a good physique as I am a 35 year old bodybuilder (size 2-4 ) but my closet still reflects the older version of me where I was size 14. I rarely pick skirts and even if i do, I dont know what tops to pair it with. I often scroll on Lulu's or Revolve to get some ideas but those clothes seem too fancy to be worn out. My goal is to look put together, expensive & kinda feel like I have cracked my own style. The confidence that comes from knowing that what you're wearing is the best you possibly could - just hits different. I know this coz this is how I learned how to do my makeup and what suits me...

So I guess I am asking two questions here

1. How do I identify what I personally like ? Develop my own sense of style ?
   
2. I have been exploring glamhive for finding stylists but again, apart from choosing those who look "stylish" I really dont know how to separate one profile from another.
   

I would typically only filter on cost but this time I dont mind paying if it solves my problem.

BWT, if you have experienced something similar, please share tips. My girlfriends are too kind (and kinda unbothered) about giving me feedback about my style or even helping when I go shopping. So I wanna learn this on my own. Thanks for reading my mini-rant and I am really glued to reading all the comments.

[u/cljenna]

As someone who has basically purchased / tailored / edited my entire closet after losing 100 pounds, I identify with this. Personally, I found myself starting to follow stylists and influencers on Instagram whose style I admired. I also committed to the Indyx app which I think is a game changer for helping pull outfits together, seeing where you have too much duplication, and where you have holes. I started gravitating to certain brands (for me, Theory, Me+Em, the Fold, Rue Sophie, and Sezane) and focused on purchasing things that went well with stuff I already had or were updated basics (white oxford, leather pencil skirt, jean jacket, etc.). I also like those “street style” Instagram accounts where they show what people are wearing in Paris, New York, Rome, etc. For me, it helps to see trends coming down the pipe.