Dear readers,
Just last week, one of my long-standing clients — I’ll call her “C” — reached out, hoping I could see her last-minute while I was still in Toronto. It’s hard to believe, but I’ve been working with C for almost 13 years, so we’ve seen each other through many life changes, and I know her needs well.
Fun fact: C was actually referred to me by my former high school science teacher. Shout-out to Ms. Q., who once hurt my feelings and made me cry by telling me the truth — that I was “dumbing-down” to gain acceptance from my peers. Teachers really do care.
Client Profile: C is a 40-something real estate agent who is 5’2”, short-torsoed, straight through the waist, with a 27” inseam. She’s typically a size 10, S-L on top and M-L on the bottom, and a B-cup.
Off-the-rack clothing is generally designed around the proportions of the “average” woman, but that doesn’t mean C has to shop in the petite section, nor does it mean she needs to avoid oversized clothing or long trousers. What she needs to do is pay particular attention to overall scale and proportion. We found pieces that were marketed as “cropped” that sat “full-length” on her, and depending on the cut, we played around with sizing — sometimes sizing down, and sometimes sizing up.
If C’s profile sounds familiar, I worked with a client of similar proportions here. Unlike that client, who truly didn’t want more than a core foundational wardrobe, C enjoys playing with clothes. She gravitates towards sexy silhouettes (less so these days) in bright colours and fun embellishments — the more bling, the better!
The Assignment: Over the years, we’ve built C a foundational wardrobe, which is absolutely necessary for everyone — even those, nay, especially those who love playful pieces. This time around, she was looking for four to six outfits that were fun and expressive, yet still versatile enough to take her from work to drinks to an upcoming conference up north (Toronto-speak for cottage country).
Rather than sourcing online, I was confident we could meet at Yorkdale — a mall I know like the back of my hand — and find what she needed.
And we did! During our two-hour shop, we bought 11 pieces and, yes, found those “4 to 6 outfits” she was hoping for. But, if you’re a long-time reader of IMV, you know that I prefer shopping for versatile separates over one-hit wonders. Once C mixes these new pieces into her existing wardrobe, she’ll have dozens of possible outfits rather than six very specific looks.
Total spend: C$3,500 / US$2,600.
So, here’s what we chose —
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.