My name is Lynne Thomas.  I'm certified as a style adviser and personal shopper.  For years I've assisted friends, family and occasionally people I've met  and began talking with about style and shopping needs.  Some of the people that I've helped, I've met at stores and they wanted an opinion of how something looked on them.  I too have asked other shoppers, in dressing rooms at the mirror, what they thought of an outfit and how it looked on me.  Even though I have an eye for style, it's easier to see on others than myself.  This is often the case for most people.  That's why it's so important to have someone with you when shopping for clothing, shoes and makeup.  

While shopping alone, you try to find someone who's opinion you may respect (and you hope they don't mind your interruption).  You hope they are willing to give you an opinion and often they are.  But many times, even though they mean well, they will answer depending on how they would feel about wearing the item themselves.  You often don't get the advise you are asking for.  For instance, I, personally,  look better in lighter colors.  While shopping recently, I was looking for a stylish, long house dress, something I could wear to the store or go to bed in....you know... the staple dress that is casual or can be dressed up with jewelry and worn out.  Well in this particular case, the person I asked said the house dress look great!  Then after a few exchange of comments, they said they'd love to have one just like it.  Often they don't answer the question you are asking “does this look good on me? (the person asking the question)” but are really answering and saying “I love the outfit and it would look good on me! (Them)”.  They are judging the outfit by how it would look on them, not how it looks on you.  This particular lady had a darker complexion and black hair.  Yes it would have looked fabulous on her....but I decided it was too dark and bold for my hair and complexion so I left the outfit behind.  What I'm trying to say is that you need someone with you who will be honest and one who will tell you how it looks on you...not on them.

Friends also may not be completely honest as they may hate the outfit on you but are afraid to say “it makes your xxxx look big”  :)  So having an experienced style adviser and personal shopper who is trained and certified to offer opinions, tips and suggestions is the perfect solution.

  But it's more than that.....

There are people who have been trained and still can't help you look your best!  Again, for instance, I once went to a makeup counter and asked the brow stylist to help me with my eyebrows.  I had been using pencils and wanted a softer, more natural look that comes from a powder.  My eyebrows tend to have more thickness closer to the middle of my face and the outer edges tend to be less defined and less full.  There are “rules” of the trade when “drawing” or “setting an eyebrow shape.”  They take a brush and measure from the inner eye and outer eye...that tells them where they feel the eyebrow must start and end...middle to outer edge.  This “rule” doesn't apply to everybody.  I personally insisted that the shape be different.  I'm used to my face which is longer and I can't wear the shape they were suggesting.  The “rule” didn't help me look my best.  It actually made my face look longer.  It brought attention downward (their measurement told them that my brow should end bending downwards) and didn't help me at all.  I showed them what I meant by making the shape on my brow and they were surprised and admitted that it really did help to shape them slightly different, more outward towards the outer edges of the brow.  I learned that using the powder and brush they offered did help me and they also learned something about shaping from me.  I'm still learning tips about looks and how to improve them.  That's the fun of the shopping experience...learning from each other and trying new things.   

Although I am certified and have been trained in more than one class what the “rules” are/should be, I know that we are all individuals and have our own preferences and sometimes the rules help and sometimes they don't.  So again it takes training...yes.  It also takes honesty, maturity and experience.  And above all, it's most important to make the customer feel good about how they look.  Since early spring, the fashion shows on TV keep telling us green is the fashion color of this spring and summer.  But if you look bad in green, what good does that do for you?  Not much!  

The final point is that a good personal shopper and style adviser should first find out what you like and feel are your best features.  I will bring together your personal style with suggestions of how to improve your individual look.  Some professionals may say, for the fashion conscience person, what the current trends are in New York, but it's more important for you to be happy with how you look than to try to copy what a designer is putting on models on the runway or on the red carpet.     

The bottom line is that it's all about you.  The final look should make you feel good about how you look.  You should be comfortable with the style of your clothes, hair, makeup etc.  If you aren't feeling good about how you look in your style then you have the wrong style.  I'm here to help you look and feel your best.  

Besides wardrobe assessments, I also offer shopping services.  We can shop together, or I can shop for you.  I'm happy to look for gifts that you might not have time to shop for.  My previous career was working as a database administrator.  I worked overtime a lot and while I knew what I wanted to give someone as a gift, I really didn't have time to shop for others.  There are often a lot of times in a busy life where one turns to the internet to find such gifts but know many times the items aren't as expected and then there is no time to return it before the event (birthday etc.)  I'm happy to help with these sorts of tasks. In the past, I too had a full life with a busy career and family.  I'd feel pressed to pick up items for Secretary's Day, for a friend, etc. or run errands to take care of things I just didn't have time for.  I just didn't have an honest, trusted friend I could count on who had time to help me out!  Most people I knew had careers and families and they didn't have time to do their own shopping and tasks such as these. So now I've decided to start a business doing what I love best! .... Shopping.