Ask The Readers: Would YOU find a personal style consultation helpful?

May 29, 2012 · 27 comments

in Ask The Readers

Hey gents,

Just a quick question today.

Since releasing The Effortless Guide to Graduating Your Style, I’ve gotten some great feedback from those who are currently going through the manual.

A few have even suggested I do personal style consultations for the extremely motivated who want to take the lessons from GYS to the next level, so to speak.

Interesting suggestion!

My question to you is this: Would YOU find a personal style consultation helpful?

Let’s say we had one hour…

Riddle me this:

  • How would our session go?
  • What setting would be most helpful (a mall or department store, basically in the trenches? a room with a whiteboard so we can sketch stuff out? a coffee shop or bar for a casual chat?)
  • What kinds of things would you want to cover?
  • What kinds of questions would you ask?
  • What’s your biggest style hang-up you’re hoping I could help solve?

I’m not even sure this is possible, considering the time and geographic restrictions, but it would be interesting to see if we can pull this off.

So in the comments below, let me know how our one-hour style consultation would go. Also, if you’re local (in the San Francisco Bay Area) or willing to travel to San Francisco for something like this, let me know that as well.

Can’t wait to hear from you!

[photo]

About

Barron is the founder and editor of Effortless Gent, a site dedicated to helping dudes figure out what looks best on them. He also co-founded Fifth&Brannan, a menswear label based in San Francisco. Connect with him on Twitter and Facebook.

  • http://twitter.com/jprug Jason Prugar

    Our session would take place in the trenches. At a mall or department store. I’d provide you a small list of questions/items I’d want to go over and take it from there.

    I’d want to cover fit (make sure I’m doing it right), combinations and things I can add to my wardrobe that I can mix and match. I’d ask about shoes, shorts and what to wear during a workout.

    My biggest hangups are making sure I do fit properly as well as types of shoes to get.

  • Thomas

    Awesome idea.  I understand the geographic restrictions, but a webcam might help.  For me, frankly, it’s the body type issue.  I wear a tie every day, but no jacket to cover up the extra weight.  So for me, a consultation would prove useful in recognizing the types of dress clothes I would look best in given my body type.  And yes, this consultation would be most beneficial in a department store, where you point out exactly the types of shirts and pants that would work for me, but a frank discussion in private would also be just as helpful.  I REALLY hope you decide to test this consultation out.  Thank you!

  • kmorris76

    I live in the Bay Area (Walnut Creek), and this sounds like it would be awesome. However, I think that I would only need consultation for events where I had to wear a suit or tux. If feel as though this blog has given me a good grasp as to what I should wear every day. 

    Being a teenager, people don’t expect much from me as far as style, and I like to surprise them. Thanks for helping me out with that.

  • vm

    Even the ability to submit pictures of existing articles of clothing may be helpful. 

    There are a couple of needs here: help weeding out the existing closet. Help getting advice on fit (the current article would be okay, but you need a size bigger/smaller/find a tailor) – and how to find a good tailor.

  • Josh Jensen

    Hey, I’m from walnut creek also! Much respect on deciding to buck trends and embrace style. You figured it out a lot sooner than I did. :)

  • Dsattaur

    Great Idea.  I know for remote users, you can use skype. 

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    Yeah I considered Skype. It would be more of a QA, casual chat vs. a full-on, in-store-with-examples type thing. Could definitely work though.

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    Covered a few of these points in the manual of course (http://graduatingyourstyle.com/), but perhaps an even more detailed, step-by-step, hand holding would be better? This could definitely work via images like you said (and of course in person is easiest).

  • Marshall Lilly

    Not for me.  I know what I want/need…it’s mostly a matter of budgeting and buying the required items responsibly.

    I did however go through my closet this weekend and have a big pile to give to charity, so I’m feeling pretty good about that.

  • Greg_S

    I think most men (even the ones that frequently read various style media) need the most help with proper fit. Especially suits and blazers. I’m not saying I’ve got it all figured out, but I personally wouldn’t use the service. Either way, going in the trenches with guys that are unsure and trying on a variety of suits or a variety of shirts to show them proper fit would go a long way. There are so many questions about fit on another forum I visit and very few are even close at first. Also, going with to a tailor when people are unsure of that would be helpful, I imagine. I think that is intimidating at first and people arent quite sure what they should ask for.

  • coffii_howz

    reading about stuff is helpful. i wouldn’t hire a style consultant. I do have a friend in news who’s agent gives him tips.

  • dolph lundgren

    Technically this doesn’t answer your question because I think just one hour would be more or less useless (what could we cover in 60 minutes that I can’t learn by reading style blogs?) but if we had several hours:

    I would want this to start at home and include my existing wardrobe and then move to a mall with department stores and cover the following:
    1) How to shop in a mall/department store.  I know it’s possible because apparently every well dressed dude in America can do it, but when I’m in a department store it feels like nothing fits right, nothing’s in my budget, nothing is quite what I came to get, and the salesman isn’t being helpful and I just want to leave and come back another weekend, which of course never happens.  So what am I doing wrong?

    2) Fit part one: the clothes.  How should I expect shoes/pants/shirts/jackets etc to fit?  How much can I expect them to shrink upon washing?  How can I expect them to change with tailoring?  How can I tell how well made a piece of clothing is?

    3) Fit part two: my body.  What will look good on me?  What’s bound to look bad?  Yeah, I know, there are articles about #2 and #3 on the internet but reading about it is one thing and standing at a Macy’s looking at different choices of any given thing and having to figure out what’s a waste of time and what will be flattering is something else entirely.

    4) Putting it together.  I would want this to include a mini shopping spree to buy a few items to kick start a new wardrobe – enough to make a difference but not so much as would break the bank.  I’d want to know, based on what I already own, what the key things to buy would be, then buy them and see exactly how they can fit together to create different outfits/looks/etc.

  • Shane Peden

    I feel like I have pretty decent taste, my problem is being too cheap to lay down the cash for the truly nice things. :-P

  • http://website-in-a-weekend.net/ Dave Doolin

    I’ll budget for August. I need new jeans. Market St/Union Square area.

  • Philssh

    I think I have a very good idea of my own style, but sometimes I just need someone who knows what to look for and how I can get the style/effect I want.  I would want to hear about the basic things I should be looking for for my body type–WITHOUT hearing that I should stick to “basics.”

  • http://www.themodestman.com/ Brock

    Hey Barron,

    As a guy who has a pretty good handle on personal style, DOs and DON’Ts, etc., I’d say it would be nice to be pushed out of my comfort zone a little. Maybe try on some new things from some new stores that I wouldn’t venture into by myself. New colors, layers, and so on.

    -B

  • Apm

     Head to suitsupply – they’ll get you in a well fitting suit!

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    Nice, thanks for the detailed outline. You’re right, a 60 minute session couldn’t possibly cover everything. What you’re describing however would be a more intense workshop-type session. Could be an interesting service however.

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    I agree; I think the biggest benefit of personal one-on-one style consults (virtually or in person) is the alternative point of view that you might not have thought of on your own. It’s just a matter of if the man is open to something new.

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    No one has to stick to basics only :) I think what would be helpful in this situation is if you gave your consultant inspiration images of guys whose style you’d like to emulate. Then the consultant can help adapt that to your body type / existing personal style.

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    haha, are you trying to hire me already Dave? :)

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    Yeah, it’s definitely a mental thing. It’s really only important for certain pieces. And even then, quality can go on sale (or clearance) if you’re patient and lucky.

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    Not everyone really needs it, though it depends on the guy. I myself wouldn’t use one, though I’ve met many through this site that would. Just a question I wanted to pose. :)

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    Yeah, fit is definitely key and one of the things I feel are easiest to tackle in person. I like the idea of going with a client to a tailor. Clearly this in-person style consultation isn’t a service I’d ever be able to provide on a level that scales, but I always found this topic interesting since I feel it could be useful to certain guys. Thanks for your insight.

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    Glad to hear EG is helpful enough to where you don’t need a style consultant :)

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    I do have a few options I’m currently testing out; mostly a service where guys take photos in various angles wearing their outfits, and I can provide a detailed critique along with suggestions (if necessary) on how to improve or add onto the look. If that’s something you might find useful, feel free to email me (b@effortlessgent.com)

  • http://effortlessgent.com Barron

    Yep, this would be the ideal session, probably would take place across 2 or 3 meetings though. Thanks for the insight.

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