Are you ready to step up your fashion game and create a wardrobe that empowers and inspires you? Look no further, as we sit down with Chelsea Davis, a personal wardrobe stylist who has made a transformative journey from the wholesale fashion industry to a successful travel stylist and closet concierge.
Join us as we delve into Chelsea’s story, her approach to styling and organization, and the impact she has had on her clients. From tips on closet organization to personal shopping and discovering your personal style, this interview with Chelsea will leave you feeling inspired and ready to take on the world with confidence.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn from one of the best in the business, and discover the power of personal style with Chelsea.
Can you share with us your journey to becoming a personal wardrobe stylist and the challenges you faced along the way?
I worked in the wholesale fashion industry, holding the title of Account Executive all the way to National Sales Director, for a decade before I exited the showroom industry and started a personal styling business focused around traveling.
Less than two months after I launched my website, on December 1st, 2020, my Mother suddenly passed away from a brain bleed which turned my world completely upside down, she had a stroke and was gone within 10 minutes. She and my Dad had been married almost 50 years when she passed, and I made the decision to put my entire life on hold, including my new business, to care for him and my family and start what I didn’t know would be the most hardest and massive healing I would experience. I can now say, I am actually, in a weird way, grateful I had to go through it because I have never been happier, and I know my Mom is always with me.
How did your background in wholesale fashion shape your approach to wardrobe styling and organization?
In both the wholesale world and styling world you have to understand what your purpose is. In the wholesale world, your purpose is to help the buyer of the boutique, online store or department store you are working with pick out the perfect assortment for their diverse customer. Instead of focusing on just one client in styling, you are focusing on the branding story of that boutique or department store, the buyer shares with you when they become your client. They understand their clientele and who is shopping their floors, so it is your job to be able to decipher and show variety across the line you are showing in knowing what is going to work for their clientele. I worked for brands that had multiple divisions that I was responsible for selling; I had to be organized to be successful.
Working for these brands required a lot of travel, sometimes to 3 cities in one month with weather opposites, which allowed me to master packing the perfect suitcase.
Can you talk about the concept of being a “Travel Stylist and Closet Concierge” and how you provide unique solutions to your clients?
A “Travel Stylist” in my mind is someone who can style you for an upcoming trip and whatever adventures you get to experience on it. I believe that there is a freedom you feel when you wake up in a foreign place, with your suitcase perfectly packed and a wardrobe that allows you to be ready for any adventure that comes your way.
Traditionally, a concierge is your go to person for all of your needs. By being a “Closet Concierge” I address all the needs you have regarding your closet. By nature I absolutely love solving problems. Maybe it is the Aquarius in me, but I love thinking outside of the box to solve problems and finding creative solutions, and that is what I do for my clients, whether it’s packing them for their trip or putting together their outfits for the week.
Can you walk us through your process for creating a “packing package” for your clients, and what factors do you consider when compiling outfits for their travels?
I create packing packages catered to a clients destination and length of stay for their trip. I offer 4 packages which vary based on the duration of a trip. My smallest package offered is called the “Vegas” which is a short/long weekend trip and my largest package offered is called the “Capri” which is for 14+ days. I offer to compile 3 outfits per day for the package you pick. For example, a “Vegas” suitcase will be 6-9 outfits and a Capri will be 42+ ensembles, should you wish.
When compiling outfits for the trip I consider what activities they will be doing. Is their “travel style” more relaxing and going to luxurious dinners but hanging around the resort, or are they going zip lining and hiking to volcanoes, or is it a mix of both or something entirely different. Their travel style helps me decide what they need in their suitcase.
What do you believe sets your services apart from other wardrobe stylists, and what do you think is the key to your success?
When working with me you get an experience. To my clients, I am not just their stylist. I am their friend, I am their faux therapist. I have been through enough in my life, where I can share my experiences with my clients and help them with the issues they may be experiencing outside of their style. I can look back now and feel so much gratitude that my life experiences caused me to get me to the place of wanting more for myself and wanting to be happy and learning how to achieve that. If I can help anyone feel better using the tools I have now been given, that gives me great satisfaction.
Can you share some of the most memorable moments in your career as a personal wardrobe stylist, and what impact you feel you have had on your clients?
My favorite part of being a stylist is getting to witness the moment of ultimate confidence being evoked in someone when they put something on I have chosen for them. It is that smile that comes across their face when looking in the mirror and they feel just for an instant that they can conquer the world. As a stylist, I get to create those moments for people. The outfit you wore on your first date, the suitcase you brought on your honeymoon, the look that landed you your dream job. I absolutely adore when I get a text or FaceTime call from a client so excited from an event they got back from, or any “win” they experienced related to their outfit that they share with me.
Can you talk about your approach to closet organization, and how do you help clients create a functional and stylish wardrobe?
I have an intake form that prior to the consultation I require to be filled out. The form discusses goals, how they describe themselves and three other questions that give me insight to who they are. Then I always schedule a closet consultation where we discuss in detail, their goals and who they would like to be through their style.
During the consultation, which I call the “Closet Sesh,” I have the client try on most of their closet to get a feel of what they want to keep and what they do not. I guide them in discerning what is flattering to their body and if something may be too dated that most likely will not be coming back into style. From there, I put together outfits from their existing wardrobe of what we are keeping. Based on how confident they feel in their current closet assortment, they can schedule a personal shopping session with me to pick up new pieces to add to their closet.
Can you discuss the role of personal shopping in your services, and how do you help your clients discover their personal style?
During the “Closet Sesh” I ask my clients questions that allow me to get to know them. We discuss what their goals are in life- not just related to fashion, but what they would want to achieve by working together. Do they want to land a new job, meet a partner, take a fabulous trip, etc. My suggestion is a three month retainer as that is the length of a season and large life goals cannot be achieved overnight. If three months seems like too big of a commitment at that time, I offer smaller packages as well.
To me personal style is so much more than just an appearance. Though seemingly superficial, clothing has the ability to affect the way we feel. For example, when a woman puts on a pair of heels, she instantly feels strong, sexy and powerful. Personal style can be the thing that is preventing you from landing your dream job, or finding the right partner. I absolutely love personal shopping with and for my clients, it is always such a fun day! I commit myself to helping my clients feel confident when we are designing their style. When you look good, you feel good and when you feel good you will magnetize more things that make you feel good. It can be that easy.
Can you share some tips and advice for women who are looking to make a career change and pursue their passion, as you did with wardrobe styling?
Absolutely, I exited my last showroom position a few months into the pandemic. I was feeling really conflicted, I had worked for my two dream companies and not knowing what the future held, sitting in lockdown, I began to think about what I was extremely passionate about. Traveling, helping people, luxury, style, and fabulous clothing is what I landed on….CStyle then was born.
Losing my Mom so quickly after launching my business was really devastating and caused me to do a lot of inner work. On my journey I found two mentors in the same year who changed my life. One showed me how to reprogram my subconscious and remove a lot of limiting beliefs that were hindering me from believing I could be successful in my career change. She taught me that your beliefs create your reality, and not the other way around. Once you learn how to change from the inside then your outside reality will shift. The other one is a retired Monk who is teaching me how to live a life of calm, clarity and compassion.
My advice to other women is to follow what makes you happy. Unfortunately most of us do not grow up learning to love ourselves and knowing what makes us happy. We grow up with limiting beliefs which then create our reality. Learning to finally love myself after losing my Mom was what changed everything for me. Once you accomplish this often very difficult task, you will see that is truly the key to having a life you love.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your business, and how do you hope to continue inspiring and empowering women through your work?
My plan is to continue to evoke confidence in women by helping them find their own personal style. I hope to inspire other women in understanding that it is important to love what you do because that is what makes you magnetic to all of your dreams coming true. I plan to add exclusive services such as sound baths to get my clients in the right state of mind before a trip and other creative offerings that they can look forward to by having me as their “Travel Stylist and Closet Concierge.
Unlock Your Personal Style and Travel with Confidence – Book Your Consultation with Chelsea Today at www.CStyle.me
