Gifting a Personal Stylist: What to Know Before You Give (or Ask For) One
If you're thinking about gifting a personal stylist, you've probably already had the second thought too: will she think I'm saying something about how she dresses?
It's a fair worry and it has a good answer. But first, here's why this gift works so well for the right person.
Why a personal stylist makes such a good gift
Most of the women I work with would never have booked a stylist for themselves the first time they thought about it. They thought about it for a year or two first.
The reason is almost always the same. Spending real money on how you look feels indulgent. You'll spend it on a couch, a work laptop or your kid's camp without blinking, but spending it on yourself, specifically on your appearance, feels vain or frivolous. So you keep wearing the jeans that sort of fit and tell yourself you'll deal with it when things calm down.
A gift removes the guilt. Nobody has to justify the expense or decide whether she "deserves" it. Someone else already decided, and that's a big part of why it lands.
The best gifts are things a person wants and would never buy for herself. For a lot of women, a stylist is exactly that.
Who this gift is right for
A personal stylist gift is a great fit if she:
Has said some version of "I have nothing to wear" more than once this month
Just went through a big change, like a new job, a move, a baby or a body that's different than it was a few years ago
Saves outfits on her phone constantly but never wears anything like them
Wears the same four outfits on rotation and seems a little bored by it
Has a closet full of clothes she bought for a version of her life that doesn't exist anymore (or never has!)
It's less of a fit if she loves shopping on her own and already likes everything she owns. Some people genuinely enjoy figuring it out solo. If that's her, get her the boots she keeps talking about instead.
How to give it without it reading as a hint
This is the part everyone gets stuck on, so here's how to handle it.
Frame it as time and fun, not a fix. "I know you've been wanting to deal with your closet" works. "You really need help with your clothes" does not. You're giving her a service that's entirely about her, which is rare for most women in their 30s and 40s.
Say why you thought of her. A sentence in the card about how she always has great taste but never gets to use it, or how she's been through a lot this year and deserves something just for her, makes all the difference.
Know that the work starts with what she wants. My process doesn't start by telling anyone what's wrong with her clothes. It starts with style discovery: what she wants to look like, what she's been talked out of wearing over the years and how she wants people to see her when she walks into a room. Nobody's showing up to judge her closet.
And if you're the one who wants this, it's completely fine to ask for it. Send your partner or your mom this article. That's what it's here for.
What the gift actually includes
A styling service with me covers more than a closet clean-out. Here's what the process looks like, in order:
Style discovery. We figure out what she actually wants to look like now, including the things she's been telling herself she can't wear.
Closet edit. We go through everything she owns, keep what works, let go of what doesn't and figure out what's missing.
Personal shopping. We shop for the gaps only, with a list, so every new piece works with what she already has.
Outfits. I build her outfits and photograph them, so she's not standing in front of her closet at 7am trying to remember what goes with what.
The full version of this is The Next Edition, my eight-week wardrobe relaunch. It's the one I recommend for gifting because it covers every step and she'll still be wearing the results long after the holidays.
I work in person with clients in New York City, New Jersey, Westchester, Long Island and Connecticut, with virtual and travel options for everyone else. She doesn't need to live in Manhattan to use it.
You can see the details on the services page and answers to common questions on the FAQ page.
How to buy a personal stylist gift certificate
You can buy a gift certificate for my styling services here. Add her name and email, write a personal message and schedule it to arrive whenever you want, including first thing on the morning of the holiday or her birthday.
If you have questions about which service fits her best, get in touch and I'll help you figure it out.
A sweater gets worn a few times. A closet she actually likes getting dressed from gets used every day.
About the Author
Gab Saper is a New York–based personal stylist and the founder of Wardrobe Editor™, a styling consultancy focused on helping millennial women build wardrobes that actually work for their lives. Her approach combines style discovery, closet editing, personal shopping and outfit curation to build a closet where everything is easy to wear.
Gab has been featured in New York Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, CNN and Forbes.