The number one style mistake most women attorneys make when packing for a work trip is waiting until the very last minute.
You’ve told yourself all day that you’ll get to it later.
It’s now midnight, and your flight leaves in less than 10 hours.
You’re feeling:
😬 Frazzled 😬 Overwhelmed 😬 Confused
Instead of packing, you decide you really need to watch the latest episode of Love is Blind.
Two hours later…. your bag is still empty.
You’ve literally run out of time and the ability to make any decisions.
In a desperate attempt to just get it done, you throw everything you own in the suitcase hoping that surely something will match.
This hope and a prayer method is not a good strategy.
It only leads to shame, overwhelm, and frustration.
The solution is to create a travel capsule which is a small subset of clothes that easily mix and match together for multiple outfits.
You need a mix of both neutral and statement items.
Your neutral items are those items that can be worn more than once in a non-obvious way such as a pair of navy trousers.
You also want to include those personality pieces which make your outfits feel like you such as unique earrings or a blazer in your favorite color.
With a little bit of planning and intention, you can go from frazzled to calm.
Packing can become, dare I say, something you look forward to!
It’s exactly how I help my clients pack with ease.
For a quick video on how you can easily go from day to night at a conference, click here.
If you just want your travel wardrobe done for you, I invite you to get on a free twenty minute style discovery call with me. Click here to book your call.
Shame grows with more shame, becoming overwhelming.
When caught in this cycle, it’s tough to find solutions, which are often simpler with professional help.
I once thought only the wealthy needed a financial planner, fearing I wasn’t “worthy” of one.
But, I was wrong.
Hiring one brought immense relief; finance isn’t as hard as I thought, and my planner was eager to assist, despite my not being rich or famous.
Similarly, clients often feel they aren’t worthy of hiring a stylist.
It seems luxurious, reserved for the wealthy.
Yet, my clients are everyday women—moms, lawyers, entrepreneurs.
Before working with me, some of them felt ashamed for not mastering their style, seeing it as a personal failure.
Remember, not everyone knows how to style themselves from birth. That’s why experts exist—to help us, shamelessly.
If you’ve got questions about leveling up your style, please join me for Chic Counsel: Inside the Stylist’s Studio: Happy Hour Edition.
It takes place on Zoom on Thursday, April 25th at 4 pm PT/ 5 pm MT/ 6 pm CT/ 7 pm ET.
I’m going to be answering all of your burning style questions and give you a peek behind the curtain of what it looks like to work together. It’s going to be a blast!
Why You Should Rid Your Closet of Clothes That Don’t Fit
Have you ever thought to yourself “I just have to pick out my outfit real quick. It won’t take long.”, but then 20 minutes later you still found yourself digging through your closet? The average woman takes 20 minutes to get dressed in the morning. Why? Because she’s stuck wading through a bunch of clothes that don’t fit her current body.
My suggestion to you: get those clothes out of your closet!
First of all, having clothes in your closet that are way too big or way too small disempowers you!
Clothes have a certain energy that they bring, and you can use this as a tool to empower yourself but you can also disempower yourself. Your wardrobe in your closet is a form of self care. It’s the first thing that you do when you wake up in the morning.
Clothes that don’t fit are taunting you! Have you ever woken up and thought “I’m feeling pretty skinny today; I bet I can fit into this skirt that hasn’t fit in a while!”, only to try on the skirt and have it not fit. Now you’ve just started your day off on a negative note. Don’t feel bad. We’ve all done it before!
I typically find that the clothes in our closet fall into three categories.
Clothes that will fit if you lose 5-10 pounds.
Clothes that will only fit if you lose 20-30 pounds.
Baggy clothes that are shapeless and way too big.
When you’re wearing clothes that are too small, they pinch you and make you uncomfortable, and when you’re wearing clothes that are too big, you’re drowning in them.
Get those clothes out of the closet!
These clothes are shaming you. And who needs that negativity? Start off your day on a positive note by wearing clothes that fit and flatter your shape.
If it seems like a daunting task to rid your closet of all your clothes that don’t fit, I recommend starting small and taking it day by day. When you try on an item of clothing and it doesn’t fit, don’t put it back in your closet. You can put it in a donation bin, try to resell it, or simply put it in storage if it is something you think you’ll fit into in the future.
Secondly, having clothes in your closet that don’t fit is inefficient and leads you into decision fatigue. We don’t want to waste all our mental energy on deciding what to wear in the morning. We can save that energy for better use on work matters and things that are important to us.
The third thing that I hear women use a lot as an excuse is that they are waiting until they lose weight to invest in themselves. These thoughts are poisonous! When you decide to wait until you lose weight to invest in a good wardrobe, you’re putting yourself in style purgatory! It’s a form of punishment to not allow yourself to get clothes that fit your body now.
My recommendation is to get yourself out of style purgatory by buying at a minimum a capsule wardrobe that fits your current body now, that you can look and feel good in. That is what sets you up for success.
It’s such a relief when you get these dream stealers out of your closet that no longer fit. It’s so freeing. It feels like you’ve shed a whole person. It makes your closet much more manageable and organized, so that getting dressed in the morning can be something you look forward to.
When you have a closet that you love, and clothes that you feel good in, then you can go out and shine in the world and do what you’re meant to do here on this Earth.
I have seen the power and the transformation that happens when you walk in and everything in your closet fits, and trust me, it’s magical.
If this all seems like too much for you to handle on your own, I can help. Click here to set up a style discovery call with me.
Do you have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear?
Do you feel wasteful getting rid of clothes you hate because you spent a lot of money on them?
I get it.
I’ve been there too.
You tried Stitch Fix but all you got was cheaply made clothes with expensive price tags that you kept to recoup your $20 “styling” fee.
You tried Rent The Runway and spent hours going down the rabbit hole of:
Trying to find clothes you liked that were available in your size Second guessing what size to get since sizing is all over the place Finding a top you liked but deciding against it because you didn’t know what to pair with it Ending up playing it safe by ordering all black tops and pants that look just like the ones hanging in your closet that you hate
It’s exhausting.
You’ve wasted valuable time, money and mental energy.
What you need is a style blueprint that helps you create a cohesive closet.
The magic happens when you understand…
👠 How to dress your body shape 👠 Your unique style preferences 👠 Which colors make you glow
You can use the same amount of money that you spent on a year of Rent-the-Runway to build a capsule wardrobe of quality items you love that easily mix and match together.
To see how I built a capsule wardrobe from the same cost of a yearly subscription to Rent the Runway, click here.
And the best part?
No more mental energy worrying about what to wear.
No more guesswork.
No more clothes shopping.
No more endless returns of clothes that don’t work for you.
You get the gift of finality.
If you’re ready to stop wasting your time on your wardrobe, I can help.
Imagine if you no longer had to think about what to wear: if it was done AND done well.
All you’d have to do is open an app on your iPhone and choose from one of 20+ head-to-toe outfits curated by me.
Click here to schedule a style discovery call with me where I’ll help you figure out where you are stuck with your style and the next step you need to take to get a wardrobe you love.
Have you ever had the moment when the CEO drops in the office for a surprise lunch visit and you just want to slip out the back door because of what you are wearing?
What if you thought “Ooh! I’m wearing the perfect outfit to see them!” instead of “Oh no! What am I wearing!??”
Just last week my client shared that she had such a surprise visit, and she relished in her new experience.
She saw the other attorneys in her office, who were dressed in sloppy clothes, scurrying around in fear.
She used to have that same dread.
But this time she felt at ease.
It was just a regular Monday but she was ready for the CEO to drop in and chat.
She knew that she looked the part of a partner leading her team. She felt in charge and relaxed.
Previously, she would have sat at the other end of the lunch table trying not to draw attention to the fact that she looked like she had just rolled out of bed.
This time she sidled up to the CEO and had a nice lunchtime chat. She led the conversation and even put in a plug about some initiatives she was working on.
My client wasn’t wearing a formal suit to the office but she looked put together and polished.
The energy she felt from her elevated wardrobe transformed her experience to one where she felt at ease, in control and in full expert energy.
Having amazing style can be broken down into 3 simple steps:
👠 Creation of your authentic style blueprint which takes into consideration your body shape, coloring and style preferences.
👠 An intentional wardrobe built around your style blueprint
👠 Endless outfit possibilities full of clothes that easily mix and match together.
When all 3 of these elements come together, you get the powerhouse style effect.
If you’re ready to have a closet full of clothes you love that make you feel ready to take on the world, click here to get on my calendar. On the call, I’ll help you get clarity on why your style is not working for you, and I’ll share what it would look like to work together.
There is nothing I enjoy more than bringing out my clients’ unique style preferences.
When we express who we are and what we represent through our professional wardrobe, we feel seen.
We get to enjoy our style because it feels 100% authentic.
Join me as I celebrate four of my attorney clients who each have different style aesthetics.
My client Camille loves a classic, sophisticated style.
Camille is the managing partner at a regional law firm.
She travels regularly to try cases all over the world, and she came to me to create a sophisticated, polished wardrobe.
Here is an outfit I curated for her from her newly elevated wardrobe.
As you can see, it is a classic outfit that stands the test of time.
The elements that make this look classic are:
Neutral colors Nude pointed toe heels Burberry scarf Pencil skirt
When you purchase classic pieces, such as this classic black pencil skirt, you can afford to spend a little bit more for a piece that won’t got out of style and will hold up due to its high quality fabric.
She gets endless compliments on her classic looks that bring an elegance and polish to her presence.
My client Amanda loves a preppy element to her style.
Amanda is a litigator in California where her office dress code is business casual.
She came to me because she had a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear. She had pieces she liked but no outfits, and she didn’t feel like she had a cohesive style.
She wanted to curate a wardrobe that was cheerful, yet professional, comfortable and effortless. She now has a clearly defined preppy style and fully functioning wardrobe that easily mixes and matches.
We started working together last fall, and I just finished my shopping for her Spring seasonal update. As an annual client, I shop for Amanda four times a year, and I also create travel capsules for her.
Here is an outfit I created for her that displays her cheerful and preppy style.
The elements that make this look preppy are:
Bright pink colors Bow details on her shoes and in her earrings Cardigan Scalloped collar
Amanda now loves getting dressed in her colorful and fun outfits.
My client Cheryl loves an edgy element to her style.
In particular, she loves animal prints and pops of colors.
Cheryl is a corporate lawyer in Cincinnati who is heavily involved in women attorney groups.
She often has cocktail receptions and happy hours with other women attorneys, and she loves to show her playful, edgy side.
Here is an outfit I curated for her from her newly elevated wardrobe.
The elements that make this look edgy are:
Leather skirt Zebra blouse Hot pink kitten heels
Cheryl is never short on compliments with her fun and edgy style which suits her personality to a tee.
My client Amarette loves a boho Mary Kate and Ashley Olson element to her style.
Amanda owns her own law firm in Mississippi and came to me in the fall to help her revamp her wardrobe.
She loves flowy boho styles and enjoys more of a casual work environment except for the days she goes to court.
She is on a weight loss journey, and she wanted me to style her throughout the entire process.
She didn’t want to wait until she lost all of her weight to feel good and confident in her style. We are working on a creating a wardrobe that supports her now and as she continues to lose weight through the year.
Here is an outfit I created for her that is the epitome of Amarette’s style.
The elements that make this look boho are:
Flowy dress Earthy print of the dress Cozy cardigan Tall boots
Amarette loves that she no longer has to put any thought into what to wear. Like Amanda, she is an annual client who not only gets seasonal updates four times a year but also travel capsule wardrobes from me.
Amarette shared that as someone who struggles with ADHD, she especially appreciates how I lay out what she needs to wear each day of her work trips in her travel capsule wardrobes.
She loves knowing how to tweak her day look to go to dinner without having to put on an entirely new outfit. And, she enjoys having a much lighter suitcase because she is able to mix and match the same pieces to create different looks.
I hope these four case studies have been helpful in showing you how you can integrate your own unique style personalities into your attorney work looks.
For more day to day style inspiration, make sure you have joined my free private Facebook Group which has almost 2000 powerhouse women in it. It’s a fun place to hang out!
P.S. If you’re sick of trying to figure it out and just want your wardrobe done for you, I’ve got you. It all starts with a free style discovery call with me.
My name is Estelle Winsett, and I am an attorney turned personal stylist. Welcome to my website! Here I will add weekly blog posts, so you can get to know a little bit more about me and why I do what I do.
