I remember the precise moment I started to rethink my wardrobe. It was last fall when my friend Krissy wanted to dress up as Britney Spears for Halloween and I actually had several baby-doll dresses appropriate for the occasion. After three pregnancies in five years, my closet resembled a mosh pit of casual meets clubbing meets corporate meets cocooning meets carpool. And, that’s not to say that I haven’t invested in my wardrobe over the years. In fact, I had spent a large sum, yet every morning I struggled with the same conundrum: “What am I going to wear?” With baby-spit up (mostly) behind me, a new life as a mom and writer/editor, and one of those milestone birthdays looming, I decided it was time to step it up.
Enter Nancy Klompus of Buy Request. My meeting with the seasoned fashion vet, who led the designer areas of luxury retailers such as Neiman Marcus, Saks and Barneys for more than 25 years, started in the most soul-baring of spaces: my closet.
Nancy, who I have found out is the secret-weapon to many a well-dressed mom in the Metroplex, got to work immediately. “You want to look cute and fresh,” she quips. She peppers me with tips such as “Never wear hose with an open-toe shoe” and “When in doubt, white-shirt it.”
An initial session with her involves a total evaluation and reorganization of everything in your closet. She’ll coordinate outfits for every occasion and update classics into the current year’s trends. She’ll also tell you what to consign/donate, pruning your wardrobe down to only the best. Then, she’ll shop (you can join her or not) to fill in the gaps. Nancy calls it “wardrobe customization” – honing in on your unique style to create a one-of-a-kind, head-to-toe “age appropriate and effortless” wardrobe. I call it a Godsend.
“I’m very addicting,” she muses. “Imagine you don’t have to shop and beautiful clothes arrive and fit perfectly. I make life stress-free when it comes to clothes.”
In fact, Nancy is known for maximizing your wardrobe budget by mostly putting the dollars toward classic-yet-chic pieces that will last approximately five seasons.
The benefit of utilizing an independent personal shopper (vs. a department store specialist) is that Nancy can draw from several retail options (and even has a “secret vintage” source). She also knows just how to fit every body type (from age 35 to 65) and brandishes an impeccable sense of style.
Nancy tackles one season at a time; expect 10-12 hours for the initial assessment/shopping (return trips included) – once you get caught up, it goes much quicker.
After she’s done with your closet, you’ll look like you “walked off the designer floor of Neiman Marcus no matter what you have,” she declares. I’ll let you know (track my wardrobe reinvention on our blog: www.dallaschild.blogspot.com) … we have another two-hour closet session planned (with a late January shopping trip on the agenda).
Nancy also works with men (many of whom utilized the custom “photo album” she assembles with ready-made outfits). Her assistant, Ann Johns, is available for a lower rate and specializes in the 20-something crowd. For hourly rates and details, contact Nancy: www.nkbuyrequest.com, 214/725-9527.
