Personal Shoppers - High Street Store Versus Independent

Personal shoppers are becoming more popular and many people nowadays will have had some experience of using a personal shopper, usually when looking for an outfit for a special occasion.

More and more of the high street stores are using personal shoppers to help their customers spend their money and give them fashion advice. However, it is the job of these personal shoppers not only to send you away a satisfied customer but to get you to part with as much money as possible in that particular store. They are normally very good at putting outfits together from their own ranges but they don't always take into account whether the outfits and accessories they have chosen really suit your every need. They are biased towards what they sell and will encourage you to buy an item that isn't quite right rather than suggest you look elsewhere first. So is there better alternative?

Indeed, there are many qualified personal stylists and shoppers who are usually better trained than the store equivalents. They are unbiased so that they can take you to any store that they think will suit your needs in terms of budget, lifestyle, personality and body shape and you are not obliged to spend a penny if you don't want to (other than for the stylist's consultation fee). Independent stylists are trained to take all your requirements and issues into account. They will make sure they select outfits which bring out the best in your colouring. They will pay close attention to your body shape, making sure to highlight your good features whilst disguising any areas that you're not so keen on. They will balance any inequalities in your proportions. They are also trained in style personality so they will only suggest outfits that you will feel comfortable in. For example, if you are a natural person and don't like to stand out from the crowd, they won't force you into brightly-coloured mini-skirts even if they would look great on your figure.

High street personal shoppers do have advantages. You will get your personal shopping session for free and you may be lucky enough to find everything you need under one roof. However, for the price of a couple of extra garments, an independent personal shopper will show you how to find accessories in a variety of shops, give you style tips and advice and make sure you go away with a knock-out outfit for a special occasion or a wardrobe full of versatile clothes, depending on what you've asked them to do for you.

If you would like help with personal shopping, why not look for a personal shopper in your area?


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Beth Price is a senior personal shopper and stylist with Colour Me Beautiful. Based in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, she offers advice on all aspects of personal image including colour analysis, style consultations, make-up lessons and personal shopping sessions.