The Best Wardrobe Investment You Can Buy

1-hour + $330 = a wardrobe you've fallen back in love with

I’ve lost count of how many sessions I’ve had with the one and only Personal Stylist/Style Knowledge Teacher Extraordinaire, Allison Bornstein. Five? Six? All I know is that it’s part of my annual wardrobe hygiene routine. Two one-hour sessions, twice a year; once in the winter when I’m feeling a bit fatigued and the same in summer tend to work best for me. Via video chat, she works her magic on my wardrobe, finding new ways to make old pieces feel fresh again, imparting her wisdom, and just leaving me feeling BUZZED to get dressed.

I always like to bring you along for the ride; you can see the video of our first-ever session here, and here are my best practices for if you ever book a personal styling session. This time, I was just feeling a bit stuck in the same crew-neck jumper and jeans outfit formulas I *always* wear. Although I have to preface this with the fact we spent a good 30 minutes of our session yapping and being interrupted by my kid (who, in fairness, was offering helpful critiques - ‘THIS JUMPER IS ‘FICK MUMMY!’ - despite it being his bedtime), so here’s what we managed in practically half an hour.

I have to say I’m a big fan of personal styling. Instead of pouring money into an item you probably don’t even need, why not spend it on getting a new set of eyes on your wardrobe and a stacked camera roll of novel ideas from those in know? There are a ton of options available these days…

• Indyx app - The app I use to organise and track my wardrobe digitally. Once you upload your wardrobe digitally, you can book Stylists to create lookbooks for you directly from your very own wardrobe. Sam Preston just did me a WONDERFUL Lookbook, and I can’t wait to share it with you. Prices start at $150 for a 10-outfit lookbook.

• Personal Stylists - Like Allison, there are a tonne of Stylists - and many who share their ideas and thought processes on Substack - that offer a similar service. Usually, a 1-hour video call where you review your wardrobe with a fresh set of eyes. Reva and Angie spring to mind, but feel free to pop any recommendations (or share your own services!) in the comments. Prices tend to start around the $350 mark.

• Celebrity Stylists - Edité has just launched and is a platform where you can book Celebrity Stylists and Editors to root around your wardrobe. It’s PRICEY. But say you want Jenna Lyons’ Stylist to be your Stylist? It’s possible. Prices start at $1000 for a 1-hour video call.

For those in the Southern Hemisphere, here’s the summer version of this post I wrote last year. I hope you find it helpful!

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THE SANDWICH FILLING

Earrings* / jumper* / denim shirt (similar*) / coat* / jeans* / loafers* (ad - gifted) / bag*

One of Allison’s special skills is layering. I swear. She has a knack for finding new ways to layer your clothing that you hadn’t considered before. Even if you don’t think you have the ingredients you need, she will dissect your wardrobe and put together new recipes that have been there, undiscovered, all along. Case in point - this secondhand COS denim shirt, that I tend to wear on its own and never as this ‘sandwich filling’ layer that Allison puts together SO WELL. Ultimately, it’s practical for winter. Like, you are going to be warm in this. That extra layer allows you to add a colour or a different fabric. So think out of the box when it comes to lighter jackets or heavier shirts - allow them to do double-duty.

Earrings* / jumper* / shirt (similar*) / jeans* / loafers* (ad - gifted) / bag*

GET TEXTURAL

Earrings* / turtleneck* / belt* / cords* / loafers* (ad - gifted)

Allison asked if I had any non-denim trousers that weren’t getting enough love, and my mind instantly went to these Apiece Apart Meridian Corduroy Pants* (no longer available in this exact colour, but now on sale in a deep aubergine and navy). They are a barrel-leg style and are easily some of the most comfortable trousers I own - I have no idea why I don’t wear them more. Now, hopefully, I will. Allison recommended keeping it simple with an all-black palette: a black turtleneck, black belt and black soft leather loafers. I could easily make this base work for practically anything I do Monday to Friday. Then we dressed it up a little with a shearling coat (one of Allison’s words in ’70s, so I knew she’d love it!), a heeled boot and a leopard print bag to break up the black.

Earrings* / turtleneck* / coat* (ad - gifted) / cords* / boots (similar*) / secondhand bag

…BUT OF COURSE IT LOOKS WITH JEANS, TOO

Earrings* / turtleneck* / jeans* / coat* (ad - gifted) / boots (similar*) / secondhand bag

I mean, we couldn’t help ourselves. Of course, we had to try this look on with jeans! Ultimately, this is an outfit that could feel quite basic. Imagine a plain black turtleneck, with jeans, boots and a black blazer with a smooth black leather bag. Classic, yes, though perhaps a little lacking. But here, the texture adds depth and personality to the outfit. The base is simple and relatively ‘smooth’, but it’s balanced out by a pony-hair leopard print bag (a vintage YSL Roady Hobo, if you’re ever trying to find it preloved) and a shearling coat that makes you want to give yourself a hug.

JUST PLAY

LEFT: Earrings* / turtleneck* / green jumper* / jeans* / coat* (ad - gifted) / loafers* (ad - gifted) / suede bag* (ad - gifted) / MIDDLE: Secondhand bag / coat (similar*) / RIGHT: Bag*

We got a little deep into denim, but Allison said that a friend of hers had bought this exact pair of jeans as per my recommendation (hi Allison’s friend 👋), and right now, they are my favourite pair in my rotation. This was more an exercise in finding ways to get more use out of my green jumper, which I LOVE, but I sometimes struggle to weave into outfits. I mentioned how I don’t love it with pale wash jeans (Allison suggested it might be because the pale wash registers more as baby blue and, therefore, feels a bit too colourful for my neutral tastes), so we stuck to the indigo wash.

First, we dressed it up with a black turtleneck underneath - like name a cosier duo for a chilly winter’s day? Then, she suggested wearing it as a scarf with a thick wool coat and adding some texture with an animal print bag. She asked if I had any crossbody bags, and of course, I have my well-loved Loewe Puzzle. She liked how it broke up the outfit, and I agree. It’s always nice to have some practical outfit formulas up your sleeve, and this felt like one of them.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF DENIM

Earrings* / jumper* / dungarees* / loafers* (ad - gifted) / coat* (ad - gifted) / secondhand bag

We were close to wrapping up, but Allison spotted a pair of dungarees that were gathering dust on my rails. She was inspired by the structured, tailored coat I’d worn earlier and explained that it was the perfect accompaniment to balance out such a casual piece, which is exactly what I’d been struggling with (seriously, is this woman psychic?). Dungarees provide a little more comfort than a classic pair of denim jeans, but being a one-piece that is relatively chill, they aren’t something that blend seamlessly with my wardrobe. I have to work with them a bit. So, actually pairing them with a detail-heavy coat, an elevated pair of loafers, and a formal top-handle bag gives them that air of polish that I crave. Allison? You did again.

Thanks for reading and supporting ‘The Wardrobe Edit’. If you like what you see then please do share, like or drop a comment on this post. It’s truly appreciated! You can shop my full wardrobe here*, find my weekly YouTube vlogs here, or follow me on Instagram. If you’re a brand and you want to partner on a future post, email na@insanity.com.