This is the final installment (I think, anyway) of my Bridgette Raes series.  It’s hard to believe that I only had two virtual sessions with Bridgette given how much wonderful advice I received from her.   We really packed a lot of information into a short amount of time!

In the last two posts of this series (see here and here), I outlined some of the suggestions that Bridgette made for improving my skirt ensembles and enhancing some of my favorite outfits.   I’ve recently had a chance to play in my closet and implement some of Bridgette’s advice.  In today’s post, I share before and after photos that show how I changed some of my looks through incorporating the words of wisdom I received from the fabulous Ms. Raes.

A Few Caveats

I wasn’t able to translate all of Bridgette’s advice literally, as I was limited by the contents of my closet.   I didn’t own some of the items that Bridgette recommended wearing, but I did my best to use what I have to improve upon my outfits.   While I don’t love all of the new looks, I feel that many of them represent a vast improvement over the original ensembles.  Some of the differences are quite minor, such as switching out the shoes, while others are more dramatic.   All in all, I enjoyed experimenting and trying new things.  

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I’m posting some more outfit photos today.  While this has often been a nerve-wracking thing for me to do, I feel better about it this time for a few reasons.  For one, today’s photos are of ensembles I actually like, in contrast to the last few installments (here and here) of unloved looks about which I was seeking advice from Bridgette Raes.  Additionally, writing “Who Are You Dressing For?” last week helped me to turn a corner.   I now feel more able to dress for myself after processing and sharing my feelings about being overly concerned with others’ opinions.

It’s Okay If You Don’t Like My Outfits

You may or may not like the outfits below, and I’m okay with it either way.   What’s important is that I like them and felt good while I was wearing them.   Of course, I’m still in the process of evolving my style (read my thoughts on that here), so I shared photos of my favorite looks with Bridgette Raes for her input.  Since I hired Bridgette to help me improve my style, I was open to her feedback on how I could enhance both my problematic and favored ensembles.  What helped a lot was that she’s not only a professional, she also had a very clear idea of my objectives as a result of the comprehensive questionnaire I completed prior to our first meeting.

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Last week, I shared my initial debrief of my second virtual style consult with Bridgette Raes.  In that post, I wrote about Bridgette’s feedback on paring down my large jewelry collection and cultivating a more workable accessories wardrobe.   Bridgette’s words of wisdom coupled with readers’ comments provided some excellent food for thought – and now I want to do some more culling!  I’ll be back with a follow-up on that topic before too long, but today I’d like to talk about skirts.

A Skirt Conundrum Revisited

In my first session with Bridgette back in August, we reviewed a few of my skirt outfits, two of which were very corporate and/or church-worthy and not at all appropriate for the life I lead.   Using Bridgette’s feedback, I put together some new skirt outfits that I hoped would be more suitable for my casual lifestyle.  In today’s post, I share what Bridgette had to say about my skirt ensemble “reboots,” as well as my follow-on thoughts and future plans for this area of my wardrobe.

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I had a follow-up virtual styling session with Bridgette Raes last week (read about my first session with Bridgette here and here).   I listened to my recording from the session yesterday and there is a lot there!   I was originally going to do a single post about my second session with Bridgette, but now I just don’t think that will suffice!   Consequently, I will devote several posts to debriefing my follow-up styling session.  These posts won’t necessarily be consecutive but will all be published within the next couple of weeks.

I know that many of you would probably love to work with a professional stylist, but that may not be feasible for financial or other reasons.   So I’ve decided to let you in on my experience in the hope that you will glean some valuable style insights through what I’ve learned.  Although Bridgette’s advice is specific to my situation and needs, much of it will also be applicable to others, especially the information pertaining to accessorizing and color coordination.  These are topics often covered on Bridgette’s excellent blog, but I thought these points might be driven home further by means of my personal example.

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In my last post, I shared that I recently had a virtual styling session with Bridgette Raes.  I highlighted my reasons for doing this, included excerpts from my pre-session questionnaire, and showed some inspirational images of style aesthetics that I appreciate.

The next best thing to being there… (image: Hanna Barbara)

Today’s post focuses on my actual session with Bridgette, including the style advice that she gave me.  Please note that the session was really jam-packed with information, too much to include in a blog post, even considering the extra-long posts I often publish.  I’m including enough here to give you a taste of what it’s like to work with an expert stylist and how it can benefit those who are struggling to cultivate and express a resonant and appropriate sense of personal style.

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