A Week in the Life of a Personal Shopper

As you may or may not know, I recently began offering my personal styling services to the public, under the auspices of a well-known department store... So just how jammy is being paid to shop for a living? (Answer: not as much as you might think, funnily enough.)
Monday, 10am
Arrive at work, following my tortuous 15 minute commute - on foot - for my 4 hour shift (OK, maybe I'm underselling the benefits of the job slightly). A couple of sales assistants haven't turned up, so I'm tasked with manning the fitting rooms - re-hanging clothes, handing out and collecting tags, and even doing up the odd zip - oh, the glamour!
11.30am
On my release from "Fits" duty, I collect the  key to my open plan office-come-changing-room "suite" and survey my territory. So far, I've been kept busy reading (multiple) tomes of "Best Practice" and covering sales assistant duties in lieu of actually doing any personal shopping, but I still live in hope that somebody, someday, will place a slightly greater demand on my skills than that exacted by ensuring all new stock is "finger-spaced". So, cloth and cleaning fluid in hand, I spend the next two hours cleaning my suite from top-to-toe - polishing my mirrors and removing all traces of various unidentifiable sticky substances from my furniture - whilst the same six tracks play on a loop over the in-store PA system, and I reflect that I am actually being paid less than the average London cleaner for doing the same job.
1.40pm
But my efforts are not in vain - on my way back from returning my now-unappetisingly-soiled cloth to the cleaning cupboard, I am almost knocked off my feet by a freak indoor tornado frantic middle-aged lady who ambushes me in "despair" (her words) of ever being able to find the right accessories to complement her wedding guest outfit. "No problem, madam - let me show you into my suite and book you an appointment" - score! The words "Personal Shopper" are as a magic balm to her frayed nerves. Coolly, calmly and reassuringly (and metaphorically jumping for joy), I note down her sizes and preferences, ready to make some sneaky shopfloor selects ahead of her Wednesday afternoon appointment.


Tuesday
An earlier start today, and a train to catch to Head Office for an exclusive personal shopper preview of the AW15 campaign going live later on in the month, and the collections set to touch down over the next few weeks (all advance blabbing about of which is, for the time being, officially embargoed and punishable by firing squad - or at least firing, I presume). Super-stylist Mark Heyes (him off Lorraine) acts as Master of Ceremonies, maintaining the speed and energy with which he presents a 3-minute ITV slot for over 5 hours - truly a feat to behold!


Wednesday, 11am
The day of my first appointment has arrived! My little human tornado isn't due in until 2.30pm, but I decide to get an early start on her selects, wheeling my little basket around the shop floor for a good hour and a half whilst scavenging shoe and bag options with which to complete her shift dress/fascinator combo.
1pm
Today I'm officially allowed to eat, since I'm working for more than 5 hours - whoop! So the M&S mozzarella and tomato sandwich I manage to scoff during my 30 minute break before hurrying back to make a couple of last minute additions to my rail is suitably savoured.
2.10pm
She's early! And she's only got an hour left on her parking ticket! Can I do it? Of course I can!
3pm
50 minutes later, leaving a trail of devastation in her wake (well, OK, just a couple of carefully re-hung jackets), my little tornado has left the building - £84.50 lighter, but a beaded clutch and pair of satin peep-toes heavier. Time to tidy up.
4pm
Contemplate doing a "floor walk" to update my mental stock database, but the exhilaration of my first appointment (and 50 minutes spent caught in the eye of a tornado) has drained, leaving me feeling too depleted to face it. Brainwave: I decide to do a virtual floor walk instead (i.e. browse the store's website until home time).


Thursday, 11am
I don't even make it into my suite today. Instead, I'm asked to spend an entire 4 hour shift on the tills - internet refunds, exchanges - it's all happening. But time does pass a little faster here than it does whilst stain-removing.


Friday, 11am
Arrive to find a Personal Shopper appointment already in progress - errmm... but I'm the Personal Shopper? Due to "technical issues", I'm still not able to access my online appointments diary, and no other record of the booking (made before I even started the job!) had been made, so the client turning up - 30 minutes before I was due in - was a complete and utter surprise to all concerned, including the senior sales assistant who ended up covering the appointment. Meanwhile, I'm left with no more productive option than to help out with "recovery" - and, believe me, 3.5 hours of "cubing" (i.e. ensuring the right size marker is on each hanger) is enough to make me want to lie down on the floor and cry. But then...
2.30pm
... I get... (pause for effect) ... a "walk-in". It's another desperate soon-to-be wedding guest (there's a definite theme emerging here) and she needs an entire outfit - fascinator and all - for tomorrow. I'm due to leave in half an hour - it's all a bit Challenge Anneka, but bring it on!
2.52pm
Despite my client's insistence on trying almost every dress in the store for size, she's decided to go with my initial pick - a beautiful vintage-style lace midi-shift. But she's still in dire need of accessorising. With 8 minutes of my shift remaining, I race out to grab a multi-strand pearl choker from the floor below, only to be waylaid by an unassuming young woman - "Excuse me - are you the Personal Shopper?". "Yes, I am, but..." (Seriously, you wait 3.5 hours for a client and then two turn up at once?!). "I know you're with someone at the moment, but I have an appointment booked for half-past two". Ohhhhhh.... dear.


Lessons Learned:

1. Mark Heyes is (in all likelihood) a machine.
2. Personal shopping clients are like buses, or, indeed, pretty much anything longed for and/or meticulously planned around.
3. Although you will wake up in the middle of the night with them playing in your head - in the same order - the same 6 tracks can be listened to on repeat over a period of up to 5 hours a day whilst (relative) sanity is retained.
4. Whether the same can be said for the effects of "cubing" over a prolonged period of time is as yet uncertain - further data required.

P.S. If you live in the Greater London area and would like to avail yourself of my services on a non-store specific basis (with my personal guarantee of NO double bookings!), take a looksie at my new website, or just drop me a line.

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Liebster Award

Last week, I had an email from Lauren at Indecisive and Getting Somewhere, telling me that she had nominated me for a Liebster Award. For anyone who's confused, it's an award given to bloggers by bloggers, for "up and coming" blogs with fewer than 200 followers, to help introduce new blogs and their authors to the blogging community. Being nominated is also a great excuse for a gratuitous "all about me" post!

How It Works:

1. List 11 facts about yourself.
2. Answer the 11 questions given to you by the blogger who nominated you.
3. Create 11 new questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer.
4. Choose 11 blogs you follow with fewer than 200 followers to nominate and link to them in your post - you can't nominate the blogger who nominated you.
5. Let each blogger know you've nominated them.
6. Once you've fulfilled all of the above, you can save the Liebster Award graphic to use as a widget on your blog, et voila - you are the proud winner of the most exciting award since the Oscar!

11 Facts About Me

1. As well as a dancer/model/actress, I have previously worked as a tutor and therapist for children with autistic spectrum conditions, assistant research psychologist investigating psychosis, pay-on-foot machine attendant (for 2 days – never again!), and question answerer for one of those “Ask us anything/Find out what we know about you/What should you have for dinner?” texting services you see advertised on Channel 4 at midnight.

2. In 2010, I belly danced live on Channel 4, and co-hosted a mini masterclass for Lenny Henry and, er, Stacey Solomon (who weren't exactly naturals; that's me in the white).

3. I have a small part in Ron Howard’s latest film, Rush, coming out next year (as long as it doesn’t end up on the cutting room floor!) in which I enjoy a little skin-on-skin time with Chris Hemsworth, but sadly sport horrendous ‘70s fringe flicks.

4. My top 5 albums of all time are Progress (Take That), Ceremonials (Florence + The Machine), Born To Die – The Paradise Edition (Lana Del Rey), Bad (Michael Jackson) and... well I'm not really sure on the 5th, but I'll lay an educated bet on Rihanna's new one!

5. My favourite film is Pearl Harbour – it’s unjustly maligned!

6. I think Neighbours is the best thing on TV, ever - it started the year I was born, and I've barely missed an episode since.

7. While we're talking best things ever, Primark is at the very pinnacle of my list (I have no time for "I won't touch anything under £50" snobs).

8. As a teenager, 75% of my wardrobe was pink, and my most worn item was a velour tracksuit in the afore-mentioned hue.

9. My nickname at school was Barbie.

10. Top 10 on my current fantasy fashion wishlist are the following: tapestry print mini, tartan midi, fedora (preferably feathered), velvet pencil skirt, velvet leggings, coloured velvet skater dress, galaxy print jeans, mirror print pencil skirt, crombie coat, leather top.

11. If I had to swap hair with anyone else on earth, it would be Michelle Williams, but I’m too fearful that chopping off that many inches would trigger post-traumatic stress disorder!

My 11 Questions to Answer

1. What is your dream?

To choreograph and perform in my own West End dance spectacular, do some groundbreaking psychological research and/or be the next (female) Gok Wan.

2. How do you take your tea? Dare I ask...do you even like tea?

Milk, no sugar, and about 8 times a day! Preferably Twinings Rose Garden or Lavender Earl Grey.

3. Have you got any pets?

A 12-year-old cat called Geri who still looks and acts like a kitten and is treated as my (rather spoilt) younger sibling, rather than as a pet in any way.

4. When did you start your blog?

1 September 2012, after much procrastination and 11 months of daily outfit photography!

5. What are the biggest obstacles your blog has faced?

My own perfectionism, especially regarding photography! An outlay of £500+ so far, and the winter light is still besting me, argh! Also a laptop which is feeling the strain... and leaving me enough time to do anything else!

6. Favourite make-up product?

Rimmel liquid liners – I have to flick daily!

7. What are your thoughts on the number 7?

I tend to prefer even numbers... although I have a soft spot for 3.

8. Where are you from?

The outskirts of London, England... close enough to the Oxford Street Primark double whammy not to feel deprived, but far enough away to remain solvent.

9. Favourite flavour of ice-cream?

Ben & Jerry’s Oh My! Apple Pie... Ohhhh yes.

10. Do you like the cows or the carrots or c+c? (meat eater or veggie or both)

Carrots, all the way (well, along with Quorn, cheese and chocolate – not together though). In fact, I have a borderline obsession with carrots – I treat them like sweeties.

11. Where's Wally/Waldo?

He’s on the run sporting an ingenious disguise – I lent him a cloche and disco pants to replace the bobble hat and stripes.

My 11 Questions For You

1. How would you describe your style in 3 words?
2. How tall are you?
3. If you had to marry a celebrity of your choice, who would it be?
4. What did you have for breakfast?
5. What’s your most worn item of clothing this season?
6. What was your most worn item of clothing last season?
7. What was the last song/album you bought or downloaded?
8. What’s on your Christmas list (if you celebrate Christmas, or your payday treat list if you don't)?
9. Cats or dogs?
10. Velvet or leather?
11. If you could only take 3 things to a desert island, what would they be?

My 11 Nominations

2 in da House
Anatomia de Estilo
Aryanna Style
Becca Talks Beauty
BōW
La Dulcie Vita
Réflexions dans le Petit Trianon
Shoegal Out In The World
Shoes and Gloss
SRSLYLou
We Are The Wild At Heart

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Style Inspiration: My Top 10 Style Icons

Who always inspires you to push the boundaries of your fashion comfort zone? Who are the go-to style crushes you attempt to psychically channel when you're in a quandary as to whether a new trend will suit you or what on earth to wear with floral trousers? To break up the How to Wear series and give a bit more insight into my personal style, I thought I'd share a few of my favourite style icons and sources of inspiration - this is my current top 10:

Blake Lively
On the red carpet, she's a fairytale princess for the modern age, and her off-duty and on-set style is just as covetable - she rocks some really daring, stunning looks but still always remains somehow natural and understated, with a timeless quality tempered by a contemporary edge. If I'm not sure about an outfit, I always ask myself, "Would Serena wear it?".

Marilyn Monroe
The ultimate vintage vixen - ne'er a peep-toe clad tootsie out of place.

Florence Welch
Hair and style to die for - probably the main reason I have a desire to go red permanently niggling in the back of my mind.. along with a hankering to waft around in all-over lace! Ceremonials is my favourite album of the last year too, if not all time.

Lana Del Rey
Loving her vintage/sports luxe style mash-ups almost as much as her haunting melodies. And I would like to point out, for the record, that I have date-stamped photographic evidence that I wore neearly the exact same River Island outfit she performed in at Lovebox first!

Dita von Teese
Gotta give her credit for pioneering the retro silhouette in the dark days of the early noughties, when you couldn't buy a high waisted pencil skirt unless you were willing and able to pay hundreds of pounds (plus customs and excise) to have one shipped in from Wheels & Dollbaby in Australia. I used to spend literal hours poring over their website before shrugging on my jeans in resignation.

Gwen Stefani
Has a lot of fun with her style and somehow always makes it work - her outfits are pure eye candy and the sucker-punch lipstick never fails to cheer me up - as does the fact that she looks just as good in her forties after two children as she did in her twenties!

Kim Kardashian
She works her eye-popping curves as the ultimate accessory. OK, sometimes she might get it a bit wrong, but it's more fun (for her and us) than playing it safe all the time. And I know a lot of people like to make a sport of slating her for other reasons, but I feel like part of the Kardashian Klan after endless hours of repeats on 4Music and think they're lovely - it's much more entertaining and natural than many "structured reality" shows I could mention - seriously, how hard can it be to convincingly play yourself (naming no names)?

Diane Kruger
Always perfectly elegant and impeccably put-together. There's a regal element to her look, but she still comes across as accessible and likeable - and she and Pacey (sorry, Josh) make such a cute couple!

Michelle Willams
The most lustworthy pixie crop. It turns every look into a statement without compromising on femininity.

Rihanna
Inspires my inner hip hop diva. She who dares!

Photos (clockwise from top left): 1 & 3: Style.com; 2, 6-10 & 12 : Vogue.co.uk; 4 & 5: TheFashionSpot.com; 11: Fashionising.com

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Welcome!

Welcome to my little spot on the web – 11 months after my BFF first made me promise to start a personal style blog and started Facebooking me regular inspirational links, I’ve finally bitten the bullet and plucked up the courage to put my musings and fashion choices up for public scrutiny...eek!

In that time, I’ve accumulated (with my self-timed photography gradually becoming slightly less dodgy – please forgive the blurry pink compact camera snaps!) an archive of hundreds of photos documenting what I’ve worn on almost every day in the last year. So, in honour of September dawning, arguably one of the most unpredictable months of the year in terms of weather (recorded temperatures varied from sub-zero to nearly 30 degrees in the UK last year!) and hence one of the most difficult to dress for, but also one that potentially allows you to work your entire wardrobe (silver lining), I had the idea of using them to illustrate how I style various items and throw around some ideas about how to make sartorial transitions between seasons (or between days, in this country!).

The How to Wear Series

So, every day this month, I’ll be taking a specific item or trend (starting with the crop top, today), and showing you how I (and a few special guest stars) work it for different occasions, moods and seasons, along with any plans I have for new acquisitions and mergers in the area for AW12/13, and a few hints on styling up for different body types.

My Style

In terms of my personal style, I tend towards quite a romantic but classic “put-together” look, drawing deeply from past decades and eras for inspiration, but am always looking for ways to put my own stamp on an outfit and incorporate new trends into my sartorial vernacular. Sports luxe, hip hop dancing and rocking out to Rihanna often bring my inner rude girl closer to the surface – well, let’s call it strong femininity shall we?

A few things I love: statement accessories, high waists, crop tops, peplums, pussybow blouses, faux fur, faux leather, maxi skirts, swingy midi skirts, mixi/dropped hem/waterfall (whatever you want to call them, just not mullet, please) skirts, pencil skirts, animal print, metallics, hats and skyscraper heels (although my feet prefer flats).

A few things I don’t love so much: over-accessorising, tracksuits worn for non-sports-related activities (not the sports luxe style separates, but the flammable elasticated ankle kind and the velour matchy matchy kind, which admittedly I lived in throughout sixth form and university), uncovered elasticated waists (just belt them up, pleeeease), leggings - not counting disco pants, which I really must invest in - with short tops outside the dance studio (see also uncovered elasticated waists, above), and the “blindfolded trolley dash in a charity shop” approach to personal style (a statement clash is one thing, but there is a limit).

Personal style is, by definition, personal, and I don’t claim to have a monopoly. Not everyone will agree with every choice I make, in the same way that I wouldn’t agree with the choices of every other blogger out there – however, the differences in our choices are what makes the fashion world interesting and keeps our personal style evolving – I usually find that I can take some kind of inspiration away from almost anything that’s had some thought put into it, even if my snap reaction is “I don’t like that” - rules, especially the ones you impose on yourself, are made to be broken. I’ll be incorporating other people’s styling and ideas where I can. Comments are welcome, but where they’re personal, I’d appreciate that they’re written in a positive tone, as I’d like this to be a happy place to visit!

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