Edit London: We’re Talking To London’s Super Stylist Jacqueline Allen
Do you have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear? Sort out your wardrobe with the executive styling services of EDIT LONDON. Whether you need help with work wear, casual clothing, or dressing for an event, their team is here to help you look your best and dress with confidence.
While some still see the services of a stylist as a luxury or indulgence, getting expert help with your wardrobe is an effective tool in developing your
own strong personal brand. The ability to present yourself well is a valuable professional asset that inspires confidence in you and your work from superiors, clients, colleagues and collaborators.
As highly motivated career women, we understand the need to look polished in our professional setting, but not every first impression is made in an office boardroom. Excellent opportunities for both career progression and making new contacts often present themselves in a more social context so stepping up your style-game across both your casual and work wardrobes is an important step in making an excellent first impression wherever you go.
Jacqueline Allen, the founder of EDIT LONDON, understands the key role that wardrobe plays in establishing a personal brand and recognises that developing and perfecting one’s style takes time, something many busy professionals don’t have. That’s where EDIT LONDON comes in. A boutique styling and wardrobe concierge consultancy, their team of experts offers a range of services from wardrobe editing and detox, to personal style advice and personal shopping to ensure you’re impeccably dressed for every occasion.
A firm believer in quality over quantity, Jacqueline advised us that it is better to have a wardrobe built on a foundation of “key good quality/ designer pieces –pieces you will love”, rather than dozens of lower quality items from the high street. Pieces that are well-made in good fabrics and cut in clean, timeless silhouettes look far more polished than a piece that’s on-trend but poorly made in a cheap fabric. While Jacqueline acknowledges the high street is fun and can be useful if “you know how to pair them with higher quality pieces. However, if the fabric fibres begin to show signs of uneven wear or seem to have lost their structure then it’s time to replace it”.
Refreshingly, Jacqueline’s most versatile piece in her wardrobe is not a ‘little black dress’ or dark blazer, but “a hot-pink fine wool draped front Vivienne Westwood jumper”. It’s amazing the variety of clever ways she’s able to utilize this unique and eye-catching piece, as it wears well with trousers in almost any colour (denim jeans, dark green drainpipes, black or brown cords) pairs with either her black or red polo neck jumpers and can be worn in the summer or layered in the winter. “I don’t wear it all the time, but bring it out time and again”.
When we met with her on Tuesday, Jacqueline stressed the importance of dressing for both the occasion or profession you are in and your role within it. She told us that it’s important to “dress in a way that conveys you are present and conscious of your purpose in that moment”. Think about the message you are sending from what you wear.
Ill-fitting or poorly kept clothing can make you look sloppy and give the impression that you don’t care about what you’re doing or the organisation that you represent. Similarly, striking a balance between pulling together a well-coordinated ensemble that presents your aspirations but is also appropriate for your current role, is key to inspiring the right perception. A junior assistant insisting on wearing head-to-toe designer clothing can give an impression of too much material acquisitiveness rather than one of professional focus and ambition.
One look Jacqueline sees in her work with EDIT LONDON that she would like to see more people move away
from, is wearing all black, all the time. “It’s not as flattering as people think and it can look quite harsh. Well-made black separates can look smart when paired with the right pieces, and there can be some great black outfits, but head-to-toe black as a failsafe for all occasions is something I wish more people would let go of”.
While she would advise recent graduates and new hires to “play it safe at first, focus on developing your professional skills and get a feel for the office culture and your role within it” before experimenting, she explained a few different ways to incorporate colour to add interest to your ensemble and create a memorable impression.“If you work in a more corporate environment, then a smart, structured dress in a muted, soft or dark colour is an ideal wear-to-work piece. Colour demonstrates confidence more than black”.
Creative professionals can take a bit more license with colour and trends. For a PR and Marketing firm that caters for creative or fashion clients, an interview outfit that works at least one on-trend piece into a polished, professional look immediately conveys that you’re aware of what’s current and have an understanding of how fashions emerge and change.
To book your complimentary assessment visit edit-london.com. Currently EDIT LONDON is offering a 30% discount on their lauded Wardrobe Detox and Edit service for the New Year