For one of my Grandmothers, the weekly Saturday routine as I was growing up was thrift and outlet shopping. She picked up things that were so inexpensive that she HAD to buy them because "someone" could use it. Then, she would send boxes to family "down south" regularly. I can only imagine how many cousins in North Carolina enjoyed her finds.
The beauty in these trips for me was that I learned discernment in fabrics, seaming, fit, feel, wear, and value. I grew up with weekly shopping as a sport! So now I know exactly how to get more than I pay for. When my Grandmother, aunts and older female cousins all gathered in our huge living room after a shopping day, it was a show and see game of "Guess how much I paid for this?!" With our spoils draped across my Grandmother's piano bench and French provincial furniture, we would ooh and gasp when the answer was almost always 75%-90% off retail.
Now I enjoy my work for Perfectly Claire. Shopping is what I love to do. It's a highly nurtured talent that I now get to share with my clients, many of whom readily confess that they hate the process. I don't mind finding that one piece within the racks that works for the occasion, is in the right size, and on sale to boot. Every score is a rush for me. I live for it.
The dress in these photos is a Tadashi Shoji pale rose gold sequined cocktail dress purchased the day before a 40th Birthday/Engagement party at Nordstrom Rack for 75% off. The shoes were also 60% off at DSW, plus I got a $40 coupon good until January as a reward for the shoe purchase. I did it all within 1 block and it took about two hours to look, try 12 dresses, scan the dressy and clearance areas for the shoes, try on two pairs, and pay at each store. Mind you I even tried on a few dresses just to have. I picked up 2 for $75 total, one of which was 100% angora, beautifully knit and a perfectly flattering grey. Had I stuck to just looking for the event dress, I would have been even faster. But the deals and the perfect look for the event was well worth the two hours.
I also enjoy my investment pieces just as much. I couldn’t live without staples like a cashmere Burberry coat and Frye riding boots in the winter. I must also have cashmere sweaters in every color. And then we allllways need those impactful accessories and quality pieces that are simply must haves. So for these things I will pay full price. Our wardrobes should always be a mix.
This is why I do what I do. People light up when they feel great. And when they look their best, they feel their best. I love helping people get clear on what really works to make them look amazing and the science of WHY. It is my pleasure to serve you.
Smiles,
Aisha Claire
