Along with the emergence of spring’s bright colors, bold patterns and perennial prints, comes the dilemma of deciphering what to keep, what to buy and what to toss. PinkMemo.com sat down for a little tête-à-tête with Dallas’s premiere personal shoppers, stylists and consultants to suss out this season’s best statements.
Christie Sheffield - Shopping Chauffeur
Tell me a little bit about your shopping service. Shopping Chauffeur specializes in highlighting unique places that carry the latest designers. The excursion starts with a style assessment, followed by a day of scheduled shopping.
Who is your customer and what is she wearing this spring? My customers are refined and fashionably aware. They’ll ask me to recommend looks and in turn, I’ll introduce them to up-and-coming designers who cater to their body type.
Do you do trend research prior to your trips? Yes, I make sure each customer is on-point with the current styling. However, with visitors the styles vary based upon where they live. For example, those from the North East—Massachusetts, Vermont, etc.—are more conservative than the typical Dallas woman.
As an independent consultant, what are some of your favorite stores to work with? The boutiques in Dallas have really made a point to take on hot, new designers. Some of my favorites are Elements, Stanley Korshak and Tootsies.
What requests are you hearing for spring? This spring one of the hottest trends is white. I get a lot of requests from clients to find a great accent piece—a belt, stilettos or everyday bag—in white.
Any tips on how to freshen up your existing wardrobe for the season? If you don’t want to spend a lot of money the best way to give your self a new look is to add some accessories. A couple great belts, a new bag and some fun, inexpensive jewelry, will transform any outfit from boring to fashion forward.
What is your customer looking for when it comes to clothing and accessories? Whether a client is shopping for casual or cocktail, they want to look good and my job is to help them figure out what works. Print dresses are big this season, especially those by T-Bags and Rachel Palley. Also wedge shoes, ballet flats and skinny to-the-knee shorts with cute tees. As for jewelry, I'm still selling larger gold earrings with stones and bangle bracelets.
With regards to spring, what are some of the trends your ladies are buying? The hottest trend this spring is the knee-short. They’ve definitely taken the place of the Capri.
Let's talk labels...who do you currently love? We have so many great collections in the store but my new favorite is Pink Tartan. The clothes are really feminine and the fabrics are beautiful. Theory has been around for a while but continues to be strong because the fit is great and the style is classic.
The Plaza at Preston Center, 8300 Preston Road, Dallas 75225
Call: 214.696.9993
or visit: www.Tootsies.com
Carla Watson - Personal Stylist, Style in the City
How are some of the runway trends translating to the racks this season? Runway to rack and retail is always understated. On the runway we have bold pieces, which on the average woman would be stand-alone statements.
Are there any new labels being introduced? There’s a line out of San Francisco called Jane Zic. The designs evoke a vintage style especially with the prints and patterns. Another line is called Dace. Again, it’s back to tunics and dresses but worn much more simply.
Name three items of clothing every girl needs in her closet this spring? A tunic or dress in a bold color combination. Patent leather shoes. And last but not least, layered accessories.
