Simple advice applied to the hundreds of profiles she has supported.
She accompanied hundreds of women on their shopping trips to Bon Marché. From morphology to morphology, from style to style, Nathalie Oliver, private stylist for the iconic department store located in the very upscale 7th arrondissement of Paris, has honed an expert eye capable of building an “effective” wardrobe for heterogeneous clothing styles. Among his other caps? Optimize an existing wardrobe and relieve it of all those “dated” pieces that inevitably end up in oblivion. Her fashion mantra? “Buy less, but pretty pieces that will last over time.”
But then, how to recognize “THE right piece for your wardrobe” ? The one that will be worn tirelessly and which will not “wasting away in your closet” ? According to the fashionista, you should always ask yourself this question before making a purchase: “could the garment go with other pieces I already have?” If “you easily plan how to combine it with other pieces you own”then you have to take the plunge. It’s the ultimate proof that you won’t have any trouble wearing it and will do it “with pleasure and for a long time.” In no case should the piece add “mental load” to you or require additional effort to display. The more effort it takes, the more likely it will sleep in the back of your cupboards.
In his work Explore your style – When fashion becomes a path to yourselfNathalie Oliver explains: “Imagine: you come home with the skirt of your dreams and you realize that none of your tops will match it. You will then have to invest in new tops. Then you realize that none of your pairs of shoes match the color of this skirt… Do you know what I mean? Sometimes it is wiser to leave a piece on the rack.” She insists: “My wardrobe is efficient because I only buy pieces that I know will complement what I already have.”
But, far from having only a pragmatic vision of fashion, Nathalie Oliver believes that clothes “must give joy.” Continuing this philosophy, it therefore has a second, less rational and more emotional way to know if you should move from fashion fantasy to the act of purchase.
When you fall in love with a piece of clothing, don’t buy it immediately. Wait a few days before actually taking action. These few days will be used to reflect on the need to buy it or not. The private stylist advises doing the following: “If you like a piece, I invite you to take a photo of it with your smartphone. Then look at the photo a few hours later or even a few days later. If the piece still appeals to you, if you are still so excited to admire it, then that’s a very good sign.” Far from an ephemeral crush, it will undoubtedly turn into a lasting clothing relationship.
