When it comes to signing new fashion clients, my biggest obstacle is neither the sartorial climate of our ‘worst dressed city’ nor the proliferation of new ‘stylists’*, flooding the industry with competition…. It’s this: ‘I have no place to wear anything stylish/dressy/fabulous’. I’ve addressed this matter here, but rather than convince you that being stylish should supersede the need for it, I’m instead going to argue 3 different and totally legitimate reasons why you should hire a fashion stylist right now.

1. A Well Rounded Wardrobe– Imagine never having to scramble for an outfit for any occasion. A black-tie wedding in Summer or Winter, a cocktail party, a dinner out in high-fashion New York City, a 4-day job conference, your rehearsal dinner or wedding brunch… I know many of you, and if any of these came up tomorrow, you’d be running to your favorite boutique, a stylish friend’s closet, or calling me last minute! It doesn’t have to be that way. Me? I can’t remember the last time I scrambled. A well rounded wardrobe should cover all your bases, and any stylist worth her Jimmy Choos should know the fashion checklist for life.

2. Stop Wasting– Without knowing the fashion checklist, you’re probably buying your 3rd black sweater when you really need a proper heel to go with that dress you wear for Summer weddings. Or a great boot for Fall that probably costs more but will actually last you through next Fall! You’re adding more junk jewelry to the collection when you really need a pair of gold hoops that go with everything. Do you have a black blazer? How about a high quality crisp white t-shirt? And a pair of nude high heels, do you have them? There absolutely is a list of items that every woman needs, and if you’re buying blindly, you’re wasting money.

3. Everyday Style – We all have our ‘red carpet’ moments, the 2% of the time we go all out and want to look our best. For some of you, that might be the one or two times each year you attend a formal event like a wedding or a fundraiser dinner. The other 98%, the reality of our lives (the school drop offs, grocery shopping and ballgames) is where a stylist can make the biggest difference. You don’t need a special event to look stylish and feel confident and beautiful. A daily uniform (also known as a ‘capsule collection’) much like style-star Jennifer Aniston’s is one important step past Lululemon.

*We’re currently at the tipping point in the culture where anyone who has ever enjoyed shopping is now billing themselves as a ‘stylist’. But buyer beware: be discerning in who you hire.