HOW TO UNLEASH YOUR SIGNATURE STYLE...

It starts with letting go and freeing yourself to be whoever it is you want to be.

Get dirty. Be imperfect. Constantly strive to improve from within.

Your wardrobe will follow.

-Stephanie

Inspiration from the QUEEN of Rock

Queen

Possibly we could do without the outfit on the far right and the kimonos 

Sometimes I wonder if this is really my job. I was really excited to be reunited with Queen's music yesterday as I found them while doing some client research. I was even more ecstatic to see their stage ensembles! I hadn't taken notice when I was 12.

-Stephanie

INDIVIDUALISTIC STYLE: THE QUEEN CITY'S QUEEN OF STYLE

INDIVIDUALISTIC STYLE: The Queen City's Queen of STYLE 

Each week I feature someone who stands tall and is always distinct from the rest. 

There are those who set out to do this intentionally,

 and then there are those who just...

ARE.

SONYA BARNES

CEO of Harris & Barnes Image Consulting Firm,

  CEO of The International Fashion Style Academy 
AND my personal...

Hero * Life-Preserver * Mentor...

ALL-IN-ONE STYLISH PACKAGE!

When I first came up with the name of my blog, Stumbles of a Starving Stylist, little did I know how true this would turn out to be. I just thought it was a fun play on words and would be pretty true. Well, it has been quite true...

One major business decision that had been driving me mad and only another stylist in my local market could give me relevant advice, yet no one wanted to share?

I also had no boss to run to, so after sorting through books and 

other publications with no answers, 

I practically began to rip my hair out. I wasn't sure what to do!

However, I decided to try one more approach...

I went straight to the top...

Charlotte's best known image consultant, 

Sonya Barnes of Harris & Barnes.

I emailed her with the mindset that she surely wouldn't reply given the response I had gotten from everyone else I had tried, but she called me the next day and helped me with something I had been struggling with for months! Soon thereafter, we met for coffee and I discovered she even holds seminars and international training courses for those up-and-coming stylists, such as myself. 

Of course, I didn't let her get away without asking her some of my inquisitive questions. 

When I meet with clients the first thing we do is go through a questionnaire, 

which is meant to help me get to know their personality, passions, uniqueness and quirks. 

This is by far my favorite part in the whole process. I love to learn about 

people, what drives them and what has made them who they are.

 

 I was certainly interested in what drove and inspired this dynamic and successful woman...

What gives you passion and inspires you in life?

Experiencing different cultures

Give me three words that describe your personal style.

modern, sensual, edgy

What experiences have most influenced who you are and why?

"Growing up in different cultures has made me open to everything and everyone; my upbringing opened me up the most because I lived in many places from hong kong to paris."

I am sure Sonya will have more questions to come from this STUMBLING STYLIST and I am almost positive she will have the answers!!

-Stephanie

MOZART MEETS MODERN ART?!

Possibly.

Eddie Vedder and Fleetwood Mac are options too.

Whatever your favorite song or sound, can quickly become your best wall decor!

Discover your signature soundwaves...

OR

 Discover your signature stars...

and  frame them as modern artwork in magnificent colors!!

Exactly how will you do this, might you ask?

VAPOR SKY.com!!

"Modern canvas art with a personality and look as unique as you."

As soon as I came across the snippet about Vapor Sky on Facebook I was 

intrigued & excited 

...and felt that I definitely

NEEDED TO OWN A PIECE OF PERSONALIZED VAPOR!

How they make each and every piece of artwork personal to YOU, is that they will either depict the precise alignment of the stars and planets over a specific location, time, and date, that you choose, 

and then get it onto canvas in amazing colors.

OR...

 You can get their RESONANT DECOR, which displays the exact waveform of any sound you choose, in any vibrant color and size combination that speaks to YOU!  

For someone like me, who could spend hours and hours navigating through color options, this was a 

STYLE DREAM COME TRUE!

If I went with the STELLAR DECOR, 

what date would I pick?

I decided I would choose the date of my very first meeting with my first client and then hang it in my studio - it definitely needs some wall decor anyway!

What SOUND would I give the fantastic Vapor Sky guys?

I had to think about that one. 

I'm not much of a music buff, so I thought of other sounds that were meaningful to me. 

I decided that when the time comes to order my special piece, I would give them the sound of car wheels rolling along the interstate. There is something so soothing about that. 

Possibly, just the memory of being driven to school by Mom, looking out the window, dreaming of days to come without a care in the world. Well, aside from the MAJOR cares of my pre-teen life. 

Such as...

Where the heck can I find a pair of purple Doc Martens?

...don't worry!

 I have always been insanely persistent...

 I got them in a deep plum. 

Hey! They were cute at the time. I'd still rock 'em if they hadn't gotten swapped for Lisa's black pair.
One of my deeper regrets in life.

During all of this

color, star and sound research,

 it suddenly dawned on me that Vapor Sky would be a PERFECT fit 

for the arts portion of the

MY FASHIONABLE FRIEND CLOTHING SWAP 

that myself and Tremont Music Hall will be hosting..

AT TREMONT! 

It also gave me an excuse to meet the men behind the madness...

 So, being curious about the story behind Vapor Sky, I took the opportunity

 to ask David Inman (Director of Operations) some questions...

What fueled the creation of Vapor Sky?

"Unemployment, a desire to own our own business, love of art & science."

What has been your most highly requested item?

"Resonant decor (sound waves)."

What's one of the most unexpected sound requests you've recieved?

"Toddlers saying 'I love you Mommy and Daddy'".

Vapor Sky is simply amazing and sell their work all around the world. Given the focus on personalization and individuality, we decided their pieces would be a great compliment to my wardrobe styling services, which are also deeply committed to individuality. 

Check out this link to see the details on our partner promotion:  

MIRROR YOUR PERSONAL STYLE AND ART

Be sure to check them out online and turn your favorite

 tunes and special moments into FANTASTIC DECOR!!

-Stephanie

INDIVIDUALISTIC STYLE: BELLA BAG'S FOUNDER & THE CHICEST BAG LADY EVER!

INDIVIDUALISTIC STYLE: CASEY CONNERS 

Each week I feature someone who stands tall and is always distinct from the rest. 

There are those who set out to do this intentionally,

 and then there are those who just... 

ARE.

This week's personal style post has a special place in my heart. 

Throughout life there are people that you could spend decades with, but never truly connect with, and then there are those that only cross your path for a short stint, but that you resonate with right away. 
Casey Conners, Director and Founder of Bella Bag, the second largest online seller of authentic, pre-owned luxury handbags and accessories, was just that for me.

Of course, at the time, she was simply Casey to me. I met her while we were both in our early 20's and living in sunny Florida. She was one of the most polite, well-spoken, and sharply dressed people I had ever met! Having not ventured too far from North Carolina at that point, this little lady (straight from the heart of New York City) was foreign territory to me, yet there was something so familiar about her. 
It turned out to be a slight smirk and hint of sarcasm, 
in addition to all of the poise and sophistication she possessed. 


Smirks and sarcasm, though, I relate to!

She is one of those people you just know will go on to do great things, 
you just aren't sure exactly what. There is 


a fire, a passion, an eye, and an ability to influence others 


that are all tell-tale signs of great success to come. She had these traits and more.
 I would say that she has certainly gone on to achieve that success in many areas, but most notably with the remarkable success she has had as an entrepreneur. 
It doesn't look like she is slowing down anytime soon either.

This little go-getter has taken her company, Bella Bag, from a one-person start-up to a global shopping leader boasting the world’s second largest private handbag collection. They have clients in more than 30 countries and a significant portion of limited-edition and discontinued pieces readily available for sale.

Bella Bag brings in more than a quarter million visitors to the site each year and is a leader in customer service and authenticity and is practically a household name. 


Casey is now one of the leading Internet entrepreneurs under age 30 in the Atlanta area, and quite an inspiration to me!

When I meet with clients the first thing we do is go through a questionnaire, 

which is meant to help me get to know their personality, passions, uniqueness and quirks. 

This is by far my favorite part in the whole process. I love to learn about 

people, what drives them and what has made them who they are. 

I probably could have guessed Casey's answers ten years ago, but I was dying to know what they might have evolved into today. This is what I found out:

What gives you passion and inspires you in life?

"What gives me passion and inspires me is my family....brian (my fiancé), and my puppy!"

Give me three words that describe your personal style.

simple, classic, soft

What experiences have most shaped who you are?

"The experiences that have most shaped me have been my work at Bella Bag and the struggles and challenges to make a small business and a big dream become a reality-working hard each day on one project to make sure it happens, even when I'm sick and tired of it or bored, keeping my eye on the prize.

Bella Bag keeps me going everyday, and I try to stay focused on the creative and fun parts and not get too bogged down by the administrative pieces of it and the little chores, sometimes its easy to get lost in the daily grind and forget the big picture.I also just simply adore the bags. Watching new bags coming in and out everyday and getting to use them when possible isn't such a bad perk of the job either!"

However, when I think of Casey, I will always fondly remember our drives in the Florida sunshine in our SUPER cute & BRIGHT sundresses belting out (with not so much poise) Fleetwood Mac songs and laughing until we cried.

Now you know where to go when you need a good bag lady!

-Stephanie

INDIVIDUALISTIC STYLE: Eccentrically Talented & Authentically Stylish: Nadéah

INDIVIDUALISTIC STYLE 

Each week I feature someone who stands tall and is always distinct from the rest. 

There are those who set out to do this intentionally,

 and then there are those who just... 

ARE.

You can sense right away this woman is of a different world. 
Her creativity and dramatical essence is radiated quietly through her 
mannerisms and style. 

I met her many years ago and was immediately intrigued. 

Her attire was a perfect mismatch and didn't make sense on one-hand,

 but on the other, she looked amazingly stylish!

 Her look would be impossible to re-create.

It is a style all her own. 

Nadéah is the definition of authentic.  

What intrigues me most about this Paris-based Australian singer songwriter 
is that when you talk to her one-on-one she is soft, 
calm and laid-back, but this whole world of 
VIGOR  PASSION
&
 EMOTION
releases from her vocal chords when she begins to sing...

When I meet with clients the first thing we do is go through a questionnaire, 

which is meant to help me get to know their personality, passions, uniqueness and quirks. 

This is by far my favorite part in the whole process. I love to learn about 

people, what drives them and what has made them who they are. 

I had no idea what Nadéah might answer 

to some of my favorites from the questionnaire, which is exactly why I wanted to ask her...

What gives you passion and inspires you in life?

"Passion? I get passion from nature, from simple pleasures, cooking, eating, scrabble, dancing, yoga, from interactions with inspiring people, from great movies, the possibility of change and growth"

Give me three words that describe your personal style.

"eccentric, individual, classy"

What experiences have most shaped who you are?

"My spiritual path, my greatest disappointments and failures, my friendships,

 the journey of making art my day job, my lovers, every single day that I pay attention
to the lessons and gifts within the moment."

Her next tour starts in a few months in Paris.
Keep your eye on her, she will certainly will keep you
entertained... and intrigued!

-Stephanie