Personal Style Made Easy

A stylist from Barrington makes dressing well effortless

The Bay Magazine ·

Kathleen Kostrzewa, owner of My Effortless Style, believes confidence is your best accessory. We caught up with the style maven to hear more of her fashionable tips.

Tell us how and why you started My Effortless Style.
After 30 years as a corporate executive, I decided I wanted to focus on my two passions – empowering women and personal style.  Luckily, I stumbled upon the Style Coaching Institute in London.  Style Coaching mixes two professions – that of a personal stylist/image consultant and that of a life coach.  It is a holistic approach that embraces the “whole” person inside and out. I work with clients to understand who they are on the inside and the messages they want to send with their appearance.  I provide the knowledge and tools to empower them to enhance and embrace their physical appearance.  I am passionate about building confident women by helping them feel great on the inside and look great on the outside.

You offer “closet cleanses.” Tell us why it’s important to keep our closets organized and refreshed.

Our wardrobe can be our biggest nightmare when it comes to clutter. Every day of our lives we get up and get dressed. Our closet is usually brimming full of clothes yet, some days, we stand in front of it and swear we have nothing to wear. This is not how we want to start our day. Women may end up putting on an outfit they don’t love and then they’re starting their day in a negative mood. I have had some women tell me they don’t even want to go to work because they can’t find any outfit that makes them feel good.

You can eliminate all the stress of getting dressed by having a wardrobe that “works” for you, that is, it makes your life easier, helps you feel confident, calm and relaxed. Think of your wardrobe like your refrigerator.  It’s important to keep the contents fresh, get rid of items that are past their “use by date” and restock with fresh items.

What are some of the must-have items every woman should own?
Every woman is unique with her own individual lifestyle and body shape, which means that everyone’s “must-have” list will be slightly different. However, most women tend to build their wardrobe with the following ten key items: classic little black dress, timeless trench coat, black pants, tailored white shirt, perfect pair of jeans, merino or cashmere sweater, feminine skirt, casual day dress, tailored blazer, and stylish leisurewear.

What trends are you excited about? Do you have any suggestions on transitioning from winter to spring looks?
This spring I am most excited about the abundance of different styles – from the continued mixing of prints and bold colors to the various styles of pants. I particularly like the mix of higher waist pants with a shorter crop top. The mid-length skirts with the shorter cropped jacket makes many women appear leaner.

One way to start transitioning from winter to spring is to change your outerwear from a heavy structured coat to a poncho, long cardigan or (incorporating one of the new spring trends) an unstructured trench coat. I also recommend adding more color to your wardrobe as you move into spring.

Kathleen, along with Dena Davis of Action Performance & Leadership Coaching, is hosting Put Your Best Self Forward, a seminar at Inspired Living in Bristol on March 8. See www.MyEffortlessStyle.com for tickets and more info.

My Effortless Style
401-378-4805
www.MyEffortlessStyle.com

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