Personal Shopping – Is It Worth It?

***Editors Note: This article was submitted by Ashley Hargrove of DTK Austin, a personal shopping and fashion consulting provider. Please visit DTK Austin for more great content on the latest fashion trends.

Many people think hiring a personal shopper or personal stylist is a luxury most can’t afford or justify. Even worse, sometimes the idea of personal shopping is shed in a negative light with people saying personal shoppers “are just needy people doing what the internet could do in a few minutes.” This thinking couldn’t be more wrong. Personal shoppers are time savers and to some of my clients, miracle workers. A great personal shopper can help you develop the perfect individual style that fits your body and lifestyle correctly.

How Personal Shopping Works

Personal shopping arrangements can work in a number of different ways. My most requested service is a basic concierge service where busy male or female clients tell me what they are looking for. I find many viable options and bring them all to their home. I’ll open a bottle of wine and the client can try everything in the comfort of their own home.  We’ll work together to select items that work for your body type, style and existing wardrobe. This is a huge time saver, not to mention I often find desirable options that the client has not seen or thought of previously.

The second option is in-store consulting where I take the client with me to various stores to do shopping and fitting.  Most clients would rather not attend the shopping trips with me because of their schedule is too busy. However some of my clients see the additional value with getting consulting in-store. This option is also the most cost effective as there is not time spent returning and exchanging what did not work.

Personal shoppers can also act as personal guides to the best stores and boutiques around Austin. Most people are very routine oriented and keep to set stores. My clients often find it refreshing to see amazing pieces from small, local Austin boutiques that they are unaware of and don’t cost an arm and a leg.

How Much Does Personal Shopping Cost?

Personal shoppers aren’t that expensive considering how much time and effort the service saves clients. Personal shoppers usually work based on an hourly rate which can be negotiated based on the length of the engagement.

However, most people are shocked by how affordable it actually is.  In fact hiring a personal shopper has a huge perk; discounts!  I frequent so many boutiques and stores that they give my clients discounts and other incentives for shopping with them that they wouldn’t get on their own.

A Personal Shopping Case Study

I’m not only in this business to make a living, but to really help clients in need. It is a very refreshing career to get those clients who truly need your help.  One client in particular had just gone through a divorce, has 3 little girls and really wanted to try and get back into the dating scene.  He called and explained his story and was just clueless on how to look sharp and feel attractive again.  I went to his home, organized his closet and we got him an entirely new wardrobe – suits, jeans, dress shirts, shoes, accessories, etc.  It was a full overhaul!  And a couple weeks later I get a text thanking me so much and that he is going on his first date in years.  That is a great feeling and I strive to make my entire clients feel that way.

DTK Austin Styling owner, Ashley Hargrove, is a leading wardrobe stylist in her home state of Texas and has taken her experience outside of Austin to LA, Chicago, Colorado and Canada for major productions. Ashley specializes in styling artists of all spectra including but not limited to models, musicians, radio hosts, TV personalities as well as personal styling. Her work has been featured on Dancing With the Stars and in Healthé Trim ads, global ad campaigns and commercials; A&E's Modern Dads, T-Mobile, Panasonic, Bounty Paper Towels, Western Union, TopGolf, and Dell. She has been published in magazines such as, ESPN, Avid Golfer, Study Breaks, Texas Music Magazine, and Story Chicago. Ashley is currently the lead wardrobe stylist for Austin Woman Magazine, ATX Man Magazine as well as a monthly contributor to Austin Fit Magazine.