The Death of Effortless: Why Personal Style Doesn’t Always Come Easy

We’ve all said it, “Oh, she needs a new stylist,” with a drink in hand, side-eyeing a picture of most likely Taylor Swift (sorry).

A stylist has become a fashion industry buzzword; while the everyday consumer likely has no idea what the job truly entails, nor the skill or eye it takes to be a personal stylist.

Right on cue, fashion made its annual return to the desert, as celebs, influencers and festival goers turned Coachella into their personal runway. The festival is arguably one of the biggest gatherings of the year, where fashion serves as a spectacle, and personal style is thrown by the wayside. 

A true fashionphile can always admit that their favorite tradition is staying up to date with the trends making a debut in the desert flatlands, then quickly tracing its descent onto college campuses, coffee shops and eventually on every fast fashion site.

In recent years, the festival has gone through a complete cultural shift. It once served as a space where music-lovers and celebrities could roam in harmony, enjoying their favorite artists. In its original days, festival-goers would occasionally snap a few pictures while feeding us mere spectators at home with bohemian fashion trend forecasts for years.

That dynamic has changed. In the age of social media, fame exists on a spectrum and visibility is currency. Now, the festival operates less like a gathering and more like a stage; an ‘influencer Hunger Games’ of seeing and being seen. Even micro-influencers, or the average attendee, can feel compelled to invest in a curated look, sometimes going so far as to hire a stylist just to keep pace.

Content creators and influencers across the nation are suiting up and taking us along for the ride. Many have shared they were looking to be styled for Coachella and some have revealed unsatisfactory unboxings of their styled looks.

“Just to book the stylist cost $8,000, that doesn’t even include the outfit…I was quoted $5,000 per outfit,” said content creator Mei Mei in a TikTok video.

It’s felt relatively meta watching so many festival goers share that they’ve been personally styled for Coachella. While we’ve all had a chuckle taking in the content, due to some of the styled results looking well…quite lackluster, it dawned on me, at what age and under what circumstance requires a personal stylist?

“It’s always the right time to invest in yourself,” said Lindsay Covert, Stylist & Creative Consultant. Covert has an eye for completing a look with a finishing touch that is authentic, classy and the epitome of style. She brings personality to life in a look for her clients, with an especially good eye for bridal styles.

“The process will be inspiring, rather than daunting, and ultimately leave you with a more refined sense of YOU,” shared Covert.

It’s not uncommon to hire a stylist for an event, especially one like Coachella.

“Hiring a stylist for festivals, weddings, vacations, and huge style makeovers is absolutely worth it when the intention is for you,” shared Samantha Dawn, Personal Stylist and Style Coach. Dawn exudes confidence and has the ability to bring attitude to life in a look, with the foundation being chic and classy. 

Dawn doesn’t see the high rates that influencers were paying stylists as outrageous either. What she does consider to be the problem, is the impact on the environment and the industry.

“When the intention is for clout, likes, and sales, then that’s just promoting overconsumption to non-influencers, and we don’t need more of that,” said Dawn. “Psychologically, we’ll think we need more and want to update our clothes all the time, but in reality, that’s not sustainable and you’ll just end up with a closet full of clothes you’ll be bored of in a month.”

Working with a stylist should result in a better understanding of personal style. Even if you’re planning a look for an event, the intention should be “to feel good in their clothes, or continuing to build their wardrobe with pieces that will last them for multiple seasons to come,” said Dawn on how she wants her clients to feel.

That’s why communication is key to a relationship with a stylist, and why we’re all left questioning how these Coachella looks went so very wrong.

“If there’s no collaboration or communication, expectations won’t align, and the desired vision probably won’t hit in the way the client wants,” Dawn shared.

Taking it a step further, Covert outlined that communication helps form a stylist-client relationship that can truly bring out the client’s personal style.

“Once you see what [your stylist has] sourced, provide thorough feedback. More this, less that, close but not quite, etc. When you receive and try on things you’ve shopped for, share about your try-on haul,” said Covert. “Keep communication open and honest until you are completely satisfied.”

It’s no secret that a stylist has their own style too. Following along with the content that stylists share on social media helps to understand their style. Before choosing your own stylist, ensuring their vibe resonates with what you are looking for is key to building a successful relationship together.

“A stylist should be positioning themselves as the subject matter expert, & that includes inspiration, sourcing, style tips and Q&A’s that you could easily jump into as well,” shared Covert.

“It’s one thing to want to hire a stylist, but it’s a whole other thing to make sure you find the right stylist for you,” echoed Dawn.

Finding a personal stylist starts with our favorite word, curiosity. Dawn shares that if you are in a position where your style doesn’t represent your current self or the person you are becoming, it’s safe to say that it’s the perfect time to consult a personal stylist.

Covert agrees with this sentiment and shares that one should go into a styling appointment curious, yet “with an open mind, and as your most authentic self. Have an idea of what, specifically, you are seeking guidance on [whether it be] daily confidence, getting your pink back, dressing for your body, dream vacation, over-the-top wedding, etc.,” she said.

As the stylist, it is their job to fill in the blanks and add color and dimension to the canvas in front of them. As the one being styled, it’s your job to communicate, matter of fact, overcommunicate, and be fully present for the process.

Fashion isn’t always about satisfaction, because just like trends, our taste and the products we are drawn to will constantly change. Fashion is fluid. Personal style is an echo of that fluidity.  Just as much as we see Coachella consistently evolve due to many cultural and societal factors, so will our personal style. Evolving is natural, and personal style should FEEL personal and should be assisted by someone who values and resonates with that journey.