Hayley Fell lives with her husband and little dachshund in Newcastle. The 32-year-old works in Ouseburn, Newcastle, for a digital agency as Head of Client Services. Here, Hayley explains why she booked her Style Code session and the impact it has since had on her wardrobe and her confidence.
How did you feel before booking style code?
I was lacking some confidence. I didn't feel comfortable in the way I was dressing, I felt like I was no longer showcasing who I was. I was feeling quite lost!
I remember when I started realising I was in a style rut, I was shopping for my honeymoon and when I looked at what I had bought everything was so different - different shapes, styles and colours - I had to pack a lot of shoes to make all those outfits work! This made my think about my style and I realised I didn't really have one anymore. Since turning 30 I started questioning a lot of my purchases - for example, I had been wearing Converse since my early 20s, should I still be wearing these? After the wedding and honeymoon I then gained some weight and come the new year I decided enough was enough. I started losing the pounds and booked an appointment with Helenlee.
What made you decide to book?
I had followed Helenlee for a while and saw how great the ladies' transformations were and it really motivated me. I was feeling quite lost and felt like my style wasn't representative of me anymore and after recently getting married, moving into my 30s and getting promoted, I wanted a look that represented who I am now and not who I used to be.
What were your hesitations?
It felt a bit 'extra' spending the money on a stylist. Like not something someone like me does, but in hindsight, it was something really important for me and I'm so glad I did. I was concerned about what I would find out - would I like what the end result was?
How did you find your session?
I loved every minute of it, it was so insightful. Helenlee put me so at ease and I was really comfortable talking about all of my issues with my style. I found everything so inspiring and left feeling lighter (also smaller as I found I was wearing clothes that were too big for me!!).
Has your confidence increased?
Absolutely, it injected a new sense of confidence. I feel confident when shopping and choosing clothes as well as feeling comfortable in my style and myself. I think my style now reflects who I am. That 30-something professional woman.
What is the biggest benefit for you?
The clear direction for my wardrobe. I love shopping and fashion, it's a huge hobby of mine, but I was buying everything I liked and that led to a huge wardrobe and nothing to wear. I would buy outfits for any and every occasion. I no longer waste money on clothes that keep their tags on waiting for the right occasion or dress entirely in black for days on end. I'm loving my new-found confidence and, although we're in lockdown right now, I'm using my time and money to focus on building out my capsule wardrobe ready for returning to work and my social life!
Was it worth the money?
100%, this was absolutely value for the money and truly one of the best investments I've made. Although it can feel like it's an unnecessary cost, especially when there's so many other things to pay for, I saw this as a saving in the long term as I now know every item I'll buy I'm going to wear regularly for all occasions. When I was shopping for my honeymoon I spent so much on new outfits, non of which mixed and matched. After this, I quickly realised that if I had invested in my style code earlier I could have saved money, packed less and had more to wear!!!
Could you share a little more about you?
Most of my (pre-lockdown) days are busily spent speaking with clients and the teams in the office or travelling to visit clients. Outside of work I spend most of my free time socialising over meals out or drinks after work and at weekends I try to escape to the country from time to time. I love going on holidays and seeing new places. (Who knew I could have one wardrobe to cover all of these different aspects of my lifestyle!)
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