Not every Blog can be a serious topic, so this week it’s a bit more about fun, but also showing the relevance to using a professional.

Have you ever been taken completely out of your comfort zone? Well this quintessential Shire boy (me), certainly was over the weekend.

My Gen Y girlfriend treated me to a weekend away in Melbourne for my Birthday, with a Gen Y twist…

Now my wardrobe has been looking considerably tired for some time now, I guess the Homer Simpson look went out a few years back, so it was time for a spruce up. And for those who don’t know me that well, I am the sort of guy that if a complete outfit, shoes & socks included isn’t displayed in the shop front window and looking good, I will keep walking and look for another window that does, call me time poor, or just a simple guy, but unless I can see the whole picture.. I just wont buy.

So for the entire afternoon, last Friday, Sam, a Personal Stylist based in Melbourne, took me shopping for a complete wardrobe update, and Chapel St was our destination…

Sam’s blurb from his website says

“Styling for me is magic, from transforming the image of my client on a shopping session or creating a look on a photo shoot, what can be created with fashion is truly amazing. I love what I do.“

And boy didn’t Sam have his work cut out for him. He couldn’t believe that in summer I wear shorts. T-shirt and no shoes to work… and he almost fell off his chair when he heard what I wear at my seminars and on TV, but hey, I’m sure none of you have ever dealt with me for my dress sense?

Now don’t fret, I haven’t gone all Melbourne on you all… Sam simply understood my current dress code (or lack there of) and enhanced it. But walking through Melbourne for the weekend, there is a distinct difference in dress codes, where Melbourne folk appear to dress to the nine’s all day long, or at least that’s what I think..

His first suggestions totally missed the mark. Sam asked me if I would ever wear a nice tailored suit and some Italian boots… ha…he really didn’t know me at all. We even had to teach him how to say Cronulla correctly, not Cronella. To his credit, I ended up buying some awesome Italian boots, which are pretty comfy… and I did try a cool blazer on, to which Sam conceded, “honey you are never going to wear it, so I’m not letting you buy it..”

Style down pat, he marched me into specific shops he knew would suit me, charmed the sales assistants into getting him exactly what he wanted and walked me into the change rooms to be his dress up doll. I would never go shopping like this normally, but it worked a treat. We achieved in one afternoon what would take me a year to buy, but with much more style.

By the end of the afternoon, I had a complete new wardrobe of quite stylish clothes and shoes, seriously, I bought more shoes in one day then I have in the past 4 years… but, I have worn them!

Now I know the stylist industry exists (as if that Kardashian chick dresses herself) but not to the extent as it does in Melbourne. For Sam and many others this is a full time job.

I guess it goes to show that if you are not an expert then it is best to take on the services of one who is..

Taking into account that I got all my shopping done in 5 hour including a hair cut, had Sam holding my bags plus do lunch, the time I saved by using his services, not to mention the money saved by not buying clothes I would never wear, the cost was more then worth the expense.

Sam told me a story where he stopped a Melbourne businessman buying a Lamborghini and had him purchase a Maserati instead… as the image this car would portray would better suit him in business… do we think about these things when we make purchases, or do we just buy the wrong things, not knowing how or what others perceive us?

So after a full afternoon of shopping, loads of laughing and a credit card that took a beating, off he drove us to his friend’s salon for a haircut. Not my usual $20 special I get locally, I received the full treatment. I think the days of wearing my caps are numbered… Although, I’m happy with the look – I’ll let you guys be the judge though..

All in all, it was a great experience and well worth the cost of hiring an expert. It goes without saying, that where there is a need, there will always be a service to assist, its just a matter of justifying the cost which comes back to value for money, and girls, what a great gift, I would do it again anytime!

When I started working as a Buyers Agent 9 years ago, many people questioned the profession, wondering if there was a place in the market for an agent that represents the buyer. There were only three in Sydney at the time. Well I was also amazed when Sam told me that not only does he do styling consulting in Melbourne but he is flown to LA, New York, Dubai and Hong Kong on almost a monthly basis to see clients and dress them, style their apartments and houses and choosing what cars suit them to buy…

Try and get your head around that???

So I guess it begs the question, what sort of services do you pay for that your mates or family don’t, and do you see value in the service? Yes, I believe our buyers agency service is value for money, we more then cover our fee in our negotiations, but what else is out there, that we as busy people should be using?

And don’t worry, next week, we will go back to property and Finance, my fashion blog is a one time event fellas.