[ By Kristin Antonino ]
The way Wanda Elledge sees it, if you want to tweak your personal style, start with small doses of trendy. Leather is in right now, she points out. “But if you’re not ready for leather pants, how about a jacket with leather accents?” She’s got one in your price range at her new Ellicott City consignment store, The Royal Curtain. She’s also got a 1980s bunny fur jacket in a patchwork of brown and white. But chances are, by the time you read this, it will have been snatched up by a shopper with panache.
Elledge likes to play personal stylist to her customers, helping them put together outfits from an eclectic selection. “A lot of eras are trending right now,” she says. Bright colors and earth tones, miniskirts and shirtwaist dresses, platform shoes and ballet flats can all be mixed and matched to create a personal style. The shop has everything from vintage to high end, nearly new with labels that include Ann Taylor, Ralph Lauren and Niemen Marcus. “Sometimes I like to put outfits together and wear them myself so people get the idea,” she says. Her tip: “find a cute piece that may be risky and combine it with something you have at home.” royalcurtainboutiquemd.com
Help can also be found at The Mall in Columbia, where many of the stores offer personal shopping services. And contrary to a popular notion, these professionals can work within any budget. “Looking pulled together can be a challenge,” says Michelle Jose, marketing manager for the mall. “Personal shoppers can help a woman identify a look and a style that fits her budget.” Jose knows of what she speaks. After her experience consulting a personal shopper, she discovered more flexibility in her wardrobe. “What I love most is having someone show me different ways to wear and pair my pieces to create entirely new looks,” she says, “looks I never would have come up with on my own.” themallincolumbia.com
Clothes can indeed define your style, but a more direct route to a new look, says Scott Schmidt, co-owner of Victoria& Albert Salon, is – you guessed it – a new hair style. Or color. Or better, both. “The change can be dramatic,” says Schmidt. “You can go from long, dark hair to cropped and platinum. The sky’s the limit.” victoriaandalberthair.com
Lilly MaRitza agrees. Hair can be a personal expression. To inspire clients and stylists alike, she’s filled her Ellicott Studio salon with local and international art, including work by the innovative MotoArt group, which creates unusual designs from salvaged airplane parts. Best of all, it’s all housed in a LEED silver certified “green” building. lillymaritza.com
While you’re at it, how about experimenting with a new face? Local makeup artist Susan Heydt encourages everyone to experiment. Try some of the video tips – and ogle the pics of her celebrity clients – on her website, or schedule a private makeup lesson, starting with a shopping spree at Sephora. susanheydt.com
