One might expect a style maven’s closet to be overflowing with the latest clothing and accessories, but for North Vancouver fashionista Samantha Dempster, when it comes to her wardrobe at least, less is more.
Getting dressed each day is all about mixing and matching a few quality pieces to create different outfits for different occasions. That’s the fashion philosophy Dempster passes on to her clients as a certified image consultant. It was also the theme of the style presentation, entitled Seven Pieces Seven Ways, that she gave last week at Kiss and Makeup on Lonsdale Avenue. The seminar demonstrated just how much you can do with only a handful of versatile garments.
“I have pieces that I’ve worn hundreds of times just because I love the fit and I love the way it makes me feel,” Dempster says.
So what exactly is an image consultant? It’s a question Dempster hears often and is all too happy to answer. Essentially, she visits clients’ homes, goes through their closets and helps them decide what to keep, what to give away, and what to purchase that will best suit their lifestyle, personality and body type.
“It’s just about finding what works for that person and making them feel confident,” she explains.
Dempster has worked with women who are changing careers, have just had children, are re-entering the workforce, are going through divorces, or are just too busy to shop. Whatever their age, size or clothing budget, her ultimate goal is to teach them how to create a wardrobe that works for them personally.
“It’s to educate them so that they know how to do it on their own,” she says, adding that the closet consultation experience makes people much more conscious when they go shopping, allowing them to avoid impulse purchases, identify when to splurge and when to save, and hone in on the right pieces.
“You don’t have the same experience when you go into a store because you’re extremely selective,” she says.
Dempster worked for many years in the fashion industry in visual merchandising and retail, but took a break to start a family. Her kids are now aged four and one.
“Becoming a mom, all of a sudden you don’t have time to put yourself together.”
Fortunately, she found a style that worked for her – a look she has dubbed “casual luxe.”
“I put in the effort, but I always think about comfort and versatility. Having two kids, I would love to look polished and put together, but I also have to be realistic about my day and what I’m taking on.”
Other moms would often ask her, “How do you have time to put yourself together?” Wanting to share her simple approach to dressing, she launched a blog called The Family Jewels (thefamilyjewels.ca) in 2012 where she shares fashion tips, lifestyle and beauty brand picks, and recipes.
Around that same time she attended a North Shore moms social group. The guest speaker that day was an image consultant and Dempster was immediately intrigued by this woman’s profession.
“I was really looking for a way to get back into the fashion industry, but I wanted something with a flexible schedule where I wasn’t having to commit to a nine-to-five. I wanted to be able to be with my kids, but still have something on my own and still bring in an income.”
Right away she signed up for a program at Langara College and became a certified image consultant.
“I really loved the idea of working with women one-on-one,” she says.
Beyond the flexible hours and social nature of the work, Dempster says the best part of being an image consultant is watching women build confidence through wardrobe choices. “That’s what I really love about the job.”
Visit stylepersona.ca for more information.
