Kate Ziegler
How does personal style affect your professional success and why is it important to have a built professional image?
In today's article, we take a closer look at Kate Ziegler, the inspiring personality behind the successful blog Chic cocktail and platforms Style consultation.
Can you tell us something about your career and how you got into the profession of a fashion stylist?
My passion for fashion was evident from a young age. I chose what I wanted to wear myself in kindergarten, I didn't let anyone tell me what to wear. Because my mother ran a fabric and fashion store, I was able to follow professional advice from a young age. That was before 1990. The offer here was minimal. When a customer's dress didn't fit 100%, my mother told her straight out and tried to find flattering goods for her. I was very impressed by the opportunity to travel with my grandparents from childhood right after the revolution and see what fashion actually meant. I got into personal styling professionally at the age of 33 after retraining as a fashion stylist.
What advice would you give to people who want to improve their first impression through dress and style?
When we invest time in ourselves and our self-development, we should treat ourselves to the best, and by that I mean long-term effects and quality care from a professional. I want to emphasize the benefit that for a change to be real and truly leave an irreversible positive impact on us deep down, it cannot be a one-time transformation. Many fashion boutiques offer their customers styling with the popular wow effect of transformation. We also know various TV shows where Cinderella turns into a stylish, well-groomed woman. I am actually sorry that these “one-offs” are so popular and the difference in the photo between “before” and “after” also makes women want to try it. However, when clients are not given enough time and analysis of their personality and the consultant does not have a view of their current wardrobe and does not train directly on the body, they do not learn to combine newly purchased clothes with the existing ones (this should definitely be reviewed and sorted first), what does the client draw from? Wow, one-time transformations for me are followed by a “hangover” in the form of frustration “I’m back where I was,” for the next few days, because it didn’t go deep into the personality. Personal styling isn’t called personal for no reason. If you really want to change something, it’s not enough to go to a store where consultants will dress you in beautiful things – the so-called Retail styling. Don’t look for shortcuts and definitely really move forward in style, learn a lot of new things and strengthen your self-confidence. In the long term, preferably forever. That is the goal of the personal styling services of Stylová poradnya and cooperation with a professional personal stylist.
What are the key pieces of clothing that everyone should have in their professional wardrobe?
In a professional wardrobe, it is possible to distinguish many levels of style and formality very individually. If we talk about what is necessary for business and business casual, and what I perceive that not everyone takes for granted, there is a jacket for both women and men, but ideally a complete suit that can be easily combined and possibly "thrown off" with jeans, for example. I often see violations of business casual at business meetings. Shoes with open toes, exposed shoulders and a deep neckline are inappropriate for women, and short-sleeved shirts and sports shoes for men. Therefore, I recommend decent (not boring) blouses for women, comfortable closed pumps, ballerinas or moccasins, and long-sleeved shirts and professional shoes for men. All made of quality materials, because this allows us to feel comfortable at all times, even in tense situations. The list of wardrobe basics, which I also call the Wardrobe Minimum and which I also use for my clients, can be downloaded from my blog Chic coktail, where the article contains further details on wardrobe basics.
What are your recommendations for choosing colors and cuts depending on your body type and occupation?
I admit that this is a topic for a full-day live course Personal Style or an online video course Body and Self-Confidence. I am now also teaching the basics of Body Typology in three-hour evening courses Women's Style. In both cases, they teach women to dress individually and work with cuts, colors and patterns according to proportions. In individual collaboration, we address this throughout the entire time of dressing in the wardrobe or while shopping, and I train the client at the same time.
How can you incorporate your own style and individuality into your professional image without appearing unprofessional?
In moderation, but incorporate. Stick to what describes the person. If they are bold colors, use them discreetly or on accessories. Even if certain things are taboo in the business dress code, it is still possible to find a way to show character with certain elements in the outfit. The key is to follow the rules and relax in the details where they are not defined.
What inspired you to focus on professional image?
I didn't like how the position of a fashion consultant - personal stylist - was presented on TV shows, where it was more of a critic than a support for the client's personality. I wanted to change that in my services and go towards the path of understanding and improving self-confidence.
I'm also not a big fan of one-off transformations. I'm a teacher by profession and genes, so I firmly believe in passing on know-how so that it's not just a short-term wow effect, but so that clients can incorporate the tips and tricks into their everyday lives, make dressing much more fun, and be motivated to develop themselves further, both on their own and with a consultant. This way, it's possible to achieve maximum professionalism and authentic style.
The interview was written and edited by: Lenka Petrásková