Guest Blog: Style It Local with Courtney Miarka, of The Styled Life

Name:  Courtney Miarka, Wardrobe Stylist and Co-Founder of The Styled Life

Blog: www.closetfashionfix.blogspot.com

Website: www.closetfashionfix.com, www.thestyledlife.com

Instagram: @closetfashionfx

About Me:

Growing up, I had an intense fascination with style - how others dressed, the thrill of shopping, the latest trends and how to wear them, and the feeling of that perfect outfit. The minute I got my drivers license, I drove straight to Twelve Oaks mall to apply for a job at The Gap. I so vividly remember my first interview... I'm pretty sure I said something like, "I can sell a lady with white gloves a ketchup popsicle if you let me have this job!" And the rest is history, or so they say. From thenceforth, I just couldn't get enough of helping women and men shop for themselves or others, find the next clothing piece that would complete their wardrobe, and simply helping others feel great in what they are wearing.  

But alas, this story does not end there. Fashion and Styling as a profession, was not even a consideration at that time, nor was it even offered as a major when I attended college. So, I became a teacher. And teach I did, and still do. Yet, I always kind of felt like I was living a double life. Even though my audience was a group of 25 first-graders, I dressed for the runway almost each and every day. After that last bell rang, I would rush around getting ready for the next day of school, and then head off to the mall. (By now I was working at J. Crew in The Village of Rochester Hills). Never tired, always excited for the rest of my day, I couldn't WAIT to get on that sales floor and help dress my clients and customers well into the night.  And do it all over again the next day. I was living my dream - teacher by day, stylist by night!

Fast forward to 2010 when my beautiful daughter was born and my plans came to a screeching halt. (Is it just me, or do all children seem to have this major effect on your lifestyle?!) Teaching full-time and working nights and weekends in another field I loved just wasn't going to cut it.  For my family or my sanity. And then lightning struck. A friend made a comment to me about starting a fashion blog. AHA! You better bet, by that evening I had a blog and was ready to do my thing! It started out with a few friends who were more than eager to let me in their closets and help them figure out how to wear what they already had. I put together outfits for them, helped them clean out the excess and organize their closets so that they loved getting dressed again. And I blogged about each and every experience. Then it came. The first phone call from someone inquiring about my services who was outside my circle. And overnight, my pastime passion became a business.  

My skills as an educator and lifelong learner have helped shape my wardrobe styling business into a ‘teacher-student’ atmosphere, where I am empowering my clients to dress for their shape, their lifestyle, and their personality. Not just ‘telling’ them how to dress. My mission is to show women and men that they can love their wardrobe AND look amazing every day. Getting dressed does not need to be a stressful event, rather you should feel like you have the luxury of “shopping” your own closet. My job is to help my clients fall in love with their clothes all over again, discover new possibilities for how to wear what they own, and make smarter purchases to enhance their current wardrobe. I continue to be amazed by what this business of being a Wardrobe Stylist has allowed me to do and how many women and men’s lives I have been privileged to touch just by helping them know what to wear each and every day!  

Style It Local: Blazer- The Spoiled Girl Leopard Dress- Kate Spade, Somerset Collection White Shirt Dress- Halston Heritage, Somerset Collection Pumps- J.Crew Factory, Great Lakes Crossing Sunglasses- SEE Eyewear, SEE in Birmingham Earrings- J.Crew, Somerset Collection Clutch- Louis Vuitton, Somerset Collection Lipstick- Clinique, Parisian in The Village of Rochester Hills Style Inspiration: The inspiration for this outfit came from my love for layering when the summer months turn to fall. Since my job is to help others shop their closet, first and foremost, I immediately searched for items I already owned that I could work into a ‘new’ fall outfit. To me, shopping for fall is not about buying a whole new wardrobe. Rather, it is about finding those few pieces that will help update what you currently have and will last for seasons to come. I had been stalking this Halston Heritage fit-and-flare shirtdress for a while. When it finally went on sale, I snatched it up.  I love investment pieces at less-than-investment prices! This dress makes a perfect layering option for so many fall outfits. Underneath another dress, as seen here. With leggings or tights and booties in fall. Paired with a fur vest in the winter. Layered over a turtleneck. Underneath a blazer with a belt. So many options! And I cannot forget to mention this blazer. It’s a dark grey that can work with black or look black depending on your outfit. It’s the perfect fit for so many shapes and I’ve already worn it 3 times since I bought it last week. Talk about a total complement to any current wardrobe! Favorite Transitional Summer-Fall Fashion Item #1: A great shirt dress. You can find them all over the local shops. Dresses come in denim, plaid, or just a cotton button-down dress. This style of dress will get you through the summer months and right into winter. I like pieces that are season-less, and this is one of them!  Plus, you will be able to layer with this dress in so many ways and they are incredibly comfortable. Win-win! Favorite Transitional Summer-Fall Fashion Item #2: Booties. Find yourself a pair, if you don’t already own them. I know I won’t be the only stylist to suggest this type of shoe, but there is a reason for that. They are incredibly versatile right now; wear them with your jeans or skirts or dresses or cropped pants. How ever you wear the shoe of the season is up to you, but rest assured you’ll still love them when the Michigan snow begins to fall!