We sat down with Hamptons resident, personal stylist, wellness guru and interior designer Gayle Perry @GAYLESTYLE) to hear her thoughts on the east end’s fashion forecast and how to look and feel your best.
You’ve written extensively about the “wellness of style” and the correlation between looking good, feeling good, doing great things and overall mental health. What does this mean?
When we invest in our appearance and how we present ourselves to the world, our mood is lifted, our productivity increases and we can better help others. Additionally, it fosters confidence in others to know and work with us because they will likely imagine we are as thoughtful in every area of our lives. Women and men have shared that once I edited their closets and elevated their style, they felt happier and more successful.
What are the essential pieces of clothing women should have in their closets?
Well-fitting jeans that help us feel confident and empowered. Many women are wearing jeans that are either one size too big or ill- fitting in other ways. The fitting jeans become a canvas to build countless outfits around and help breathe new life into and elevate the tops you’ve had for years. Next, a structured blazer that elevates any look; pointy-toe nude pumps that lengthen your appearance and soften your looks; feminine blouses that, when worn with your best-fitting jeans, provide a classic-with-edge style; a crisp white button-down; a well-fitting trouser pant that can be worn with a blazer to create a suiting effect; a chic belt; and a clutch. The idea is to have less in your closet and more of the right things.
We all have good days and bad days. How should we approach our wardrobe when we don’t feel confident or motivated? Perhaps we are uncomfortable with our bodies? How can we instantly feel better?
Those are the days it is even more important to get dressed because the alternative results in negative feelings and less motivation. Once we remove the noise from our closets, we can better see the items we should wear. Creating empowering outfits then becomes more manageable and less time consuming. This allows us to better lend our time and energy to other areas: work, family, social events, exercise and travel. I aim to ensure women (and men) don’t have to spend much time thinking about what they will wear. I think for them.
Do we need to spend a fortune to elevate our wardrobes or work with a stylist?
Absolutely not. After 20 years in the fashion business and nearly 10 years as a stylist, my goal is to break barriers and make style accessible no matter body type, budget or age, to present highlow solutions that help women shine. I do this via my styling services and Instagram platform. I show women how to shop in their closets for the gems they already own, which is good for their wallets and sustainability. When working together, I’ll apply my style tips—the Gayle tuck, the Gayle tie and the Gayle roll—to the outfits I create in order to breathe new life into their already-owned pieces. For those feeling stuck about their body weight, the Gayle tuck and tie help provide a slimming effect because they taper, and when you taper your clothing, it results in a lengthened and more polished appearance.
What is your best piece of advice?
It is to begin where you’re at. Many who are not comfortable with their bodies say they will wait to work with me until they lose weight because they fear they have nothing in their closets to work with. However, by our style session’s end, I’ve created countless outfits they never imagined wearing or feeling so good in. One client who decided not to wait until she lost weight lost 40 pounds in one year because she learned how to celebrate her curves best. By using what she owned and buying just a few items I recommended, she was happier with her appearance, which helped her feel more motivated to live a healthier lifestyle and get healthier. It’s indescribable when a woman looks in the mirror with tears and says she never imagined she could look and feel so beautiful.
Photography by: PHOTO BY LISA RICHOV
