Woman of the Week

Erica Maslow

Helping people feel more confident about how they look

-Nicole Christie

They're not just for celebs anymore - personal stylists, that is. Not with Erica Maslow on the prowl, offering up her fashion experience and expertise to the masses of NYC and L.A. From her all-American Midwestern beginnings at the Express store in St. Louis, to working her way through Bergdorf's styling and shopping for the ladies - and gentlemen - of Manhattan, this simultaneously elegant and down-to-earth fashionista extraordinaire is proof that a young girl's big city vogue dreams can come true. And on her own terms at that. She recently spent two afternoons (yes, just six hours) overhauling my closet and shopping with me - and let me tell you, I no longer cry in dressing rooms. Incentive enough for you?

1. When did you first take an interest in fashion?

About as far back as I can remember. I feel really lucky that I found what I'm most passionate about at an early age. This may be a bad admission, but I remember going to church with my mom when I was very young and after the service I would tell her which women were wearing the best dresses and jewelry.

2. Explain your career trajectory - from the Express store in St. Louis to personal stylist and shopper in New York and Los Angeles.

My first retail/fashion job was indeed at Express in St. Louis. I was 16 and sold more than any other salesperson - and I was only working part-time! During college, I worked at Banana Republic and ended up going through The Gap Management Training Program to become an associate manager. But it still wasn't enough and New York was calling me, so I ended up finishing my degree at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), majoring in Fashion Merchandising Management. All kinds of doors started to open as I landed internships with the 7th on 6th New York fashion shows, Kooba handbags, and Federated Department Stores in both New York and Hong Kong. Through FIT, I also had the opportunity of touring the famed fashion houses and couturiers of Italy and Paris.

After graduating, I cut my teeth at Federated doing product development on a private label clothing line. Over the course of six years I worked my way up the ranks, holding positions in both product development and merchandising. With experience on product lines in children's wear, women's sportswear, and juniors I got a broad sense of these vastly different markets. All of this experience plus my eye for fashion inspired me to go out on my own. I left Federated and took a week in Paris. Upon my return, I launched this new endeavor and began styling clients in New York and Los Angeles.

3. What made you decide to strike out on your own?

Like so many women, I felt like my work/life balance was really off. I was working in a big corporate office and was exhausted by my job, yet I felt I had so much more to offer and that my strengths weren't being utilized. Personal styling was a natural fit and something I'd always done for friends and family. It allows me to have a better work/life balance and express myself creatively. The best part is helping people feel more confident about how they look - this is what I love about fashion.

4. Talk about the services you provide for your clients.

I cater my services around the client's needs but some of the services I provide are:

• Wardrobe Overhaul - I review and organize your closet and determine which pieces should stay and which should go. Then we create a list of what's missing and whether you have the right clothes for your body type, skin tone, size, and lifestyle. Ultimately we're trying to make room for new clothes that will fit you better in all aspects. I'll even donate your discarded clothes to charity.

• Styling - Working one-on-one with a client to show them how to create new outfits using what they already have or shopping with them for something new. Often this involves shopping for something specific like a new job, big date, wedding, or just the changing seasons.

• Sourcing - If the client doesn't have the time or patience I'll do the legwork for them, sourcing the clothing and doing a fitting either at their home or the store. Additionally, if a client is looking for something specific, whether it be an anniversary gift or a vintage handbag, I can hunt it down.

5. So do you need the budget of a Hollywood starlet to engage your services?

No. There's no minimum and in most cases I charge by the hour. Some of my clients have me on retainer but many come with more targeted goals that we accomplish in a short amount of time. In either case, I offer myself as a resource to be called upon when needed.

6. What does a "typical" workday look like for you?

Every day is completely different, which is why I love what I do so much. Most days I'm out with clients, and others I'm shopping department stores, designer sales, or rummaging through thrift stores to see what's out there and on sale. I also style television commercials, which is a whole different world.

7. What are some key pieces of fashion advice - or "rules," if those even exist anymore - that everyone can use?

1. Find a good tailor and use it!
2. Clean out your closet and get rid of items you haven't touched in over a year. Most people hold on to too many things and then get overwhelmed when trying to get dressed with a closet full of clothes they can't fit into or are outdated.
3. Ignore the size and buy what actually fits you. You will look thinner and feel better. It's always wise to buy something a little bigger and get it altered than to squeeze yourself into something too small.
4. It's better to be slightly overdressed than underdressed.
5. A great watch is a good investment.
6. The key to looking stylish is to look like you.

8. You and I have shopped together and one of the most valuable things I learned from you is the "high/low mix." Explain how that works.

I really believe that having great style and having expensive clothing are two totally different things. It really doesn't matter how much you spend on your total wardrobe, but the pieces you wear most often should be more expensive - meaning they're made with better fabrics, have better construction, will last longer, and should be tailored to fit you. Examples would be black pants, high heels, maybe a suit, a white shirt, cashmere sweater, winter coat, and a pair of jeans. And then mix them with less expensive items you can get from The Gap, J.Crew, Express, or even a scarf you bought on vacation. I also like to play with accessories and shoes following the same guidelines to complete the overall look. Patricia Field, the head wardrobe stylist for "Sex and the City," does such a brilliant job with this. She'll take a $5,000 dress and pair it with a "street" Carrie necklace, a pair of jeans, and Manolos, or a vintage dress with a designer leather jacket. It's the mixing that makes things look fresh and original.

9. OK, fashion diva - time for you to spill some secrets. What are your three favorite stores and your three favorite labels? I know, it's tough to pick just three...

It is hard because I go to so many different stores and there are of course labels I lust for like Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, and Prada. But if I have to choose, my three favorite labels are Catherine Malandrino (for the dresses), Marc Jacobs (especially his jackets), and Theory (pants that fit like a dream). As for stores, Barney's, Jeffrey, and Kiliwatch - an amazing vintage store in Paris.

Rapid Fire Questions

1. When you were 10 years old, what did you want to be when you grew up?

This is going to sound vain but I wanted to be a fashion model. I wanted to meet designers, wear beautiful clothing, and travel around the world.

2. What type of kids did you hang out with in high school?

The absolute best! I met my best friends for life in high school, which seems to be pretty rare these days.

3. Which women do you most identify with?

My mother and grandmother.

4. What's your workout?

Pretty much anything except running, which is the one thing I really don't like. I go to the gym, ski, and bike.

5. Cat or dog?

I'm dying to get a dog but I have two cats at home that I'm so in love with - Smokey and Oscar.

6. What do you do when you want to completely tune out?

Go to a spinning class or read a fashion magazine.

7. What book is sitting on your shelf waiting to be read?

I am so behind these days - The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

8. If you could have dinner with any two people, whom would you choose?

Madonna and Marc Jacobs.

9. What is the one thing you want or do not want the next generation of girls to encounter?

To see a shift in female role models - from hollow celebrities to independent, confident, intelligent women who also happen to be fashionable.

10. If there were one thing you could change in your life, what would it be?

To have an unlimited travel budget.