Whether you have always wanted to experience the service of a personal shopper or think about becoming one, this article will give you an insight into the world of styling for a living. Our Brighton Girl Gabriella went into a store to get a full shopping experience and an interview.

Here is the behind the scenes with personal shopper Katie:

“Anything is you if you love it” - Wise words from Katie, the personal shopper who works at Topshop Brighton, helping Brighton's best dressed stay stylish. Shopping for a living sounds like a dream job, and I wanted to find out more, so I went to the centre of Brighton to find out for myself what it takes to be a personal shopper.

Katie started out at a young age, packing different outfits for her holidays and creating outfits for her to wear. Her style was influenced by Jimi Hendrix and Keith Richards, due to the way that feminine and masculine elements influence each other. Katie also loved the Olsen twins, especially their tinted glasses. Growing up Katie didn’t go to university to study fashion, instead she went straight into work where she learnt more about her love of styling.

Working on the creative side of a retail job, she spent hours dressing mannequins and learning what looked good together. Katie opened different stores, organised the window displays and even worked in Oxford Circus. Learning about the most interesting ways to portray the brands vision was what led Katie to apply for a job in personal shopping. Having to create outfits is something that some find easier than others, which is why it always helps to get a second opinion when shopping!

Personal shopping and Instagram work well together, and Katie is using her platform to show people what is new in store and how to style the latest pieces. Shopping straight from an outfit is almost easier as you get to see the versatility of different clothes. You can see other accounts which style similar outfits, and almost piece together the look you’re going for, before you’ve even set foot in the shop.

Personal shopping is something that a lot of people might feel apprehensive about, so I had a lot of questions before trying it out for myself, especially because I’m not someone who is too bold with my clothing choices. Luckily, Katie put me at ease and I wanted to share how it went, so you can think about trying it out for yourself.

First off, the service I received was impeccable. Katie was incredibly easygoing and made me feel welcome straight away, one of her goals is to make you feel like you’re shopping with a friend, instead of someone who works there. There isn’t any pressure to buy at all, Katie herself is really relaxed and can help you with whatever you need. The idea is for guests to leave feeling they’ve had the advice they need, whether that be to create a versatile wardrobe or to pick out a new outfit for a special occasion.

You come into the space and can have a chat with Katie first, or take some pieces up to her from the shop and ask for advice. It’s a really open and easy service to use, that you can tailor to what you need. The best part is, it’s free! So if you need some new pieces, are shopping about and not sure what you need, I’d definitely head to the personal shopping section to have a chat with Katie about her advice.

With personal shopping, it’s very important to remember that it is for everyone. It’s not only people with a certain look or certain amount of money as you actually have no pressure to buy. You can get advice for yourself, for a group or even as a couple! The main goal for Katie is that shoppers are confident, comfortable and happy with their purchases.

If someone has the confidence to try something new, due to what she has suggested, this is what makes her job amazing as she can often suggest outfits or pieces that you wouldn’t pick for yourself. The greatest achievement for any personal shopper is that the customers love their outfit!

There are different services that Katie offers in the store she works in so to get some more information, please email her at Katie.Payne@topshop.com. Every person is always welcome to walk in, no matter what but she will be getting pretty busy in the run-up to Christmas, so if you’ve got a special occasion you want to book in, make sure you pop her an email.

A FEW QUICK FIRE FAVOURITES FROM KATIE:

Katie’s Brighton profile: The Best of Brighton

Favourite venue for gigs: The Hope & Ruin

Favourite restaurant: The Bok Shop in East Street for Vegan and Veggie Options

Favourite place to drink: Bison Beer

Favourite shop: Moxi in St James Street (They make their own candles)

Thanks to Katie for letting me experience the personal styling experience for myself and answering all my questions.

Written by Gabriella from Travel with Gabriella