8 questions with Carol Hanson, Conscious Wardrobe Stylist
Showcasing like-minded business owners who love gemstones and appreciate great design!
Here’s Carol
Tell me a little about your business and what its purpose is
I am a Conscious Wardrobe Stylist. I inspire women who have a wardrobe full of clothes but nothing to wear. I help them to look and feel fabulous every time they get dressed. But I also teach them how to do it by treading lightly on the Planet and rather than take them out shopping, I take them shopping in their own wardrobe.
Where did your passion for your business come from?
I originally trained as a personal stylist in 2015 when I realised just how many women (over 90%) suffer from some kind of body confidence issue. That can range from having a ‘meh’ day right through to full blown body dysmorphia and/or an eating disorder. This really resonated with me as I’d suffered from an eating disorder from the age of 17 for 23 years.
So my passion is helping my clients to understand that they are gorgeous and all have unique amazing bodies. I love to show a woman that she will look and more importantly feel awesome wearing the right colours, dressing in clothes that suit her and are a reflection of her personality.
Then in 2018 I had my ‘woke’ moment when researching a blog called “The Environmental Cost Of Your Wardrobe”. Until that point I’d not appreciated the full extent of the damage that the fashion industry was doing to the Planet. My blog resulted in me rebranding my business and making it my focus to teach my clients how to have a much more sustainable approach to their wardrobes.
How have you adapted your business to the current climate?
In March I took the decision to start bringing the majority of my services online. I can now offer colour analysis and a styling consultation as an online option. This is proving really successful and of course it means that I’m no longer limited to a geographical area!
I also decided to add a service to teach others How To Look Awesome On Video Calls. We’re all spending so much time online, even if we’re not really keen on being visible. Recent research commissioned by MENDOVIE has shown that 75% of us struggle to focus during online calls and meetings because we’re so self-conscious about our own appearance. But the same survey also showed that only 20% of us put on make-up or dress for a video call as we would for an in-person meeting. I’m on a mission to show women how much better they feel and come across to others if they look and feel good about themselves.
What top three tips would you give to someone looking to start their own business right now?
Research, research and research! Whatever business idea(s) you have it’s imperative that you do as much research as possible before you start committing time and money. Understand if there’s a market! If you can find out anything about the size of that market all to the good. Review your competitors and establish what point of difference you have that will make you stand out.
Put a lot of work into understanding who you are selling to. I know that when I was first in business the idea of niching and having an ideal client felt alien to me! But in reality if you speak to everyone you will speak to no one. The more time you put into this the better – it will pay dividends and it’s not written in stone. But you need to start somewhere.
Money – consider how much you want to make, understand your costs and overheads, what investment you might need. Many people who start in business under estimate how much it will cost. This isn’t to put you off but is to help you understand how to price your offer.
Do you have a favourite beauty product/find?
I love the Arbonne range of makeup. I love the principles behind the brand (vegan, cruelty free, no nasty ingredients) but also that Arbonne is now a B corporation which means that it puts people and the planet above profits.
What’s your secret recipe, ingredient or tipple?
I am pretty partial to the odd glass of a Margaret River Chardonnay.
How would you describe your style?
I’m quirky, passionate, approachable and dramatic! My clothes and accessories reflect my style.
What kind of jewellery do you wear? Do you have a jewellery wish list?
Odd earrings! Seriously I started wearing odd earrings about 10 years ago to see if anyone noticed and it stuck! It also works because I’m really good at losing one of a pair!
I love big statement necklaces and stuff that looks a bit different. I live by the quote
“Accessories are the exclamation point of an outfit”
– Michael Kors
Thanks Carol. Your blog post was a very interesting and eye-opening read. … I shall be looking out for your earrings next time I see you on Zoom!
Carol Hanson
Conscious Wardrobe Stylist
carol@carolahanson.com
carolahanson.com
linkedin.com/in/carolahanson
facebook.com/consciouswardrobestylist/
