Update Your Wardrobe with the Help of a Personal Stylist

By: Karen Dybis | February 8, 2021
Fashion Consultants

Photo Courtesy of The Blonde Mom.

For some, putting together a fashionable outfit is easy. For others, the task of mixing, matching and accessorizing can feel like a never-ending challenge. That is where Metro Detroit’s personal stylists come in, helping people of all ages and stages create memorable looks and define their personal style both now and in the future. 

A personal stylist is different from a personal shopper in several ways – think of it as someone who thinks about clothing budget, what brands fit well, fabric quality and everything else that goes into creating a closet that works for you. They also understand key aspects of life in Metro Detroit, such as the harsh winters, to help you find the right layers, coats and sweaters. 

Kendra Bissig, owner and operator of The Blonde Mom, has been described as “Metro Detroit’s Outfit Expert.” Bissig, who lived in Grosse Pointe, calls herself a practical fashion stylist, which means that she uses her business sense (she has a degree in the industry, after all) as well as her devotion to fashion to help her clients create outfits and buy clothing that works in the short and long term. 

“What I do is so unique and a service that is so personalized and out of the box that I don’t look at what other people are doing. I want (fashion) to be approachable and obtainable,” Bissig said. 

That means that she picks clothing that runs the gamut in terms of wearability and price points. For example, if you work with Bissig and ask her to select clothing for a photo shoot, you may have items from Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus as well as Target and Old Navy. The goal is to find what looks best, what wears well and fits the budget you’ve given her, Bissig said. 

Her career as a personal stylist started in a roundabout way – she formerly worked as an event planner, creating events such as Presidential inaugural parties. It was her ideal job, Bissig said, but the hours were long and she often had to work weekends and nights.

When she moved to Michigan and had her two daughters, Bissig joined a mothers’ group where messy buns and yoga pants were the norm. While she loves her leggings as much as the next mom, Bissig also became known for her bows, blazers and well-cut blue jeans. 

Those outfits got her noticed in the best of ways, Bissig said, and moms would reach out to her for help coordinating their closets, coming up with photo-ready family outfits and more. Her friends and husband encouraged her to start a business, and The Blonde Mom was born. The name is reference to her physical appearance, but it also shows that she is approachable and a regular person who understands the challenges of getting up and out of the house when you are busy, have other responsibilities and fashion can sometimes take a step back.

 

Her services range from closet audits where she goes through an existing wardrobe and creates new ensembles to personal shopping to whatever else a person needs to look and feel their best, Bissig said. She also can create stylish outfits for fashion shows as well as write about fashion for blogs and websites. 

Bissig also brings her faith in her business, focusing on helping others while thinking about how she can uplift her client to a better, more fulfilling life. Fashion has not only the power of making an individual look good, but it can create new success for that individual, their family and their community. Bissig said she is proud to be a part of that kind of work and she hopes to see The Blonde Mom grow well into 2021 and beyond. 

“It all comes from a place of love. … It’s transformed into something bigger than I ever imagined – it’s not just my hobby, it’s my passion and now it’s my whole life,” Bissig said. “It’s therapeutic (for her and her clients). You would spend (her fee) on getting a facial or your nails done every month. Why not spend it on a service that makes you feel good and eases a part of your life?”

Here are a few more fashion-forward stylists who are doing great work around Metro Detroit.

Lena Porter

She has styled everyday people as well as television hosts, so you know she knows how to find a great look for everyday or those special appearances. She also has a podcast that is just as fun to follow as her fashion adventures.

Dana Frost

Her “Closet Confessions” likely go something like this: She can make you look as great in an outfit as you think you look. Truly, Frost has a talent for putting together high-fashion looks that feel as great as they appear. She also has done the hard work of finding her own style and has been evolving through her “Forced Joy” project, created after her battle with cancer and losing her husband unexpectedly. 

Raffaella Moda

Fashion is personal, and she gets that. Moda says her job as a Metro Detroit fashion stylist and image consultant is to help you to look and feel your very best in your everyday life and also in your business or work environment. She does this with an intuitive and intelligent approach that takes into consideration who you are as a person and how she can help you enhance your personal style to suit your lifestyle.

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