SouthPark’s personal shopper will help transform your wardrobe, no matter your budget, age or lifestyle

I often find myself thinking “I work from home now, when am I ever going to wear this [insert unofficial piece of office uniform] again?”

Driving the news: After a two-year hiatus, SouthPark mall is bringing back its personal shopper program. It’s led by the mall’s lifestyle specialist, Suzanne Libfraind.

• “There are plenty of stores to work with. I want you to get the best quality for the money, but most importantly, I want you to look in the mirror and just say ‘wow,'” she said.

Why it matters: The world changed, but maybe the clothes in your closet haven’t. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But maybe after two years of bumming it off-cam on zoom calls, you’re ready to show face. Or perhaps the crop tops you used to wear to bar crawls just aren’t it any more.

• Shopping can be overwhelming, fitting rooms are the devil, and sometimes you just don’t know where to start.

Context: Before the pandemic, Libfraind piloted the SouthPark Personal Shopper Program for about seven years, styling more than 400 shoppers.

• Libfraind has about 30 years of experience in the fashion industry and is the owner of Wardrobe Consulting, which provides services in Charlotte and Raleigh.
• “I’ve had a Grammy-Award winning client, I’ve dressed a rock band, I work with special needs clients … people of all ages, budgets and backgrounds,” Libfraind said.

How it works: SouthPark mall will cover up to three hours of complimentary shopping. Each additional hour costs $115.

• Before the shopping begins, Libfraind gets to know you. “I talk to them about their life, their goals, their budget, their likes, their dislikes,” she said.
• Then, she’ll either shop on your behalf or walk through the mall with you, picking out different pieces and creating outfits for you to try on.

• If you’d like, Libfraind will go to your house and sift through your closet, so she knows what she’s working with before you go shopping. “We make three piles — things that work, things that don’t, and things that we can refurbish,” she said. Libfraind charges $115 an hour for a minimum hour and a half.
• You can book personal shopping services with Libfraind directly via email ([email protected]) or phone (919-270-0250).

“I would never tell somebody ‘don’t wear that item,’ I might say ‘I’m not going to wear that,’ but I just feel like [you should] wear whatever brings you joy,” she said.

My experience: Libfraind offered me a mini consultation after our interview. She asked me about my lifestyle, what I normally wear to work (on the rare occasions I go into the office) and to go out. We walked over to Altar’d State and she selected a few pieces that I admittedly would never pick out for myself. She showed me how to pair them all together.