Conversations with Abby Wood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Abby Wood.

Abby, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
After graduating college, I pursued a career in fashion design. I loved my experience and I loved being creative, but I knew that it wasn’t going to be my future. I had always had a love for retail, working in different stores since the age of 16. In 2009, I started my career at Nordstrom where I was a salesperson in the lingerie department, then became a personal stylist, to finally running my own department. Throughout my time there, I was able to connect with people in a way that was more than selling. I was wardrobing them from head to toe and bringing confidence to their lives through my love of styling.

I loved my time at Nordstrom and loved my clients but felt I needed to step away for something new. It wasn’t long after I started that new opportunity that I knew it wasn’t for me. I missed the creative outlet of shopping and styling and I also missed being able to serve my clients. After leaving, many of my clients approached me about continuing to work with them on a consulting level. I missed being able to help them so of course jumped at the chance. I started slow…doing closet audits and slowly expanded my services to personal shopping, styling and travel packing. My tiny business grew through referral for the next few years until I was finally able to take it full time and Abbywoodwear styling was born!

The biggest compliment I can receive is when a client tells me how beautiful they felt in an outfit, or how confident they felt for that big job interview or that event that was making them nervous. I have the pleasure of helping people with important times in their lives. Marriage, pregnancy, vacations, family pictures, going off to college, new job, life transitions…you name it, I have been a part of them and I am so grateful that I could play a small role in making those times special.

There are so many amazing people in the world, but sometimes they don’t know how to make their outside match their inside. I help people find a style that is true to them and help them develop it so that they can present their best self. Styling for me is not about having the most expensive or the “it” item of the moment. It is about making my clients feel their very best through their wardrobes. It is true what they say, a good outfit can make a world of difference in how your day goes. My motto is and always will be…look good, feel good.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I am not one to focus on the negative, so I would say it was fairly smooth. However, part of the reason I left my retail job was so I could have my weekends and evenings free. But as soon as my business took off, I found myself working evenings and weekends again. The biggest difference was that I finally felt like I was doing something that made a difference in peoples lives. I had found my passion and I knew that if I wanted to make it my full-time job, I was going to have to make some sacrifices in the beginning.

Over the years, I have refined my process with my experience. When I first started out, my closet audits lasted six or more hours! I knew something needed to change, so I gathered some of my best clients for feedback and listened. Through this, I was able to formulate a new process that was more efficient.

Fast forward to 2020, when there was a global pandemic. Personal styling wasn’t exactly everyone’s top frame of mind. But, I tried to stay positive and I tried to serve the clients that I still had to the very best of my ability. Like many others, I took my business virtual and luckily, I remained afloat.

Owning a service-based business can be so rewarding but can also be scary. Not always knowing how much money you are making each month/year can be hard to manage. But, I always felt that if I loved my job enough and was passionate about it, that everything would be fine.

Being a one woman show is very difficult. Sometimes I feel like I am always working because there is always something that can or needs to be done. I have the mentality that I can do it ALL, but I have learned over the years to ask for help when I start to become overwhelmed.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My background is in fashion design. For three years, I worked as an apprentice for a wedding dress designer. I had basic sewing and pattern-making skills from school, but she taught me so much more. I did everything from sewing, steaming, pattern making, draping, purchasing, marketing, scheduling to even picking up tiny pins off the floor. She taught me what it took to run a business as well as taught me how to make art through fashion. After I left, I did three different collections and showed them at local Kansas City fashion shows for the next two years. I designed and created everything myself and I was very proud of my work. Having a background in design also educated me on fabrics and fit. After I started my career at Nordstrom, I also learned that I had a knack for customer service. I always found myself going above and beyond to make sure that all of my clients were taken care of.

Although not a typical career path, I truly believe that the path I took led me to where I am today as a stylist.

I now work full time with men, women and even kids on developing and growing their personal style. Through my audit, shop and style process I work with my clients on identifying what they might need, what might not be serving them anymore, what looks best on their body type and how to appear polished and put together but still feel like themselves. I typically work with my clients on a seasonal basis to get them set up for the year. I offer three different shopping options but I specialize in a concierge experience where I shop and bring everything to the client for an in home try on session.

I am most proud of the fact that I started my business as something fun that I could do on the side and I have been able to grow it solely through referral. I am so grateful that I am able to do something that I love everyday.

Because of all of the time I spent in the Lingerie department at Nordstrom, many of my clients call me the bra lady. I always make sure my gals have a correct fitting bra and make sure they understand the importance of undergarments and basics.

My clients love the entire process but their favorite part is my lookbook styling session. Many of them have a closet full of clothes but do not know how to piece them together. Or they love to shop but never know what goes with what. The lookbook session is the last step in my styling experience. I will come to your closet and put together outfit combinations from everything. I photograph these outfits as flat lays and upload them to a digital lookbook to reference in the future. The best part is that I mix and match new and old so that you can make the very most out of your wardrobe.

What sets me apart from others? My eye for style. My knack for being able to dress different styles and body types and always make them feel confident. I will always go above and beyond for my people to make sure they have the best experience possible. I can’t even tell you how many times I have heard someone say, ” I would never have even tried this on, but I am so glad I did because I love the way it looks and how it fits me. This is so me!” That’s when I know I have nailed it.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
If you are a new client interested in working together, shoot me an email through my contact form on abbywoodwear.com.

I love supporting local businesses whenever I can, so I collaborate through social media as often as I can.

Referrals are always welcome. If you have had an amazing experience, I love for people to share them with others.

Contact Info:

• Email: abby@abbywoodwear.com
• Website: abbywoodwear.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbywoodwear
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbyherbertwood/

Image Credits
Photography: Morgan Schimke with Morganjane photography www.morganjanephotography.com