Why YSW?

ola@yourstylishways.com

In high school, I became hooked on fashion magazines, which undoubtedly led to my interest in the distinct possibility of being a department store buyer. I remember when my school was about to close down, and the sewing teacher asked me to assist her in cleaning the sewing room. In exchange, she would allow me to keep the magazines. It may have been the year that Beverly Johnson was on the cover of Glamour, which was the first time that any African-American woman was given that opportunity.

Little did I know that years later I would go on to create my own magazine that lasted for over 20 years and a hard copy before moving online.

Now back to my retail career. I spent a couple of years going to business school for retail merchandising before heading off to college. I earned a Bachelor of Science Degree and majored in Marketing. During those years, I worked in department stores where I maintained various positions from sales clerk, merchandise display person, and fashion stylist. I also learned a lot about fabrics, fashion coordination, and working with the appropriate silhouettes for certain body types.

A few years later, I began modeling petite fashions for just about every department store in downtown Pittsburgh, including Saks Fifth Avenue. I recall my interview with the Fashion Director at Kaufmann’s Department Store for the fashion stylist position. In the middle of the interview, she asked if I would model. My naïve mind led me to believe it was a condition to get a fashion stylist job. I accepted both positions and modeled for about eight years.

The combination of my education and work experience helped me develop my own personal sense of style and acquire the experience to assist others in defining theirs.

After starting this blog to focus solely on fashion and style, I realized I wanted to address topics on stylish living, which was about more than fashion. I incorporated cooking, entertainment, decor, travel, and wellness infused with self-care and the elegant ways to make it all happen.

Sure, there are many blogs out there, and a business-savvy person would ask, so what makes this any different? Admirably, this is not your granddaughter’s blog.  This is a blog for women who are evolving and desiring to enhance their life by exploring ways to experience a more enriching stylish lifestyle, with a particular emphasis on women of a certain age.

I love educating others about creating a stylish wardrobe on a budget. I spent a few years teaching courses at job training centers, and colleges about workplace transitions, the importance of dressing appropriately, and the role appearance plays in a person’s success.

When I started shopping in consignment stores and thrift shops, I could not believe the high-quality fashion items I purchased for so little. I later added home décor items to my consignment shopping list.

I was so excited that I wanted to share that information with others, so I created the column in my magazine, Your Stylish Ways (YSW). YSW was the column I started writing over 20 years ago, leading to a video series of the same name.