I hired Monica because I was facing major transitions in my professional and personal life, and my…read morestyle didn't align with the path I was on. Monica certainly helped align both so that new opportunities became available to me, and I appeared confident in every room I showed up in.  With Monica's guidance, I learned to be more intentional about my outfit choices, to create a strategic framework for my purchases, and to find balance between the clothes that I wear professionally and socially. Prior to working with her, I had too many clothing options and nothing ever seemed quite right. She helped me realize that by making purchases based on (many) singular events, I wasn't giving myself the mental or physical space (in my closet) to see what I actually had and how I could use it in multiple ways. She fundamentally changed how I shop for clothes!  Lastly, the "emergency styling service" was an absolute lifesaver when I was tasked to interview a well-known author on a massive stage. We had less than 3 days to find something, and Monica worked her magic by going to the store, finding the perfect pieces, and having the established relationships to get the suit fully tailored in less than 24 hours. I appeared at Capitol One Hall in Tysons looking like I was already in my next career, and I will forever be so grateful for that moment and the spark she helped me to find.

I feel like a new woman after working with Monica. The pandemic put me in a rut with my sense of…read morestyle. I no longer wanted to sit around in sweatpants but the clothes I had were not doing it for me anymore. Monica saved the day. She educated me and turned me from frumpy to fashionista! I have colors and style--and great fitting clothes. She even helped me with a wardrobe edit that it is so easy for me to pick out clothes within seconds versus the painful minutes I would spend and dread in my closet. The consultation I received from Monica was truly transformational for me that I feel more polished and confident whether I'm lounging at home with my bae or getting ready for an on-camera or in-person meeting. Looking forward to working with Monica again in 2023!

I love Elizabeth! She is the owner of Bayou Muse. She does shopping trips as well as closet…read moreconsultations. She is such a joy to work with and she is in luuuuuuuv with clothes! She will treat your clothes like they are priceless gems! I hired Elizabeth for a closet consultation. She spent several hours with me putting together full outfits straight from my closet. She took pictures of each outfit so I would have a reference in the future. In one session, she created 37 "NEW to me" outfits. She is very creative and keeps up with the latest fashions. She then gave me a iist of items that I needed and it was quite a short list. This is a great service because it saves you money over the long run.I thought I needed an entirely new wardrobe but really I had everything I needed in my closet already. She also does shopping trips and will do group trips as well. I cannot remember the exact cost for the closet consultation but I want to say $300. Also, if you host a consultation at your home for your friends where they watch your closet get made over, she typically gives a discount.

Elizabeth was instrumental in my Facebook Interview in SF last August. She not only had a super…read morefast response time via text message but made me feel confident in that way that I knew I had the interview. Didn't even care if I took the job. I felt empowered and so ready. She is amazing beyond words, easy to work with and lovely like our own personal Grace Kelly who can shop in our nations capital. Can't say enough good things and all the times she has helped all my fashion emergencies in past 5 years and counting. 5 stars and 10 thumbs Up for our Bayou Muse aka Pennington Style Diva!!

Nordstrom really knows how to take care of its customers. I get my make up there and I went into…read morebuy some more of it. Unfortunately,they were out of my color, but they offered to order it. I paid for it and waited for my email saying it was ready for pick up. Don't you know,that it was ready the very next day! I went in and showed them my email and they gave me my order. The salesperson could not have been nicer. Yes, it is a little pricey, but it is really high quality ingredients and it last for a long time. I had fun shopping on my way out of the store. I know that I will be back with my granddaughters for back to school shopping. You can't beat the quality or the service. Thank you, Nordstrom's.

You wanna get the most on-trend outfits without looking like you're trying too hard? Nordstrom is…read morethe best place to get everything. They have a nice curated collection of products that's neither too conservative or too trendy looking. I was excited to see the curated Vuori items for example. They are a San Diego based athleisure company that offers comfortable and sustainable clothing. Think Lululemon but focused more on comfort. Oftentimes we want something new without it being too unfamiliar. Perfect for someone like me who doesn't want baggy or cropped tops. Also.....this is one of the best places to go use the bathroom and lounge about for a bit. A guaranteed clean place to do your business!

Ali is AMAZING! Working with her was truly one of the most enriching, joyful and…read moreconfidence-building experiences I've had in my 35 years! While I was initially somewhat self-conscious about deciding to work with a stylist, Ali's natural warmth, ease and confidence on our first intro zoom call immediately put me at ease. From there, she made every part of the process - from coming over to see my not-very-fashionable closet to curating a ThredUp board for me to giving me feedback on various new outfits - feel comfortable, fun and joyful. Throughout the process, I felt like I was hanging out with one of my best friends who just happened to be extremely fashion savvy! Perhaps what surprised and delighted me the most about working with Ali is that in addition to sharing her immense style wisdom, she was really invested in understanding who I am as a person and then finding ways to translate my essential nature into my clothes (which is not something I would have even thought was possible and definitely wouldn't have known how to do on my own). It was so much fun to discover new ways to express myself via clothes and I've been having a blast putting together new outfits ever since we worked together. I also appreciated what a great teacher Ali is. Rather than just selecting clothes for me, she taught me every step of the way why she was doing what she was doing, and how I could apply this knowledge on my own (e.g. how to figure out what your colors are, why certain lines work better than others, what kinds of elements to incorporate into each outfit, etc). As a result, I feel way more confident now putting together outfits for myself, as well as more discerning about what types of clothes to even search for in the first place. It also felt great to learn how to shop secondhand without sacrificing quality - if anything, I felt like the pieces we found were higher quality than what I would normally buy! I truly cannot say enough good things about Ali and her services. I have been recommending her to all my friends and family and am excited for anyone else who has the good fortune to work with her!

TLDR: I cannot recommend Ali and her services enough. Not only is she extremely fun and personable,…read morebut she's given me confidence in refining and creating a much more cohesive look and the ability to shop more consciously. I'm now able to shop on my own to find better quality pieces that compliment me--rather than end up in a landfill because I decide three months later I don't like it or it's falling apart at the seams. More context: I met Ali when she gave a free presentation at our local library and I knew I wanted to work with her. I decided to invest in her butterfly effect package as I turn 40 this year and scheduled a photo shoot to celebrate myself--and wanted the outfits I picked to reflect a true, confident me. Attached are a few photos of me wearing outfits Ali and I found using what she taught me. I only wish I found Ali sooner! She taught me so much--about the best color palette for me, how to extend my vertical line with an almond toe (vs round) shoe and how I was missing out on accentuating my small waist by choosing a mid rise vs high rise pant. She taught me that pant sizes aren't consistent which is why shopping for them is so difficult and that I was missing out by only looking at "size X"--I went up two sizes and found great high waisted pants at Current that I love. I've also been using ThredUp--a secondhand clothes app--for years. My online shopping session with Ali equipped me to find better, higher quality items using filters for certain types of fabrics and more. With the tips she's taught me, I can also now go to a secondhand clothing store in person and easily sift through and find what works and doesn't. I don't waste time on colors that don't work for me and I'm much more conscious of fabrics and trying to avoid synthetics--not only because they are bad for the environment, but because they don't last. Please consider investing in yourself and the planet! Buying clothes that don't work for you or give you confidence will only hurt your wallet and wind up in a landfill. Ali will teach you how to find a compelling look that completes you!

I'm going to be honest, I had no idea there was a mall in this highway triangle. I thought the…read morespace between where I-270 and I-495 met had nothing in it. I've only seen the area from the highways that are tree lined. I am quite amazed by how out of touch I was for this area. This mall is quite expansive. The one thing I love about the DMV area is that the malls are still thriving. Not to the point where every single store is filled, but no where near dead mall territory. I had some time to kill before I had to head back home and wanting to pick up some items. Parking here had me. I wasn't sure where would be the best place to park. I ended up in the outdoor lots and didn't even want to mess with the parking structure. As a note, early here means you will encounter a slew of parents with their children in tow. Be careful and mindful in the parking lot as they will be everywhere. The mall had a bit of everything in here. The typical anchors and national chains you would expect to find in a mall. Food court area was jammed with eateries and customers. I opted to not eat here. Would definitely come back. Especially on a lazy day. Good people watching, enough stores to grab whatever you might be thinking of getting, and ample parking.

11.22.25 Love their…read moreholiday decorations which make for great photo opps. Also I appreciate that they have an abundance of seating areas throughout the mall. Unlike my local mall in Howard County, they have nicer, reputable retailers. It is currently my favorite mall in Maryland.

This is my favorite customer clothier I have ever used. Rachel is very knowledgeable and crafts the…read moreperfect outfits for all of my life events! She makes it really easy not to have to worry about what I am going to have to wear next all while making everything fit like a glove!

From the owner: Luxury shopping and styling services for men and women. We bring the shopping experience to you at…read moreyour home complete with styling and at home tailoring. Also available by appointment for closet edits and men's custom clothing.