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!

Danaya did my makeup as part of a wedding party. She brought great energy even during early hours…read moreand overall was a pleasure to work with. She was also nice to chat with as she did my make-up. My makeup repertoire is essentially liquid eyeliner so I kind of just deferred to her. The look turned out really nice in the pictures and even made me think perhaps I should try to fill in my brows. I would definitely give Danaya a try if you're considering her for makeup.

Danaya did my make-up for my Birthday/Halloween party and did an amazing job! She has such a great…read moreattitude and cares about her work. Her studio space was open and welcoming and was "COVID friendly with hand sanitizer available. She also had a mask on while doing my make-up. I would highly recommend her for any make-up job from weddings to special effects and look forward to working with her again :)

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!!

Kelley provided her styling services for my birthday trip to Sonoma, CA. Her services were…read moreoutstanding, she took time to learn of my exact plans, down to researching each event spot to see what appropriate style/outfits would be for the occasion. She brought more than enough options for me to identify core pieces for my trip and got me outside of my "box" of what I would normally choose when shopping for myself. And, she nailed the sizes, nothing needed to be altered, etc. She was also very instrumental in handling any returns of any items that were not purchased, and followed through until all returns/refunds were processed. I would highly recommend her services and look forward to working with her again! Thank you!!

Kelley was the perfect person to help me refresh my wardrobe and edit my closet. She was…read moreresponsive, kind and non-judgmental! When I tried on certain outfits with her guidance, I could see immediately why they did or did not work. She gave me so many tips I plan to use to create outfits and to do some fun shopping. I loved working with her.

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!

For those of you who've spent years cramming yourself into whatever approximation of your size you…read morecould find at a department store, a place like this is genuinely life-changing. Regular fittings aren't a luxury -- they're a necessity -- and stores willing to take the time to actually help you (and know what they are doing) are few and far between. When you're not a standard size, shopping for bras is basically a part-time job with no benefits. So when you find a store that actually gets it, you are winning. And you will never purchase a bra in a box ever again. Alexandra and Janiyah were an absolute dream team. What started as a straightforward fitting turned into something closer to amusement. These ladies are pros. Janiyah knew exactly what she was doing and Alexandra kept materializing out of thin air with another bra every 30 seconds -- like a mystical Bra Fairy. The team kept the whole thing feeling fun and completely unpressured. And their bras are gorgeous. Thirty minutes. In and out. Properly fitted. Laughing the whole way through. If you've been putting this off, consider this your sign. Ask for Alexandra and Janiyah. Prepare to be visited by the Bra Fairy and leave a happier person - the twins will thank you .

TL; DR: immediately yes, come here and treat yourself! Stephanie is lovely! 10/10 new bra store…read morebecause a major retailer could never!!! I needed to find a strapless bra that would fit under a satin sleek off the should dress same day and Stephanie came through!!! I came here after rushing to another store in silver spring that closed hours earlier than they said they would when I called and talked to someone. Le Bustiere Boutique in Bethesda is nestled in between an alley and another store, but the inside 100% gives the vibe of boutique versus strip mall. They hung a few bras on the wall and then their dressing room is tucked away in the back with an adorable mural of different breasts with an affirmative saying in neon pink lighting. I use a special calculator (a bra that fits) to help determine my size and when I went Stephanie measured me exactly to that measurement. I was shocked because that never happens and it really helped me feel even more confident about my purchase. I was able to get my strapless bra and a new everyday t shirt bra. It's a French brand and I haven't ever had something feel like it's not there when I wear it. 10/10 really like this place and will be back without a doubt. If you're reading this then please just go, don't even hesitate.

Pricey but if you are looking for something original and not cookie cutter department store garb,…read moreit may be worth the extra dollars. The people that work there are genuinely kind. No attitudes just because they sell expensive merchandise.

Wear it Well is a special place mainly for the women who run and work there. Located in the heart…read moreof downtown Bethesda, this store offers middle to high-end brands in casual and work lines. Plenty of Michael Stars, 525 America Sweaters, and some other more unusual very unique boutique lines. A small store with extremely well-selected inventory. But the highlight of Wear it Well, which I feel is best for women 30 and up, is the longtime owners and employees. I walked in today, told them I wanted to toss my wardrobe out the window, and they proceeded (not overselling, not oversolicitously) to help me come up with some great ideas, good combinations, and a host of things I wouldn't have picked out b/c I'm stuck in my own dull clothing groove. They really worked with me to ensure that I found some special things, and I don't think I'll toss the clothes I bought out the window with the others b/c they do push my proverbial envelope. That's what I needed. When the economy hits hard...and even when it doesn't...I make an extra effort to shop locally. Wear it Well is the kind of carefully merchandised, very well-run boutique that will earn your loyalty. Before you drive to the mall, walk down the street and visit these great gals. Watch out...they talked me into buying an absurdly expensive belt even though I don't wear belts. You know, I think it will become one of my favorite purchases ever! Plus, it's so pricey, I'm going to wear it to sleep every night no matter what.

4.4.26 This retailer…read moreat Edmonston Crossing offers a wide range of apparel, including tops, dresses, activewear, pants, shoes, handbags, and accessories. The store is thoughtfully organized by item, size, and color, with a few front racks highlighting recognizable brands like Lilly Pulitzer, Free People, and Lululemon. I tried on two tops, but unfortunately neither was flattering on me. Consider signing up for their loyalty program to stay informed about promotions and earn rewards.

If you are a plus size girl, there are little to no options. Save yourself some time and go to…read moregoodwill or unique