Holiday Frocks with Scarlet Chamberlin Styling Co.

It’s that time of year again, the time when Red House West steps back from dressing our homes to talk about dressing ourselves!  You can read last year’s holiday fashion post here, but this year’s post is extra legit thanks to Scarlet Chamberlin of Scarlet Chamberlin Styling Co.!

The brilliant Carrie Conte by Gia Goodrich of VEV Studios

Photo by Gia Goodrich of VEV Studios

Katie and I became friends with Scarlet 20 years ago during our first year of college.  With her mega-watt smile and model height, she was a head taller than us, and head and shoulders cooler than us.   While Katie and I were accosting people on moonlit pathways with performance poetry, Scarlet was sporting perfectly put together yet relaxed ensembles on the way to and from basketball practice and making her own amazing jewelry.

Katie and I always emulated Scarlet.  The word “emulate” makes me feel better about what we really did, which was straight up copy her.  I still have the engineer boots I bought that year, which look suspiciously exactly like the pair that Scarlet rocked.  She never begrudged our style plagiarism and was always willing to loan us things that we coveted.

Red House West || Scarlet Chamberlin Styling Co.

From left to right me, Scarlet, and Katie, circa 1996. This photo is evidence of my conflicted youth: visible pit hair, but I also obviously went tanning constantly.  Oh, the nineties.

Scarlet was and is the rare beauty who makes those around her feel more confident just by her presence.  She’s positive and fun, and not even remotely judge-y.  She took an unusual path to becoming a personal stylist and owning her own business: she had her own jewelry line, and then for years she was a doula, helping women to feel positive about their pregnancies and to approach the birth experience with a sense of confidence and strength.  She realized that as a stylist she could combine what she loved about being a doula — helping people feel empowered — with her love of jewelry and fashion.

Red House West || Scarlet Chamberlin Styling Co.

Photo by Gia Goodrich of VEV Studios

Scarlet lives and works in Portland, Oregon, and places a big emphasis in her work on local designers, makers, and retailers.  She offers a range of services, the most comprehensive being Sort, Shop, and Style.  Over a period of several days she will sort your closet, shop with you for key pieces (clients reap the benefit of her industry discount), and put together twenty complete accessorized outfits.  She’ll also make a personalized style guide and digital outfit key, provide tailored follow-up advice after the session, and many other perks.

For those who are happy with their clothes but want a fresh pair of eyes to create new outfits, Scarlet offers a Capsule Style Session.  She will spend about three hours with you at your home and put together up to thirty fully accessorized outfits for you, plus she’ll help you identify clothes that would give your wardrobe more dimension and tell you where to shop for them.  She’ll also follow up with a digital outfit key to make getting dressed each day a cinch.

Without further ado, here are Scarlet’s picks for holiday ensembles.  If you’re like me when you look at the first outfit you’ll exclaim about the half-shirt.  Click through to Scarlet’s blog for the full explanation of why and how this works, even for midriff-baring phobics!

For sources, check out Scarlet's blog here.

For sources, check out Scarlet’s blog.

Sources here.

Sources here.

If you’re lucky enough to be in or near Portland, Scarlet has a special offer just for Red House West readers!  From now until January 1st, 2016, you can purchase Scarlet’s Capsule Styling Session ($500) and you’ll receive a wardrobe care kit, and a $50 gift card to shop at a local boutique.  To take advantage of this special offer, contact Scarlet directly at scarlet@scarletchamberlin.com and be sure to mention Red House West!

And for my Alaska peeps, I am seriously considering putting my hard-earned Alaska Airlines miles to good use and flying Scarlet up here for a visit.  Send me a note if you’d be interested in joining in on the fun while she’s here!

Katie and I will be taking a blog break over the holidays, back with new posts starting on Monday, January 4th, but you can still find us on Instagram and Pinterest.  We hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season, and here’s to 2016!

8 responses on “Holiday Frocks with Scarlet Chamberlin Styling Co.

    1. Mera Post author

      Scarlet can tackle everyday dressing with her eyes closed, and she’s also a great resource for special occasions. She worked with Cheryl Strayed, who had this to say about her: “Scarlet was deeply helpful to me in styling outfits for the red carpet and press appearances. I’ll always be grateful for her professional attention to detail, good eye, above and beyond work ethic, and kind heart.”

  1. Carol Bryner

    I like that phrase, “helping people to feel empowered.” I’m pretty sure that my present wardrobe doesn’t make me feel empowered, although I’m very fond of some of my frumpy clothes. It was fun to read about Scarlet, and when I’m in Portland for the next couple of weeks I’ll enjoy looking at some of the more “Portlandia” styled folks and imagine what Scarlet might do to make them festive. Wishing you both a restful and happy holiday!

  2. Diana

    Does she consult for more ‘mature’ fashion figures?? My wardrobe all looks the same- I’d sign up if she came to Anchorage! The retirees wardrobe???

    1. Mera Post author

      She helps men and women of all stages and ages! Here is what one of her clients said about the experience: “The Sort-Shop-Style package was worth every penny. Scarlet is a total professional who sees each client as an individual. She connected with my authentic self, helping me create a style that feels real, up-to-date, and comfortable (important when you’re in your 60s). I am amazed at how the Scarlet experience has re-energized my life.”
      Thanks Diana, I’ll be in touch! xoxo

  3. Nina

    “While Katie and I were accosting people on moonlit pathways with performance poetry….”

    Oh, man, I would pay good money to see that! 🙂

    I’m with Diana … I’ll wait for the “mature” fashion figures (I love that description. Thank you, Diana) to be addressed and for now admire that awesome necklace, which I think would set off my chins nicely.

    1. Mera Post author

      A great example of things not to do in a post-Youtube world! Our best piece was titled “Shadows of the Darkness on the Water.” The real magic was in the interpretive choreography!

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