I’m a personal stylist who helps execs at Big Tech firms figure out what to wear. This is what goes into making a techie look trendy.

For the past 17 years, I’ve been styling clients in Singapore. I’ve picked up a lot of clients from the technology sector, particularly companies like Google, Yahoo, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

I feel that there is definitely a need to look like you’re in a managerial position.

But when you’re in a tech company where you can literally wear anything — where there’s no dress code— it makes it that much more difficult to understand how to look presentable at work.

Particularly managers come to me saying, “I don’t want to look like a techie who programs, and I don’t look like a lawyer wearing a business suit.”

“So I don’t understand. What do I wear?” they ask.

There are a lot of reasons people want to change up their wardrobe. It could be you’ve got a job you didn’t think you would get, and your wardrobe is still stuck in your past job.

The styling process

The first time I meet a client, I spend about three and a half hours at a client’s home, getting to know each other, taking measurements, and understanding the person.

Following the consultation, I do a color analysis, and then the client opens up their wardrobe and shows me everything they’ve accumulated so far. This process is very important because I can gather a lot of insights that they will not tell you in person.

After that, I put together a mood board of styles for a person. This is how I see them evolve with their style moving forward. Once they approve the mood board, we schedule a shopping trip.

As a stylist, my prerogative is to give you clothes that make you feel comfortable and confident. It’s not about spending lots of cash on things you don’t need; my job is to look after your wallet as well.

I really love shopping at Massimo Dutti. Their price point is very comfortable for many people, and you can find everything under one roof. For slightly lower budgets, I like Southaven. Occasionally, I shop at Zara, Bimba Y Lola, or COS.

Finally, for men, I do a grooming session. We go on a mission to find a cologne that smells like them. I also find them the skincare package that suits their needs.

For women, it’s a full two-hour course on reviewing their makeup skills because I find it’s not enough to just look good. Your skin, the way you hold brushes, the way you do your eyeliner, the way you do the whole makeup face—it’s very different when you’re 18 versus when you’re 40.

I charge between $2,300 to $3,100 for the entire package.

Not always smooth sailing

I deal with many people who have insecurities, and I’m dealing with them at the most vulnerable level.

I’ve dealt with situations where clearly a person should not be visiting a stylist. They should be visiting a psychologist or a therapist to work through their issues and insecurities, but yet they want to start with a stylist.

Well, I’m not going to turn any business down. And who knows, maybe I will make them feel better. I try my best.