As a 46-year-old fashion blogger and personal stylist, I share shopping and style tips daily, but of all the things I share, there’s something I’ve found that doesn’t just make me feel good but brings me joy. It trumps any style tip I’ve ever given, will not only transform the way you see yourself but also the way you see others. The best part is that it is unlike a new wardrobe: it is completely free. 

This is something I’ve shared bits of before, but I guess I was waiting for the moment when I had more “figured out” for myself, or the picture-perfect Pinterest-worthy post ready. 

It took a sunset scooter ride with my boys, and a broken pelvis to realize I was. I think when we are broken, we can see more clearly that it’s nothing we are doing or not doing. It’s what God is doing, because we know it couldn’t happen any other way.  

I share style tips and shopping strategies every day—but this isn’t about clothes. This is my story about faith and fashion, perspective, and what getting dressed has taught me about Jesus—through the lens of a 46-year-old personal stylist who thought she needed to have answers to hard questions, or have it a little more together first.

Fashion Isn’t Fluffy

In 1998, Psychology Professor Barbara Lee Fredrickson ran an experiment with college students to test how our perception of physical appearance affects performance. Each student tried on either a swimsuit or a sweater—alone, in a dressing room—and then took a timed math test.

The results? Women wearing swimsuits scored significantly lower than those in sweaters.

I didn’t need a psychology study to tell me that when we think we look good, we feel good. I’ve been a personal stylist for more than half my life—and one of the best parts of my job is helping women feel that way.

There’s something I’ve found stat will give you more confidence than anything you’ve ever worn. It’s the thing that doesn’t just make me happy, but brings me joy. It trumps any style tip and will not only transform the way you see yourself but also the way you see others.

Faith and Fashion

Some people say faith and fashion don’t mix. But for me, they’ve always been part of God’s plan and my design.

I grew up in a happy Christian home and graduated from a tiny Christian school—class of ten. I’m lucky my childhood was so easy. My biggest disappointment growing up was not becoming an actress or model. My best friend and I spent an entire summer babysitting kids at the local park so I could attend modeling school in Sacramento. I thought at graduation I’d get my big break and after the fashion show agents would come up to me and offer me their business cards and a pager so they could reach me. Instead, all 5 feet of me—unibrow and all—walked away with a bruised ego and about 10,000 headshots.

My life got a little more real when I moved to Los Angeles to go to College, work in the “industry”, and get my degree in Fashion Merchandising. I was still dating my first boyfriend and now husband of 25 years. That’s also when I got my first job at Nordstrom. I didn’t plan to work retail, but that “retail experience” ended up being the foundation of my calling and part of God’d plan for me. I had done a bunch of off odd jobs and internships in “the industry” and thought before I graduated I should round out my resumé with some retail experience. I actually conducted a fake interview for school so I could get some face time with a local Nordstrom store manager, then I asked him for a job. I loved it! Instead of working with chain-smoking teen models, I got to style real women and their daughters.

In 2000 I got married and started what I thought was my dream life—great marriage, dream job, happy family. I was managing the Personal Shopping Department at a Brand new Nordstrom. Then real life happened. We lost my husbands mom in a car accident, after 45 years of marriage my parents divorced, we struggled with infertility and a miscarriage, and bought a business at the same time our family and the recession both started.

I had always trusted God with my eternal life, but I found myself feeling hopeless, lacking the faith to trust Him with this one. Now I look back at some of those things, and I can see God never stopped working it out for my good. “working it out for my good,” (Your Beauty by Carly Ann Taylor)

The Bible calls these reminders “Ebenezers.” The story in 1 Samuel 7:12, goes that after years of conflict with the Philistines, the Israelites were afraid and felt hopeless. The prophet Samuel prayed to God for help. During battle, a sudden thunderstorm threw their enemy into confusion, and the Israelites won the victory — not because they were stronger, but because God intervened. Afterward, Samuel wanted to mark the moment , so “Samuel took a stone and set it up between two places. He named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘meaning stones of help’, so when they saw them, they would be reminded of God’s faithfulness.

Almost 20 years later, I experienced one of the biggest ebenezers in my life during the pandemic. The Nordstrom I worked at closed for the pandemic—and then I found out it was permanent. I remember crying and begging God to give me my job back. He didn’t. Instead, He gave me Instagram. I decided to use it to stay “connected” and to share insider shopping tips with women who had never shopped online before. A few months later, I took my severance check and started closetchoreography.com. That check covered my startup costs to the penny.Now I’m making friends and helping women all over the country. I even helped design a denim capsule collection that is sold at Nordstrom.

Are You a Morning Person?

I’m 46, and I wish I could tell you that all the Ebenezers over the years are enough to get me through hard times, but honestly, I’m still figuring it out. I broke my pelvis this summer trying to be a cool boy mom and questioned everything again. What was God’s plan? Why, despite his faithfulness in the past, did I lack faith now?

I’ve shared bits about my faith before, but I guess I was waiting for the moment when I had more “figured out” for myself, or for the picture-perfect, Pinterest-worthy post ready. 

It took a broken pelvis to realize I was ready to share my story. I think when we are broken, we can see more clearly that it’s nothing we are doing or not doing. It’s what God is doing, because we know it couldn’t happen any other way.  

I still fight this vicious cycle of worry about the futue and guilt that I lack faith despite God’s faithfullnees. So I’ve decided to become a morning person.

Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭22-23‬ ‭NIV‬‬.

That promise reminds me that my biggest influencer has already given me the ultimate makeover. This is my story, and I have a purpose

The Ultimate Makeover

What does the ultimate makeover look like? The ultimate makeovers help us see the best version of ourselves. God’s makeover helps us see the version of ourselves He sees, and feel more confident despite our insecurities. When we let Him, we start to see “who we were created to be“. Carly Ann Taylor

Good news. God doesn’t just leave us standing in an empty space, purged of everything that doesn’t look good on us. He helps us find and perfect our style. When I’m working with women for the first time I love to share my New Wardrobe Checklist with them. This list of items helps them find their style and create outfits that they love, but those pieces only help us look our best when we have the version of them that suits our unique style. The bible puts it this way.

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. & There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” Cor 12:4-6

One of the things I miss the most about working at Nordstrom was preparing the dressing rooms before my appointments. I used to put one thing in every dressing room: a pair of nude heels. Slip them on, and suddenly you stand taller, feel slimmer, and walk with confidence—even in the same outfit! I kind of think of the Holy Spirit like that pair of heels. Even when life feels tight and your confidence is low, God knows your style. His new wardrobe checklist for you, like mine, definitely includes a pair of heels.

You’ve Got Great Style

When I used to choreograph closets, sometimes clients would tear theirs apart before I arrived—bags of donations everywhere. I think they felt the need to get everything clean and organized before having an expert see it and begin to help them.

If, like me, you are waiting until you feel like you have a little more together or answers to hard questions to find “your style,” you’re missing out.

What getting dressed has taught me about Jesus is you already have great style because this is how you were uniquely made, and God doesn’t make mistakes. The ultimate influencer, the only one we should all care about, thinks you’re worthy right now. You are chosen, you have a purpose, and you’re worth it.

Accept it. when you do, I promise you will overflow with confidence, joy, hope, and purpose and the people around you will say. I’ll have what she’s wearing.