I Was Dressed By Selena Gomez’s Stylist & Here Are My 5 Biggest Takeaways

In the past, when I needed styling advice, I’d send outfit options to my trusty group chats. Or I’d text my Philippines-based mom, whose responses are mostly delayed thanks to the 12-hour time difference. Last week, however, the person choosing my look was finally a pro: celebrity stylist Erin Walsh.

Walsh’s A-list clientele includes Anne Hathaway and Selena Gomez, and she has often been credited for their style renaissances in recent years. Though mere mortals rarely get the opportunity to be styled by an expert, especially one who’s booked and busy with Hollywood’s brightest stars, I was fortunate enough to snag a session with Walsh, who dressed me for an evening of dinner and sailing with TJ Maxx and Marshalls in Newport, Rhode Island.

If, like me, you’ve always wanted to know what it’s like to get personalized styling advice from an expert, read on for what went down and the biggest styling lessons I’ll be incorporating in my daily life from here on out.

The Process

Before the trip with TJ Maxx and Marshalls, I sent Walsh, the brands’ Fashion Style Expert, my measurements along with a form dissecting my personal style. The questionnaire included queries into my “transitional wardrobe staples,” my “go-to accessories,” and the “color palette you typically gravitate toward,” among others. In Newport, Walsh, met me in my hotel room (as if I was a celeb) with a rack full of clothes from the brands that she dubbed both “minimal and whimsical.” While I knew the session would last just 25 minutes and I was only being styled for one dinner, I immediately felt like a star.

With insight from my questionnaire answers, Walsh tells me she came up with the selection by asking herself the following: “How do you highlight someone’s best parts? How do you highlight what they feel great about? How do you take what they think is their style and turn up the volume or make them feel even better?” She adds, “I look at people like a puzzle. You look at someone’s body and that's the road map.”

The Experience

I thought being styled by Walsh would be intimidating, but it wasn’t. It was like talking to a friend, who was helping you get dressed and who was extra, extra excited about clothes. “Do you know what makes me so happy? What you’re wearing now feels like it’s in the same world as this beautiful rack,” Walsh began, referring to the summery black puff-sleeved dress I had on, which I paired with mules featuring crocheted flowers.

She quickly went through her offerings and how she envisioned us pairing them, but she definitely already had a favorite. “I’m dying to see you in that,” she says, pointing to a sheer polka dot dress. Her gut feeling? Spot on.

The first look was a sheer lace black top from Pinko and long trouser shorts from Retrofête. “I’m super into long shorts now, are you?” Walsh asks while I change. (Full disclosure: I’ve never done an interview while getting dressed, but there’s a first time for everything.) Parsing the trending style, Walsh continues, “They look surprisingly good on so many kinds of bodies and they always make me think of Pretty Woman for some reason.”

Unfortunately, the shorts are a few inches too big. “This is super cute. I feel like it might be too much proportionally, though,” she evaluates honestly. “I’m too short,” I offer. “You’re a little bit lost,” she adds, while showing me how cinched it actually should be. She also adds, “Then you want the top to be cropped.”

The next look was all-ivory, which included a cropped white tube top with a feather trim from Endless Rose with floral-embossed pants from Lafayette 148. Like the first, the trousers were too big. “It needs the most minor adjustment. It’s too long, of course, but this is hot,” she says. “You wear it with, like, platforms. Boom. Super cute.” I made a mental note to get it cuffed.

The Final ’Fit

We finally get to Look #3, a polka dot maxi from Intimately by Free People with lace side panels that were completely see-through. “I love a little slutty moment,” I perk up. “It’s reasonably slutty,” she says. It fit the best, of course, but there was one mini snag. My black underwear was showing. She looks and immediately says, “No.” So I switch into a nude one, which was received much better.

“You look stunning,” she says, adding, “[The underwear] is way better. The other one was not working. I’m not going to lie to you.” She even offers glam advice, “Your neckline is gorgeous. Maybe hair back, like a low chignon.” We finish off the look with raffia slides from Tory Burch, a more sailing-friendly shoe.

Leaning into the brands, I wear head-to-toe Marshalls and TJ Maxx that night, adding a Dannijo gold necklace, Balenciaga sunglasses, and a Valentino raffia bag I got a few seasons ago.

The Key Takeaways

I asked Walsh so many styling questions throughout the session. Here are my five biggest takeaways:

Shoes Vs. Bags: A Debate

Between splurging on It bags or It shoes, Walsh says she’s “more of a shoe person.” Walsh explains, “I find shoes to be so instantly transformative to how you stand, walk in a room, and ultimately how you remember a day. Your feet are energetically so important.”

Always Refresh Your Accessory Stack

Though Walsh doesn’t preach blindly following trends, she says, “You can always be updating your belt department and jewelry, because those trends change fairly often.” She clarifies, “It’s less about the trend versus investing in what feels fresh and makes you feel like you’re continuously growing. That’s one of the things I love about TJ Maxx and Marshalls. You’re going to keep seeing what’s new or what’s up and coming. And so it’s almost like rewiring your brain. You have to keep checking in with what’s emerging.”

Think About Dimensions

Consider how pieces communicate with and complement each other. “Think of proportion in terms of balance, between masculine and feminine, it’s not just about big to small,” Walsh says. “People get in the habit of seeing what works on someone, whether that’s Kendall Jenner or Selena, but they don’t proportionally translate it to themselves. And that can be minor adjustments.”

You Don’t *Need* To Shop High-End Sunglasses

If there’s one item Walsh would want to deinfluence people from splurging on, it’s designer sunnies. She says, “The markup on sunglasses is wild, like 90% or something. That’s not something you need to break your bank on. But I don’t think you have to break your bank, period.”

Invest In A Tailor

Should normal people work with a stylist? “If you have access to that, sure,” she says. “If you were to hire a stylist, it’s because you want to curate the image of yourself that you’re presenting to the world. So if you can’t do that, get intentional about your choices.” You can invest, however, in a different fashion professional. “Get a tailor, especially for petite women. That can even be at your dry cleaner.”