Retrofit Republic

It’s only been a few days, but I can honestly say without exaggeration that my experience with Retrofit Republic has been life-​changing. I have a whole closet full of new clothes, a ton of new knowledge of a world about which I knew nothing (fashion), and a some newfound confidence, too. Dear reader, indulge me: let me tell you a story…
I was at a confluence of change in various parts of my life: new home, new job, new body (I lost a ton of weight), looking for new relationships… Really, a perfect time to re-​invent myself. Due to the weight loss, I also needed new clothes.
I heard about Jenny and Julia from a friend; my friend had asked them to «Retrofit» her brother. I identify with him in a lot of ways: I’ve always felt like a wallflower, I’ve never had much interest in fashion, and I didn’t really have the time or inclination to learn. I wouldn’t have known where to start, anyway. But, heartened by my friend’s experience, I finally got tired of wearing clothes that didn’t fit, and decided to go for it. I was particularly attracted by Jenny and Julia’s philosophy of remaining authentic to the individual, which is very important for me – it’s important that my clothes feel like me.
In short, they took care of everything. We cleared out my old stuff, and now I have a closet full of new (or at least, new to me) clothes. Pieces of clothing that actually fit, and look great. What’s more, I had an absolute blast working with Julia and Jenny. They’re so much fun.
A word of advice: trust them. They know what they are doing. With some of my new pieces, at first I thought, «Are you crazy?! Am I crazy?!» Julia’s crazy like a fox, maybe. I’m still getting used to seeing myself in the mirror with all of these new colors and patterns, but every day I look at myself in the mirror and think, «Dang, that’s pretty sharp.» And every single day I have left my house wearing my new clothes, I have gotten compliments from total strangers about how much they love my style.
Let me repeat that: I get compliments from total strangers about my style. Not just strangers, of course… The other day, one of my co-​workers (I consider him attractive and fashionable) remarked, «You look great! I wonder if I could rock that style?»
Okay, full stop. This is not supposed to be happening. I’m a professional wallflower. I’ve always loved baggy clothes. I’ve never cared about fashion. People are not supposed to compliment me on my style, let alone wonder aloud if they could _​emulate_​my style.
There is no better positive reinforcement than a compliment. And it’s been happening. Every. Day. So, I’ll say it again: trust the Masters (Mistresses…Masterminds). They know what’s up. And you’ll quickly get used to looking good.
To be fair, for those of us who don’t make the Google money, whose salaries are in the mid-​five-​figure range, this is not an inexpensive process. I’m not going to lie. But if you’ve been shopping for decent clothes lately, you’ll probably have discovered that it’s not cheap. Here’s my take on the issue: If you need to get new clothes, they might as well look great, and make you feel great. And if you have no idea what to look for, and no spare time to look, leave it to the professionals. In the end, you’ll save time and stress, and you’ll probably learn more, too.
Truthfully, the clothes are only part of the value… Equally valuable has been the knowledge I have gained. These ladies want you to look your best, and looking your best is not just about having great clothes that fit well – it’s also about having the knowledge of what looks good, and the confidence to try. I’m not saying Julia transformed me into a style ninja overnight, but she gave me the tools I need to get started (clothes as well as knowledge).
You know what I’ve discovered? I actually like fashion. It turns out it’s kind of fun to have a closet full of unique clothes and to decide how to put together a cool look each day.
So, dear reader, I will conclude thusly: like so many things, you will get out of this experience what you put into it. I threw myself into it (I half-​jokingly decided my motto was going to be, «Go Big or Go Home»), and so far it’s been a life-​changer.
Maybe I still feel like a wallflower on the inside, but on the outside? Yep, I’m kinda killing it. Thanks, Retrofit Republic! My Retrofit was an unequivocal success.