Today we’d like to introduce you to Jackie Placido.
Hi Jackie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Hi, thank you so much for the interview!
I was born in Queens, NY but was raised in Boston, MA. Go Pats, Go Sox, Go Celtics! I’m an identical twin (yes our names rhyme – Jacqueline and Marilyn) – we tell people we were named after two style icons Jacqueline Onassis and Marilyn Monroe. We were dressed the same until I could afford to buy my own clothes, so you see why I chose being a stylist/influencer as a career. Being a twin; and all twins can attest to this, we are always trying to carve out our own identity. You are always referred to as “The Twins”, never by name unless people want to be lame and refer to you as the nice one and the mean one. We were both depending on the day! Lol.
Growing up in the 90’s definitely influenced my style with movies like Sixteen Candles, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and of course Clueless. I was considered a mall rat I guess but I was in those malls working! I’ve worked at so many stores and was honestly losing my “passion for fashion” as the saying goes until I was hired at the first Nordstrom in Natick, MA. I became their first Personal Shopper under my manager Bailey. Bailey taught me so much about setting up the fitting room with the right shoes, accessories, handbag, perfume, and most importantly getting the customer to become a client meaning they will only shop with you! When she mentioned that it blew my mind! Suddenly I was shopping with my friends and not just customers. I got an opportunity to transfer to the #1 store in the company at the time in Dallas, TX and took it. There I met some of the sweetest people I still style today! It was a bit of a culture shock in how polite everyone was there and being referred to as Ma’am or Miss Jackie.
I’m from the east coast, so my direct approach in speaking wasn’t received well at times. However, my honesty in how pieces looked on my clients and unique style served me well. Fashion in Dallas is completely different from back east as well as the west coast.
After my 5 year stint in Dallas, I thought I’d tackle New York City. I moved with my sister from another mister who I met in Dallas, Jeanette Antolin, who was also a stylist but worked freelance with a lot of professional athletes and their wives.
New York was an adventure to say the least! We decided to drive across country and during Hurricane Sandy! I don’t know if you remember that storm but it caused like 70
billion dollars in damages! We had no power when we moved into our apartment and I remember having to boil water just to keep the place warm! We sadly had to go to our interviews at Saks Fifth Avenue with wet hair since we had no power. Luckily because our girlfriend, Carla Penta (who was already a manager there) we were pretty much guaranteed the jobs.
Since I came from a styling culture store like Nordstrom, I didn’t do very well there at first. I found that the NY working woman has between 15-30 minutes to shop MAX!
Working at the flagship store that had 8 floors with belts and handbags on 1 and shoes on the 8th floor, if I went to go get either to complete a look, by the time I got back, they were gone!
I was then recruited to work for BCBG Max Azria and absolutely loved the relationships I made there! I met the designers Max and Lubbov Azria a number of times and was able to attend the Herve Leger fashion shows with my top clients. Those were the days (sigh). Once you attend one show, you make connections and are able to attend so many others. I remember the Alice and Olivia, Phillip Lim and Marc Jacobs were always so unique, inspiring and fun!
Well after five winters in NY, I couldn’t take it anymore and headed west to warm sunny, CA! I wanted to transfer with BCBG but would only accept the position if I was relocated to Rodeo Drive. My reputation preceded me and I got it! James Davis hired me as the new assistant manager back in 2015. I learned so much from him and we still remain great friends today.
I still travelled back east to Boston, New York and frequently Dallas, TX which is where most of my clients are for extra income, since us Stylists have a horrible shopping problem! Lol
Seeing a shift in the retail industry a couple of years ago with companies like Stitch Fix, Nordstrom’s Trunk Club, Farfetch, and apps like LIKEtoKNOW.it popping up, I realized women love the simplicity and time saving benefits these companies had to offer and provide that Virtual styling experience. I then decided to one day make my part-time gig a full-time career and started looking into building my own blog/website which I plan to launch by the end of April this year.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Smooth, no. But I wouldn’t want a smooth road. That’s how you learn. I’m actually stepping into the influencer space and it’s definitely not a smooth road… so many bumps! Luckily I found an app called Clubhouse that has connected me to some pretty incredible people who i now think of as friends without ever meeting in person! They are all experts in their field and have given me the best advice to step into this new influencer journey. Speaking of challenges, I’m doing one on IG called the 28daysofreelschallenge and it’s definitely getting my creative juices flowing. Feel free to check them out! Some are tutorials for styling, some are try-on-hauls and some are funny just to keep us all laughing in these unprecedented times.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Sure! If you are interested in elevating your style, need help cleaning out your closet or just need an outfit for that special occasion, I’m your girl! I’m the most laid back person to consult with (think of me as your girlfriend who will tell you the truth) and totally understand the shift to a more casual style of dressing; but will still infuse and element of fashion into your look! I know once this vaccine has reached everyone, the new “Roaring 20’s” will be upon us and it’ll be the biggest Great Gatsby party this world has ever seen! Feel free to reach out at jackieplacido@gmail or my IG handle, @jackieplacido.
P.S. If you mention this article, I’ll give you a free 30 minute styling consultation!
Pricing:
- $150/hr. In person 3 hour Max
- $100/hr. Virtual app. 3 hour Max
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Armoireanalysts.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/Jackieplacido
- Facebook: Facebook.com/Jackieplacido
