Katie Holmes's Stylist Gave Me a FaceTime Makeover

Celebrity stylist Allison Bornstein is someone I always look to for great fashion advice. Not only does she dress her clients like Katie Holmes in seriously covetable outfits, but she also makes it a point to make cool style accessible to everyone. In my opinion, she is exactly the type of person we need in fashion right now. Her Instagram (@allisonbornstein6) is an amazing resource for fashion ideas, as she uses the platform to bring her expertise to everyone, not just her A-list clientele. There, she breaks down exactly how to wear closet staples and trends at all price points.

Right now, she’s offering FaceTime consultations that walk people through their personal styling questions, meaning face-to-face time with an industry expert to guide you through anything from which pieces you should keep versus donate to how to wear the latest trends. If you’re interested in securing a spot, you can sign up here. It’s $150 for an hour, and $50 will be donated to Food Bank NYC.

Intrigued, I booked a session with Bornstein and asked her to help me restyle some of my most-worn basics and give me inspiration for new ways to wear them. Ahead, see the takeaways from my FaceTime makeover with Allison Bornstein.

The FaceTime session:

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(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

Bornstein and I started out our FaceTime call talking about how, exactly, I wanted to utilize the hour. Did I want to know how to style a tricky piece or have her walk me through her full closet-editing system? For me, I was curious about how she could help me restyle my main wardrobe staples in interesting ways.

The process:

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(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

Lay out the basics: First, I laid out some of the most-worn pieces in my closet that I'm still wearing right now (a blazer, silk button-down, jeans, leggings, slip dress, white T-shirt) and asked Allison to help me find new ways to wear them.

Photograph the looks together: Next, I took her through my closet so she could get a sense of my personal style and the pieces I had to work with. Then, we put looks together, and I snapped photos of each of them so I could try them on after our call.

Scroll down to see the outfits she styled for me.

The legging outfit:

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(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

Here is the legging look we put together during our call. I wanted to figure out a way to dress up leggings since they've become such a core part of my wardrobe at home right now.

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See the look:
(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

Recently, I've been embracing leggings as pants. They're basically a much more comfortable version of black pants—something I've realized in recent weeks. I was curious to know how Bornstein would style leggings in a new way and loved her suggestion of pairing them with a button-down top and pair of kitten heels—an outfit that immediately elevates leggings in an easy way.

Shop the look:

The jean outfit:

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(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

Here, we started with the jeans as the base piece, then added in this silky top. Bornstein suggested adding a belt to lend more shape, so I dug this one out to add to the outfit.

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See the look:
(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

The white T-shirt outfit:

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(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

White T-shirts are a staple I wear over and over again, but it's usually with jeans, so I wanted to pull together something a little different. Bornstein again recommended the leggings as a starting point. Then, we added in a blazer, loafers, and gold jewelry.

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See the look:
(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

This is the perfect outfit for me to wear for conference calls. It looks very together but is still comfortable enough to wear all day long at home.

Shop the look:

The slip-dress outfit:

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(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

Slip dresses are something I've been wearing at home because they're easy to throw on, super comfortable, and instantly make me feel more put-together without much effort. To add a little dimension, Bornstein suggested adding a blazer on top and a pair of kitten heels.

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See the look
(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

I've never thought of adding a blazer with a slip dress but love the contrast the boxy jacket makes with the silky slip. This is definitely something I'll be repeating outside the house in the future.

Shop the look:

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Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury and runway content as well as wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, Tiffany & Co., and MyTheresa, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.