Today we’d like to introduce you to Guinevere.
Hi Guinevere, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Guinevere McDonald is a fashion stylist. Raised in the Philippines and rooted in Dallas, she is a proud Filipina-American with an ability to blend diverse cultural influences with contemporary trends, allowing you to create unique looks that tell a story.
Gwen graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising at the University of North Texas in 2015 and has extensive retail experience, working for more than nine years at Nordstrom, Tootsies, Trina Turk, Louis Vuitton and ME+EM. Her sensibility for style began at a young age: an avid collector of fashion magazines, she curated cutouts from issues of Vogue, Elle and Glamour to serve as inspiration for her ensembles (on days she wasn’t wearing her school uniform, that is). She also modeled for regional commercials and participated in pageants, where she learned to wear the dress and not let the dress wear you.
Two decades later, Gwen is still playing dress up—but with real people and real agendas. Her expert knowledge of brands, trends and fit, along with her loyal and lasting relationships with clients, make her an up-and-coming trailblazer in the Dallas fashion industry.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
High Competition – The fashion industry is saturated, with many aspiring stylists trying to establish their name. Standing out requires strong networking, a unique aesthetic, and consistent branding.
Building a Client Base – It takes time to gain trust and referrals, especially when you’re new. Clients often prefer working with stylists who have proven experience or a strong portfolio.
Financial Instability – Freelancers face inconsistent income, late payments, or seasonal work fluctuations. It can take years to achieve financial stability in this career.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In a fashion styling business, the creative process is at the heart of everything you do — it’s where vision, aesthetics, and storytelling come together.
Stylists are visual researchers — constantly pulling from:
Runway trends, magazines, and designer collections
Art, film, music, and culture
Client personality or brand identity
You’re translating these influences into wearable fashion that tells a story or creates an impact.
Wardrobe Curation and Selection
This is the hands-on creative part:
Editing closets by color, style, occasion
Pulling clothing from designers, showrooms, or stores
Mixing high and low fashion, vintage with modern pieces
Experimenting with proportions, color contrasts, and layering
It’s like building a visual language through clothes.
4. Fitting and Styling
During fittings, you fine-tune the creative vision:
Adjusting garments for the perfect silhouette
Adding accessories, textures, and details to complete the look
Balancing practicality with aesthetics
Here, intuition and creativity meet — sometimes the best looks come from spontaneous styling choices.
I make styling easy. I love learning about the client’s life and getting to know them on a personal level. I offer affordable styling services that match their budget needs. I also take photographs of them or flat-lays to give them ideas for their trips and day to day events.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Digital & Virtual Fashion
Digital clothing (for avatars, photos, social media) might become a more important part of styling services. People will hire stylists not just for “real life” looks but for virtual presence, for work, for content, social platforms, metaverse spaces.
New services & revenue streams: offering digital styling (for social media avatars, virtual environments), subscription styling, virtual consults, using rental or resale clothing, working with brands on curated digital drops.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.guineverescloset.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/guineverescloset/
Image Credits
Guinevere McDonald
