On the road with The Total Makeover Girl

Q: When is a ho-hum shopping trip NOTHING LIKE a ho-hum shopping trip?
A: When you're on the road with Wilma Haerkens, Total Makeover Girl!
Article written by Abby Hagyard

At a time when personal service and customer satisfaction are little more than a distant memory, a shopping trip with Personal Stylist Wilma Haerkens is a delicious reminder that we are special; that we deserve to be treated with care, compassion, joy and dignity.

Wilma's PS Image Club and Personal Stylist enterprises provide a variety of essential makeover services - from hair and makeup transformations to at-home wardrobe consultations to personally guided shopping trips. Not content to stop there, Wilma also networks with partner providers to offer additional services that include aesthetic treatments, weight loss solutions, lingerie, accessories, mortgage consultations, life coaching, career planning, and more. And when I say there's more... I'm talking ROAD TRIPS!

As the Ottawa sun rose on Saturday, November 27th, Wilma boarded a specially chartered limousine bus. Accompanied by her photographer and an eager group of shopping hopefuls, she hit the road. Destination: Montreal's famed Chabanel Street - the heart of the garment district.

Chabanel Street is a shopper's Mecca. It's also a closely guarded insiders' secret unless you happen to be a fashion designer, importer or buyer... or a shrewd shopper like Wilma Haerkens.

You don't find chain stores or glittering retail boutiques on this street. From St. Laurent to Meilleur, a towering row of office buildings hides its treasures from casual passers-by. Once you step inside, however, it's another story. From floor to floor you find private showrooms, cutting rooms and display rooms filled with Montreal's latest fashions.

When you realize what you've stumbled upon, it's like a dream come true. When you realize how many choices you have, it's staggering. Where do you start? Where do you go? What do you do? And that's when Wilma's hard work and handy site map with lists of shops and fabulous discount deals suddenly makes all the sense in the world!

As the miles sped by, Wilma's group enjoyed the chance to share their personal histories and discuss their common goals. Snacks and other treats gave them extra energy and set the upbeat tone for the day ahead. By 9:30 AM they'd reached their destination. They were rested and ready. Armed with their site maps they were ready to SHOP!

Wilma's plan was to let the women do their own thing, making sure they knew where she would be every hour on the hour if they needed her special brand of custom care. The first stop was the restaurant where they'd get together for lunch and plan their next steps. After that, the women chose their shopping partners and headed off in two's and three's to hunt for their bargains.

As the hours flew by, the adventure unfolded. Men's fashions, Children's clothes, Women's high fashion, casual co-ordinates, lingerie, sportswear and accessories... the list went on and on. And with none of the stress of the retail shopping experience, the women happily stocked up on their wardrobe essentials and gifts for the holidays.

In no time at all, it was time for lunch. Over soup and main courses they shared their impressions of the Chabanel shopping experience... "Such personal service!" "Everyone was so friendly!" "So many bathrooms!" and the constant refrain... "I can't believe the prices!"

After lunch there was just time to make one or two quick stops before the bus came to take them home again. On the return trip, there were more surprise treats in store! Wilma had more snacks, some wine and prize give-aways for everyone!