We were lucky to catch up with Crystal Charles recently and have shared our conversation below.

Crystal, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Taking a risk can be scary but DO IT! “If it’s still in your mind, it’s worth taking the risk” Paulo Coelho once said. I remember late 2020, I wanted to quit my 9-5 retail job because I was so miserable and wanted to pursue my wardrobe styling business full time. For months, I kept asking myself: How would I survive with no consistent income? What if I fail? Will people book with me.. etc. all the doubtable questions you can think of. Until one day, I told myself “you will never know unless you take the risk”. So, in December 2020, I finally quit my job on faith and begin to invest in myself by planning, executing shoots, and styling friends and family until others notice my creativity, that’s when doors started opening for me. I’ve been getting booked for personal shopping and many editorial shoots. I’ve also had the advantage to build connections & network with some dope designers, photographers, and other creatives.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

For those who don’t know of me, my name is Crystal Charles and I’m the CEO of CRYS CHARLES, LLC. My brand was developed for the everyday woman and man who wish to elevate their style & appearance. My styling services are provided for those who struggle with assembling their own looks, or simply don’t have the time to. My passion is to help my clients feel/look luxurious while expressing themselves through fashion. I believe your wardrobe should tell you who you are without having to speak. Earlier in life, I knew somewhere in my career I wanted to be in the fashion industry but I just didn’t know what to do. I first thought to be a fashion designer which I’m still considering lol, but after styling so many mannequins at my previous retail jobs, I fell in love with the idea of putting outfits together. It naturally was an ease for me. While it took me some time to build a portfolio and trust me, it’s still an ongoing process, I’m always accepting & building new client relationships. I trust that my patience, consistency, dedication, & faith in God will put me right where I need to be in this industry. I’m so excited to see what’s in store for me. I look forward to seeing my work in fashion magazines, on red carpets and runways! The best is yet to come!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is making others feel good and confident about themselves through fashion. I love seeing my clients happy!

How did you build your audience on social media?

I built my social media audience by simply posting my work and staying consistent at it. I used to be so hard on myself wanting everything I posted to be perfect. I wouldn’t post for weeks at a time if the picture didn’t look a certain way for me or if I thought my followers wouldn’t like it. But I had to understand that wanting everything to be perfect was not ideal for my true audience. So my advice to beginners is to be authentic, stay true to craft and be consistent. Don’t be afraid what others might think because the right clients for you will come.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cryscharles.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/cryscharles

Image Credits
Rome Goodson Paper Chris Chad Lawson Charity Kuykendall Neil Jou