Project Description

Interview with Stuff Magazine

Marianna Toroyan owns the Fashion Doctors, a service that really should be covered by health insurance. “Our styling and shopping process always is a two-part, two-day experience. On day one we do an assessment of body type, personality, work environment, favorite activities, and budget. We take this information and then choose looks at various shops, depending on budget,” she tells me as I tug at my fraying Target tank top.

Many of Toroyan’s clients favor spots like Chanel and Saks – places that, ahem, are slightly out of my budget. Never fear, though: it’s possible to assemble a lovely fall wardrobe without going into debt. Toroyan is a fan of sites like gilt.com, ruelala.com, and gretchy.com, which offer designer finds for less, and stores like H&M and Zara. It’s at this point that I begin to dwell on my less-than-ethical habit of buying dresses, wearing them once, and then returning them. (Oh, shut up. I dry-clean.) For fashion criminals like me, Toroyan recommends renttherunway.com, a service that rents out designer frocks and accessories.

Regardless of budget, Toroyan insists on an A-line black dress, a simple clutch, ankle boots, a lace or sheer top, something fur (or faux), and stackable jewelry as autumn essentials for women. Musts for men? She recommends a black blazer, a color-block or solid cashmere sweater, a French-cuffed shirt with metal cufflinks, a good pair of jeans (she likes 7 for All Mankind), and a pair of leather loafers. I gently remind Toroyan that Boston was recently dubbed the “worst-dressed city” by GQ. To redeem our reputation, she suggests that women cease dining out in Lululemon workout attire (guilty, ‘cept mine’s from Gap Body) and that guys refrain from pairing running shoes with suits and jeans – even if it’s a hike to the T.