Making Fashion Accessible to Real Women

Ever feel like high fashion is out of touch with real life? Want quick answers to burning questions like what nail polish color is in right now or whether you should wear pantyhose? Head on over to Styletti, an e-magazine created by Winchester resident Stephanie Bernier.

Bernier is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and has worked in the fashion industry for years as a designer and executive for Limited Brands.

Bernier launched Styletti last spring after realizing there was a niche market of women who weren’t being served by fashion magazines and designer couture.  Real women were looking for realistic fashion that could fit their bodies and their busy lives.

“We think of our audience as all sizes. They’re regular women who want to look better but can’t relate to $3,000 dresses and what’s happening in Paris,” Bernier said.

The Styletti site is fully updated monthly, like a traditional magazine, though some parts are updated more often. Sections of the site are divided into what Bernier calls “lettis,” a name derived from the Italian word etti, meaning a small measurement. Each letti focuses on a particular area, such as trends, shoes, and bags.

Even more frequent updates are found at the Styletti Facebook page, where Bernier and Styletti COO and Chief Marketing Officer Helen Chiasson post almost daily about trends, shows, and fashions they like. 

In fact, they’ve found Facebook to be the biggest driver of traffic to their site. Bernier was a big user of LinkedIn before creating Styletti, but has since become a power Facebook user.

“I’m surprised at how much I like that aspect,” Bernier said. “I love the community of Facebook now. That’s really surprising to me. I thought it was going to be a chore, but I love it.”

Through Facebook, Bernier and Chiasson stay in touch with their audience and get suggestions for future issues.

One of the key features of Styletti is the ability to purchase items featured on site directly through links to retailers like Nordstrom, Dillard's, and Bluefly. Bernier felt it was important to create a one-stop site where customers could find advice, learn about fashion, and buy products. Styletti gets its income through ad revenue and commissions, but Bernier said commissions don’t play a part in which products they choose to feature.

The current issue of Syletti covers everything from trendy cases for tech gadgets like iPhones, iPads, and e-readers to an explanation of the current trend toward “heritage American fashion brands.” The shoe section showcases a variety of flats for all occasions, and the salon letti includes tips from stylist Maria Pisano of Winchester's . For November’s issue, Bernier is focusing on lists of gift ideas, plus boots, sweaters, and ways to dress up casual clothes.

Bernier frequently hears from customers who say they finally know what to wear.

“A big part of the excitement for us is hearing from people, helping people,” Bernier said.