Jill Bronstein Brings Her Fashion Stylings to Replenish Wednesday

Stylist Jill Bronstein

By Laurel Busby

News & Information Editor

Canyon stylist Jill Bronstein has been entranced by fashion since childhood.

She keeps up on the latest trends and notices what looks good on different body types. Years ago, this fashion acumen caused friends and acquaintances to not only ask for her style advice, but to go a step further and hire her to sort their closets and upgrade their wardrobes, an endeavor that evolved into her business Style/Salon.

“Fashion was always my art form,” Bronstein said. “I do this not because I was looking for something to do. I do it because this is what I do. This is my passion.”

On Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 4-7 p.m., Canyonites who are curious about Bronstein’s services can try them out for free. She’ll be hanging out at one of her favorite stores, Replenish in Canyon Square, as part of an all-day Canyon Alliance fundraiser to benefit Ready to Succeed foster youth. (See article here for more information about the event.)

During the final three hours of the event, which begins at 10 a.m. with complimentary RustiCoffee, “I will help people pull looks together and help people decide what works for their bodies,” Bronstein said. “A lot of women don’t understand how to dress. I teach body type. I help them with colors. I help them with layering. So, I'll just be a helper. Whatever they need me to do, I'll do.”

That is how Style/Salon works too. Some people only need a short consultation to pick out an outfit for an event, while others might request a full closet and wardrobe makeover. Bronstein enjoys adapting to those needs and also finding items that reflect each person’s unique style and preferences.

One of Bronstein’s clients who sings her praises is Allison Arkin, who lives in Santa Monica Canyon. Two decades ago, Arkin won a closet organizing session with Bronstein at a Canyon Elementary silent auction. The endeavor was so much fun, that she’s repeatedly hired Bronstein when her closet again needed updating.

“When I’ve tried to do it alone, it’s been a chore,” said Arkin, who has become a good friend of Bronstein’s. “I get bogged down, and I don’t know what to keep and what to get rid of. Jill is really efficient. She’ll just fly through your closet and make piles of what to keep and what to give away. It’s fast moving and fun, and she does a great job of putting everything back in an aesthetic way. The clothing will be color coordinated, and it’ll look really nice. You feel like you’ve accomplished something when she’s involved.”

Bronstein said the value of taking a little time to organize one’s clothing and dress stylishly can be multifold. For example, the act of putting on nice clothes and taking a moment to tend to one’s appearance makes people more productive, according to studies. High quality clothes that fit well also help her clients feel good as they go about their days. Clients repeatedly send her texts that they are sporting a “Jill outfit” or tell her they are happy they bought her sweater or jeans recommendations.

Client Arkin noted during a phone interview, “Whenever I’ve bought something she suggested, I’ve never regretted it…. She’s also a very kind person. She never makes you feel bad about your closet or clothes. She’s very encouraging and positive.”

Bronstein, who grew up in the San Fernando Valley, came to her career in a roundabout way. Her mother, who had little interest in fashion, was bemused to watch Bronstein’s fashion interest develop, but her daughter didn’t go straight into fashion. First, she earned a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Anticoh University in 1991, which led to a 12-year career as a therapist.

Bronstein and her husband, Bob, an architectural designer, lived in the Bay Area during most of those years, before they moved to Rustic Canyon in 2000. Their two children, who are 14 months apart in age, attended Canyon Elementary through fifth grade before moving onto Crossroads in 2010, which is approximately when Bronstein began her fashion business.

Since then, her clientele has included both women and men in a range of ages, although most of her customers are women over 40, who may be undergoing a style shift. Bronstein’s experience as a therapist has helped her focus on their varied style issues while also connecting to what they are experiencing as they age.

“They talk a lot about their bodies,” Bronstein said. “They’re changing with menopause or perhaps lifestyle, whether going back to work or stopping work. They talk about events that they go to and how they want to look and feel for travel. They want to focus on comfort, but also look elevated…. I can talk with them about image and how to make them feel good through dressing.”

(To contact Bronstein, email jbronstein@mac.com or check out her website https://www.stylesalonla.com/ or Instagram @styledbyjillbron.)