About Susan

From a young age, Susan Mowder was destined for a career in the clothing industry.  Happily spending hours dressing her dolls for the fashion show, she had no idea that it was just practice for doing much the same years later.  Eager to be more a part of the fashion world, she discovered her mother’s sewing machine and learned about the fit, drape and design of clothes literally from the inside out.  While completing her BS in Home Economics Education/ Radio TV from Morehead State University in Kentucky and her MS in Home Economics Education from The Ohio State University, she took numerous courses in textiles, construction techniques and design. 

From her work experiences in both the teaching and corporate worlds, she observed that what she wore to class or in a meeting often had just as much impact on the desired outcome as what she contributed verbally.  For the past 15 years, Susan has made a career out of helping others dress to achieve their desired outcomes.  After five years working for Nordstrom learning firsthand what the customer wants, she spent the next 8 years working for vendors (Garfield and Marks and Hartmarx) trying to get those wants fulfilled.  Whether her format was a customer appointment, an informational seminar, a sales meeting, or a staged fashion show, the goal was always the same. 

Throughout her career, Susan developed a keen eye for using line, design, and color to create the most flattering silhouette for any body type.  Since she has always found the most joy working one-on-one with the customer, Susan began a wardrobe consulting business in Chicago in 2009 called The STYLE Principle.  She has spoken on the fashion industry and wardrobing techniques to various university classes and business groups including the Chicago Bar Association and Project 2nd Act (women 40+ returning to the job market).