I have a dream: Clinton Kelly shows up at my door and goes through my closet, telling me what to wear with what and how to mix and match what I have to make my wardrobe even more efficient and fabulous than it is now.

(In real life he would probably throw half my closet in the trash, but this is a dream, so let’s go with it, ok?)

Having someone else help you make wardrobe choices can be both exhilarating and terrifying. We all get in a rut with our look, because it’s easy and we don’t have time to be constantly reinventing ourselves. But wouldn’t it be great to work with a personal stylist, just for a day?

Well, you can. Even better: you can do it for free.

Small local boutiques have always offered personal shopper and stylist services, but these days, chain stores like J. Crew and GAP are getting on the stylist bandwagon. Stylists are trained to know what’s in stock, what goes with what, and how to accessorize. Keep in mind, of course, that while the stylist is free the clothes are not; after all, this is one more way for a store to get you to spend money, and lots of it.

The up side, of course, of working with a personal stylist or shopper is that rather than coming home with a bunch of disparate pieces that may or may not work with each other and your existing closet, you’ll leave the store with carefully selected outfits — so whatever money you spend is well invested.

How do you find a personal stylist? Call stores in your area and ask if they have someone who will shop with you. It’s that easy.

What’s the strategy for getting the most from your appointment with the personal stylist? Here are five simple tips.

Define your style. Can you sum up your look in a few clear words? Do you tend to gravitate toward classic pieces, or is your look more trend-driven? Are you a minimalist, or do you believe that more is more? Think about sentences that start with, “I like … [classic tailoring, bright colors, big patterns],” or “I tend to wear [jeans, skirts, dresses, sweat pants] most of the time.” Being specific about your look will help the stylist to pull pieces that will really work for you.

Establish some limits. Decide ahead of time how much you’re willing to spend, or what you want to come home with. If you’re only looking for jeans, then don’t be tempted by the dresses; if you cannot spend more than X amount, don’t look at individual pieces costing more than that. Tell the stylist your parameters; this will help her focus as she’s pulling pieces for you to try on.

Specify what you’re looking for. Are you getting dressed for work or for weekend? Do you need jeans specifically, or just pants in general? If you’re looking for something specific, tell the stylist that, instead of wasting her time — and yours — trying on things you don’t need. Also, don’t feel like you have to try everything on; if the stylist brings you something that’s not appropriate for your life, feel free to skip it.

Be honest about your preferences. If the stylist brings you some pieces you’re not crazy about, let her know; your feedback will help her to makes choices for you. Be honest, but be polite; the stylist can’t read your mind and she’s doing the best she can.

Keep an open mind. While it’s perfectly fine to disagree with the stylist, it’s also a good idea to try on what she chooses for you. After all, if your plan is to buy what you always buy, then you can skip the appointment with the stylist. Asking someone else to help you shop means giving up some measure of control over your choices and experimenting with new looks.

Finally, have fun! We always say that we wish someone else would pick our our clothes; here’s the chance to have a professional do just that. Take some risks and try what the stylist brings you — she may see something in you that you’ve been overlooking. My stylist talked me into a short dress with heels, which was not a look I ever would have chosen for myself, but he was right — it was fabulous.

Have you ever worked with a personal stylist or personal shopper? Do you have any good tips? Or do you have questions about how this all works? Either way, let’s hear them!