It’s 4 p.m. on Friday. You have at least an hour’s worth of paperwork to get through before the workday ends, and the kids get out of soccer practice at six. That leaves you less than an hour to get a new outfit and pick up a present for your cousin’s wedding tomorrow. How are you going to get it done?

A personal shopper might be the answer. Younkers, a subsidiary of Saks Inc., offers a personal shopping service at its Valley West Mall location, with one part-time and two full-time staffers ready to help. One of the store’s personal shoppers could pull the couple’s bridal registry and select a gift, then have it waiting, along with several outfits in your size and favorite styles and colors. The service is available at no charge, and the personal shoppers don’t work on commission.

“Some people walk in, others call,” personal shopper Jill Maahs said of how customers first begin using the service. “They learn about us through a presentation we give, an article in a newspaper or from friends. We’ve been getting great word of mouth.”

“We meet with you in person to get to know you and learn what colors and what styles fit you better,” said personal shopper Tatiana Peterson. “At our initial interview, we discuss which vendors best fit your lifestyle and tastes. It takes 15 or 20 minutes.” It can even be conducted by phone, although seeing customers in person gives the shoppers a clearer sense of what they will like.

For the next appointment, a shopper will prepare a private dressing room with a few sets of clothes, ranging from casual attire, dresses or suits to shoes and accessories.

“After that first visit, we usually have an easier time,” said personal shopper Laura Crist. “We get to know which things they will like.”

“Some people can be overwhelmed when they walk into the store,” said Maahs. Pulling outfits for the customer makes the process quick and easy, allowing the buyer to focus on one wardrobe concept at a time. The personal shoppers continue to pull pieces based on the customer’s reaction.

One advantage of using personal shoppers instead of general salespeople is that the latter are restricted to one department. A personal shopper can go to any department to get what a customer needs, whether a tie, hat, jewelry or shoes.

Younkers’ Personal Shopping Services has been branching out, with its representatives helping with charity fashion shows and delivering speeches to area breakfast clubs, companies and trade organizations. Most recently they talked to a local organization for women in the insurance field, discussing their service and the latest trends. They even took a few models to display the new looks. More women use their services than men, but more men are taking an interest, they said, and broadening their wardrobe beyond basic blue or white oxford shirts.

“Men appreciate women helping, a woman’s opinion,” Crist said. “No matter who they are, they want to please the ladies.”

Maahs, Peterson and Crist all have diverse retail backgrounds. Peterson has lived in many regions and says Iowa has its own style.

“The people here are sophisticated, with great education, [but they] don’t dress as corporate. More business casual,” Peterson said. The newest trend, however, is more formal business attire. Younkers’ personal shoppers say Des Moines’ business elite are taking notice, buying outfits that are dressy during the workday, but can be made more casual for the evening by removing a jacket or changing accessories. They have a few words of advice for the fashion-forward.

“No pleats,” Maahs said. “Women should go for flat-front pants, or at most one pleat. Instead of hiding flaws, pleats make you look so much rounder.”

“Ask a professional for help,” Petersen added. “Don’t wear two sizes above what your actual size is.”

“Throw on a jacket,” Crist suggested. “It can totally transform and reshape your figure.”

All three agree that professionals should add more variety to their wardrobes to keep from developing a uniform or falling into a rut.

“People spend most of their time at work,” Peterson said. “They should make the most of that time and feel good about how they look.”