Recently interviewed for Disrupt Radio Melbourne, by Holly Ransom about Fashion & Decision Fatigue
Style & Fashion Fatigue
The reason people encounter decision fatigue when dressing is because they struggle to create smart-casual outfits which is what I workshop most with my personal styling clients – creating their perfect capsule wardrobe!
Imagine a world where we all took on the Steve Jobs approach and wore the exact same fashion style daily?
I’VE DIVIDED THE 7.5 MINUTE INTERVIEW IN TO 3 PARTS, LISTEN TO PART 1 BELOW – MAKING THE PRESENTERS HEAD EXPLODE!:
Wardrobe Planner Needed!
A new study by Marks & Spencer revealed the average woman will spend 17 minutes each morning trying to find an outfit to wear to work. This amounts to four days a year, and six months of our working lives searching for something to wear to the office!!
However, what’s more important and what I solve daily, is the stress that this 17 minutes causes and the M&S poll of 2,000 men & women reflects just this
Fashion Stats:
62% of women admitted to having ‘irrational tantrums’ during the daily hunt for an outfit
21% confessed that the ordeal has caused them to argue with their partner
20% of men admitted throwing clothes around the room in anger when they couldn’t put together the perfect ensemble
LISTEN TO PART 2 BELOW – CREATING SMART CASUAL:
Find Your Fashion Style
If this sounds like what you need, then outsource your wardrobe dilemmas by booking my Wardrobe Makeover Service where my wardrobe planner skills give you back not just hours in your day, but headspace in your life
Once we create all the different variations of YOUR ‘smart-casual’ outfits, we photograph them to create your personal fashion look book. Easy!
LISTEN TO THE FINAL PART 3 BELOW – FASHION AS A LANGUAGE :
I teamed up with the incredibly creative and talented personal brand expert, Emma Duzhnikova@theduzhnikova.com
Emma helps her clients gain credibility and grow their networks, using her Personal Branding Methodology, based off of 20+ years of international branding experience
We did an insta live (it was our very first attempt, technical difficulties to be expected, right?) all about personal branding, watch Insta Reel here – although maybe put the kettle on as it takes a couple of minutes to start… 😉
Also wrote Emma a little article about personal branding, what it is and strategies to help you find YOURS
Personal Branding & Style
The very first experience we have with someone is visual
Our self image, otherwise know as our personal brand, *speaks* before we even open our mouth
Living in an increasingly visual world with our focus depleting daily, personal branding is really the only way to differentiate ourselves from our competitors and I cannot overstate it’s importance.
You may have started to gather by now that as a fashion stylist, I’m a HUGE fan of the capsule wardrobe
What Is A Capsule Wardrobe?
Clothing that mix & matches in to outfits to satisfy your lifestyle needs
Creating one has revolutionized my life and the life of my personal styling clients, so I don’t need to be asked twice to talk about the subject!
So this is my latest #interview for Kanebridge Quarterly talking about investing in a capsule wardrobe where my contribution cheerfully takes up about half the article (highlighted in peach) but yet don’t have a photo included…
Call them what you will, but when fashion trends AND comfort collide, I’m here for it!
My Personal Shopper Conversations
As a personal shopper, this accessory style is the one I get asked most about.
It’s also the shoe I get more enquiries about when I wear on my instagram than any other and yet it’s not sexy, nor the most flattering on our legs, but I’m realising it’s the footwear you need most in your wardrobes Sydney!
…and there’s a dad sandal for everyones different fashion style!!
How To Accesorise – Sustainable Fashion Style
These chunky sandals dress down your most glamorous of dresses, so you can double their wear as they now work for day!
This drastically reduces your #costperwear AND making that ‘event’ dress a more sustainable fashion choice.
Genius.
See my Instagram post discussing this ‘glam casual’ fashion trend here
Your Instant Wardrobe Makeover!
The humble dad sandal does what the classic white tennis sneaker has done for us women over the last decade (yes, that’s how long ago Pheobe Philo walked down the catwalk at Celine in white Stan Smiths and revolutonised what women wear on their feet, forever!)
Clients often tell me fashion trends are so fast these days, but I think in many ways, they’ve slowed down and dad sandals show no sign of going anywhere!
Why I Love ‘Em
As a professional fashion shopper, here’s my F&B’s:
a flat shoe
soft fabric
often lightweight & waterproof
cushioned platform
ankle strap to secure the shoe
adjustable straps which always fit!
affordable
instant wardrobe update
pair with a surprisingly large range of clothes – see how to style dad sandals here
Have you seen the new pattern fashion trend for SS23, my Roman Holiday collection that work perfectly with this flatform fashion style?
My Personal Stylist Picks!
So here’s my top 10 dad sandals that you’ll be wearing for seasons to come… and your feet will thank you for it!
Getting a little tired of the regular stripe and floral patterns you see on the Australian fashion high street? Well, there’s a new fashion style in prints that’s soft, fun and easy to wear.
We’ve seen this look come through in clothing AND interiors so it will be around for a while, no ‘one-season-wonders’ here!
New Pattern Direction : “Roman Holiday”
Hand-drawn, hand-made aesthetic that need that human touch.
“Think childlike squiggles meets European summer holiday on natural fabric bases in an earthy palette”
The naive, child like quality to these patterns makes them perfect for spring, summer and autumn. You’ll never look like you’ve tried too hard, which is one of the main requests from my personal styling clients !!
How To Accessorise
My fashion advice? Keep it effortless by adding:
beach hair
sunnies
chunky sandals (try Australian fashion brand @AliasMae or sustainable fashion label @Aloha
straw bag (did you see my latest $20 purchase from @KMart on my insta that looks more like $120!? Take a closer look here )
Check out my top 10 dad sandals to complete this look here
Celebrating Australian Fashion Brands
I’ve focussed on 2 Australian brands that are coveting this fashion style that you may not be familiar, however you’ll see these types of prints all over the high street
ROAME
Roame – a brand new fashion brand backed by Viktoria & Woods. The Iconic has best stock levels or try DJ’s if sold out on Roame website
JAG
Jag – owned by Saba but more casual effortless looks based in linens and cottons. May need to go down a size. Jag website but again, try DJ’s or The Iconic for sizes
“what can I wear to a casual event like a bbq, girls lunch or friends birthday?”
My answer – one of these hand crafted patterns!
Just 1 of these new prints will make over your wardrobe so be selective. There’s a version of this pattern, or indeed the item of clothing you can buy it in, to suit all personal styles, just keep the grooming. casual and off you go! Enjoy!!
If you want help to buy the most flattering version of the styles for YOUR particular features, then book in HERE!
It’s time to peel off your #wfh trackkies and don your office wear fashion style once again!!
*cue happy dance*
And working as a personal shopper, I’ve witnessed just how versatile this butterscotch shade is.
It’s a rich hue, contemporary yet timeless and as a Colour Consultant, I know it flatters every season on the colour wheel!
The really modern way to wear butterscotch is tonally in 1 outfit like the above image however, it’s easy and still impactful to pair with white, red, navy, salmon pink and soft blue
Office Wear For Women in 2022
But business attire for women has changed during the years we’ve been cooped up and I’ve been working with clients to create stylish, yet comfortable, new corporate wardrobes.
The NEW Corporate Dress
When personal shopping office wear for women, I’ve actually banned the words “CORPORATE CLOTHING” and replaced them with the buzzwords:
“POLISHED, PROFESSIONAL yet RELAXED”
As that’s how ALL of my working clients currently want to look, male or female.
The words ‘corporate clothing’ brings with it connotations of being stuffy, uncomfortable and outdated. And no-one wants to look like that.
Elevate Your Personal Branding
Here’s my personal shopper edit of the 8 fashion styles that would instantly update your business wear closet AND your personal branding that share key characteristics:
stylish
comfortable
affordable
you’ll be wearing season after season
Office Wear For Women
My fashion tips for items you need in your wardrobes Sydney!
I include a couple of options of skirt, coatigan and shoe depending on your personal style, ’cause that’s the kinda personal stylist I am 😉
(clockwise from bottom left)
1/. TRENERY A LINE LEATHER SKIRT $600
This limited edition design is flattering for all female body types with stunning gold hard wear
Add a narrow belt to complete your office wear look, or pair with a white sneaker & t-shirt for weekend
Generous in size so go 1 size down and remember, leather will give a little during wear
It’s stylish, comfortable and often the exact style most of my clients are missing from their wardrobes because covid has made many women question why they’ve ever worn heels?
However, there are clients that still prefer a heel so Nine West offer a stiletto version too for $180 (so technically this heel is 7/. b. Ha)
The really clever part is that both these shoes have a feature on them that isn’t metal so you can pair with the metal shade that flatters you most
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8/. MAISON CASHMERE TURTLE NECK $177
If you haven’t worn cashmere yet, you NEED to start!
A turtle neck feels so luxurious around your neck.
This is a 2 ply and made in Italy so it’s a little more expensive than Uniqlo where I usually recommend for cashmere, but clients have loved Maison Cashmere.
However, as a personal stylist in Sydney, I see this fashion mistake being made all the time.
It’s not pretty, and there’s a better way.
Let me show you how to dress it…
What’s Your Fashion Style?
Do you layer under your wrap dress because you:
Want to cover your cleavage?
Find wrap dresses doesn’t fit well?
Simply need an extra layer of warmth?
Whatever your reason, here’s some fashion tips to help…
Give Your Wrap Dress A Modern Makeover!
The Fashion Problem
As an image consultant I frequently see people wearing a contrast camisole under their wrap dress which means the line of the dress is totally spoilt as that small triangle of fabric is the only thing we really notice about your fashion style!
The Fashion Solution
STYLE TIP 1:
Why not give it a make over by layering a tonal or matching cami instead – matching the ground or main colour of the dress? (the colour you see when you squint)
There’s more of a colour flow so we notice how lovely you look in your overall clothes style.
Much more harmonious
Having a Wardrobe Stylist Peak! 👀
I spend a lot of time looking through womens wardrobes and often find that clients already own a similar colour camisole because they like the colour of the dress and therefore buy it in several different clothes styles, so check your drawers & wardrobes Sydney!
$46 SILK LEAVERS LACE BRALETTE @Zara
STYLE TIP 2: Another option is layering a delicate and expensive looking SILK LEAVERS LACE BRALETTE if suitable for the situation, like this @Zara example
Again, can be tonal in shade and never has to match exactly because the lace is a different fabric to the dress so it will never match perfectly
Other brands offer similar in larger bra sizes
Avoid automatic pilot of layering black or white, instead experiment with tonal camis or lace trim bralettes which look much more sophisticated, flattering & modern.
Before I became a fashion stylist, I used to work as a fashion designer for ASOS.
They initially launched as ‘As Seen On Screen’ where they ‘reinterpreted’ the coveted fashion trends worn by the latest *it girls* but as they started to evolve in to the platform we now know, I designed eye catching fashion styles for savvy online shoppers …and I loved every minute!
However, I did order from 2 other high street fashion brands
Online Stylist
ASOS is progressive, offering a a plethora of online shopping options for your wardrobes, Sydney!:
Marketplace – international sellers of pre-loved fashion
Inclusive plus size fashion, petite, tall & maternity styles
Offers international designers to the Australian consumer
Face & Body – the latest beauty care
My Personal Styling Client Needs
I’m wanted to investigate a subdivision of ASOS that I think my personal styling clients would appreciate to see how it stacks up, ASOS EDITION.
When I’m hosting a personal shop, many clients are looking for pieces that cover their knees, arms and can be worn with flats and heels.. so that’s what I delivered!
1/ ASOS MAIN RANGE – £16
PRO’S – stunning shade & flattering square neck
CON’S – wayyy too tight across bust, feels like the fit of this dress is more ‘youth’ than woman, probably because it’s in their main range
The trapeze shape flares from fullest part of bust so you loose your under bust waist/empire line shaping
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2/ ASOS EDITION – £65
PRO’S – Comfortable shirred waist.
Fantastic colour & shape is flattering on all female body types. Lots of room for fuller busts and tummies (baby bumps) & hips
Fabric is more elevated than plain cotton so looks more expensive
Takes you seamlessly from day to night
CON’S – bit low cut but easy to tack the V neckline to raise it a little
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3/ ASOS EDITION – £90
PRO’S – unusual colour makes it look very ‘designer’ and fantastic value considering the amount of fabric used
The seaming and shaping/fit over bust & waist was excellent, and did I mention the colour?
CON’S – looked amazing on model but I felt a little bo-peep-slash-90’s-bridesmaid on me, although I liked it for a fun fashion look
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4/ TOPSHOP @ASOS – £60
PRO’S – love this fun yet sophisticated floral mis-match, a fantastic interpretation of the designer trend
Wear for summer + sandals and the winter + boots & knitwear
Perfect day-to-night dress
Easy fit as it’s cut on the bias so natural stretch and comfort over the body, again, great for a baby/post baby bump
CON’S – slinky fabrics flatter most with big knickers or shape-wear underneath. I always advise against a firm fit Spanx but go instead with light/medium control knickers one size bigger
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5/ ASOS EDITION – £100
PRO’S – fully lined, stretchy & comfy with timeless feminine & flattering seaming you’ll be wearing for years
Also comes in white. AMAZING. Kept it so you’ll be seeing on my insta grid!
CON’S – bit low cut but easy to tack the V neckline to raise it a little
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Outcome Of My Online Personal Shop
So outcome is, ASOS itself offers a more ‘fast fashion’ product and generally my personal styling clients want something a little more ‘sophisticated’ or different and this is where ASOS EDITION kicks in which has some fantastic flattering pieces in superior design & fabrics.
Perfect when you want something elevated without the designer price tag, which in Australia is can easily mean forking out $400-$600 for a similar product!!
The online ordering process, communication & returns were the most simple of the 3 brands I ordered from, free of charge and paper free too!
Trackies have been the clothes we’ve been living our lockdown life in lately, haven’t they?
But now spring has arrived (cue happy dance!) let me show you how to elevate them from couch-to-city
WELCOME TO COMFORT AND STYLE
Don’t Avoid Mirrors Anymore!
Tracksuits have been on trend for a few seasons but there’s a few fashion tips to help make them slicker so you enjoy seeing yourself in them for a few more seasons!
