Personal Fashion Tips

THE 4 MOST FLATTERING COLOURS…. IN THE WORLD!!

Posted September 13th, 2018 & under Colour theory, Detox your Wardrobe, Fashion Tips, Style Makeover Sydney.

(am I allowed to claim that..?)

So, working as a COLOUR CONSULTANT in Sydney has taught me a huge amount and interestingly it’s where the ‘science’ part comes in to my personal styling service.

A few decades ago, the 4 seasons color system was introduced which is the basis for my personal colour analysis but I modernise it by dividing it in to a 12 colour system which better represents today’s diverse skin tones. This means I create totally bespoke colour palettes for each of my clients.

Colour Consultant Secrets

I wrote a little article for Mama Tribe you might be interested in….

Have you heard of them? Mama Tribe are a brilliant organisation with a simple goal – ‘no mum left behind’. It’s an inclusive place to connect with like-minded mums to share their up’s & down’s of motherhood so no mother ever has to feel isolated. Ever.

Click here to read my feature

Mummy Makeover

Mums, and particularly new mum’s, are exactly the demographic who would benefit from understanding what their most flattering colors are but ironically they’re the group of people that have the least amount of time to undergo a personal colour analysis!

Hence why I offered my fashion advice to show them within a couple of minutes THE most flattering 4 colours they could wear, regardless of where they sit on the colour wheel, to make them feel like they’d had a good nights sleep, despite probably being up all night.

Your Personal Shopper

In addition to sharing my colour consultant secrets, I have also put together the above high street edit of these 4 most flattering hues so you can shop with speed whilst achieving a fantastic capsule closet. Purchasing a few pieces from here will give you a mini WARDROBE MAKEOVER !

You’re welcome x

STYLE TIPS WHEN BUYING A BLAZER

Posted September 6th, 2018 & under Australian high street, Fashion Tips, Fashion Trends, How to wear the essentials, SS18 Trends.

For me, a statement blazer is still a ‘must have’ this season, it’s a good value, versatile, stylish item. There’s hundreds of ways (well, maybe not that many) of how to dress it ‘up’ & ‘down’ and wearing a jacket always makes you look like your making an effort but depending on the styling not too much effort, because none of us want to look like we’ve tried too hard, do we?

But do you know what to look for when purchasing a blazer?

Pop on this video to learn the fashion tips you need to make a smart purchase whatever your body type:

This blazer I’ve bought is more of a fashion trend that instantly updates my more basic items and depending on your individual clothes style & lifestyle, there’s a version for everyone. You might prefer a plainer fabric as this one is quite bold, yet this statement stripe is surprisingly versatile, check out my INSTAGRAM for the different ways i’ve styled it.

As an image consultant I want statement pieces that are fun and easy to wear which is exactly what this stripe blazer delivers, plus because of the high stretch content, it fits more like a comfy cardigan!!

Stylish AND comfortable? Result!

SYDNEY!! DO YOU NEED THE SKILLS OF A PERSONAL STYLIST?

Posted August 9th, 2018 & under Personal Styling Service, Personal Stylist Sydney, Style Makeover Sydney, Wardrobe Makeover Services.

You seek help from a hair stylist for your hair, so why not a clothes stylist for your wardrobe?

Some of you plan your meals to make the week run smoother and avoid wasting money, so why not plan your outfits for the same reasons?

How A Professional Helped Me

I can honestly admit that seeking the help of a professional nutritionist has positively changed my world forever!! Her name is Natasha Fayle, she’s the founder of Nutrition For Two and is fantastic.

Embarrassingly, I lacked the skills needed in the kitchen to create healthy meals for my family (as my husband can testify). I had cupboards full of food but I didn’t know how to put them together and frankly even when I did attempt to cook, the result erred somewhere between cat food or total frickin’ disaster.

It overwhelmed me, created self doubt and made me feel pretty crappy if i’m honest. So I sought professional help to fill in the gaps in my skill set.

Now when I look at all the food in my cupboards, I don’t get overwhelmed as I can see the finished product – the meal – and with a few cooking tips I can safely say i’m getting better every month.

And as an image consultant, this is exactly what I do for you, but for your wardrobe!

Wardrobe Makeover

I can give your closet a WARDROBE MAKEOVER where I edit, re-organise and re-outfit all your belongings to create a functional wardrobe that brings you joy!!

The Key is….

I listen and work with you, imparting my expert advice whilst showing you practical style tips relevant to the real world, how much you choose to take on is up to you. I can help identify your clothes style, teach you how to dress for your lifestyle and personal taste, but how we get there is by workshopping with you.

I wouldn’t have had success with my nutritionist if she hadn’t got to know me and the particular way I live my life hence why getting to know you is KEY to our success.

It’s called PERSONAL styling for a reason.

NECKLACE CHEAT SHEET

Posted August 1st, 2018 & under Accessories, Fashion Tips, Personal Style, Personal Stylist Sydney.

Ever wondered what necklace to wear with what neckline? Particularly the more tricky off-the-shoulder or asymmetric styles?

Then check out my cheat sheet I put together for a popular magazine to navigate you through even the most difficult of necklines.

The Advantages Of Buying Jewellery

Jewellery is fantastic for many reasons:
– a great way to elevate your personal style
– you can play with pop brights and unusual combinations if you’re not so colour-confident
– to dip your toe in a trend you wouldn’t wear in clothes
– it fits you even if you put on weight
– you can borrow from/lend to a friend as it will always fit
– it can dress up the most basic of outfits
– trans-seasonal as you can wear it all year round
– it’s generally inexpensive
– can be incredibly impactful!

I’m showing necklaces for a black top but could just as easily be accessories for a black dress, it’s the style tips and theory that matters.

Necklace Guidelines

Adding jewellery should compliment your outfit, not spoil it. As an image consultant I get asked all the time how to accessorise as it’s something clients can easily get wrong.

In general, try and follow these easy guidelines when choosing the perfect pairing of necklace and neckline:

> The necklace should follow the neckline, or
> Fit the space left by the neckline
> Aim for the jewellery to be in synergy with the neckline ie.angular shapes or fine/delicate

Jewellery is the perfect way to have fun with fashion so take a risk!

STYLE HACK – HANDBAG MAKEOVERS

Posted June 27th, 2018 & under Accessories, AW18 Trends, Clothes reflecting our personalities, Fashion Tips.

Bags – the one item I tend to splurge on is a bag. It used to be shoes but I trashed them too quickly and they would never look as good as when you first wear them…but a bag ohhhHH a good bag looks better with age.

A designer bag can elevate even the most basic of outfits, it makes me feel, well ‘dressed’, a bit like the icing on a cake.

There’s so many handbag styles to choose from and this is one time I don’t mind carrying around a logo so if you have your eye on a branded style, consider your alignment to that designer and whether it fits your fashion style.

My skills as a wardrobe planner mean I spend a lot of time researching the bag, visiting it in store, trying it on making sure it’s practical etc. it also needs to be a bag suitable to wear everyday so my cost-per-wear is relatively low.

Then the personal shopper in me kicks-in and I save-up or stalk it online and buy it when it’s on sale!

As a fashion stylist I might buy a more trend-led bag but my style advice to clients would be that a smart bag purchase shouldn’t date easily but be more of a classic investment that flatters your clothes style for years to come.

Now, because i’ve spent all this time and money on it, I want it to work extra hard for me so I give it a StyleSense makeover!

Your Brand New Bag!

Why not try it and give yourself the gift of a new bag, for free and without any sewing!?!

What If I don’t Have a Bag Strap to Swap?

If you don’t have bag straps to swap over you could:

1. buy them from the high street – see my facebook page later this month for details.

2. you could try this second style makeover which uses a skinny scarf or a soft belt as a bag strap. Un-clip your current strap to transform your bag by tying on a long piece of fabric, stitching once of necessary. Perfect for the small bags that are a huge fashion trend for Autumn/Winter 2018.

Show off your personal style by being playful and give these easy fashion tips a try!

WHAT TO WEAR IN AUTUMN WINTER 2018

Posted May 22nd, 2018 & under AW18 Trends, Fashion Trends, Personal Style.

As a fashion stylist, I feel I have to offer my round-up of the AW18 fashion trends, but to be honest, most of my clients don’t care too much about looking so directional or ‘on-trend’.

Therefore as a personal stylist, I thought it was actually more important to create a mood board showing a more realistic approach to looking stylish & contemporary.

What To Wear To Look Contemporary in AW18

(click image to enlarge)

AW18 Fashion Trend Cheat Sheet

Basically, if you want to look modern then purchase a few autumn winter 2018 pieces similar to the above and you’ve got it! Pick and choose depending on your personal taste, comfort level and budget, then mix with your current wardrobe to update it.

If you want to look more fashionable, then wear the items within the same outfit.

If your aim is to appear more directional, then look up my AW18 trends here.

Easy!

Contemporary Classics

A lot of the clothes seen above represent slower moving trends = contemporary classics which have become the versatile backbone of many modern wardrobes.

For example, take the pleated midi skirt which was introduced several seasons ago, it still looks great and it’s even showing as a major trend on the autumn winter 2018 catwalks! Same for the leather biker, bomber jackets, statement earrings and my favorite fashion trend that doubles as THE most practical item I own – the sneaker.

None of these pieces are particularly ‘new’ but they’re still showing on international runways.

Now, I know the most directional version of the sneaker is the chunky 90’s style, but even if you wear a slicker more feminine sneaker you’ll still look modern and let’s face it, those chunky trainers should stay in 1990 if you ask me.

Not all trends are nice looking. Some just make us look like a fashion victim.

Catwalk Trends

The catwalks no longer dictate fashion trends like they used to and certainly not at the speed they used to, hence the repetition of certain styles season-after-season noted above, which cement them as a contemporary classics.

Trends have slowed down which is great for mass consumerism.

With the rise of social media, it’s consumers that largely dictate when fashion styles becomes outdated working from the street-up rather than the catwalk-down.

If a fashion trend is versatile, affordable and practical then chances are it will hang around longer and not become obsolete after one season.

So my point is that you can dip your toe in ‘fashion’ as much as you want to. Simply by avoiding the above contemporary clothes styles doesn’t mean you’re ‘anti-fashion’ which is what some people claim. Certain clients I initially chat to worry that I will dress them in very edgy clothes but that’s untrue and it’s a perception I work hard to change. They say:

” I DON’T REALLY DO FASHION “

But my answer is simple. By dressing yourself every day you automatically take part in fashion, I just want to help you understand what clothes styles will make you look dated, versus modern, versus directional. The choice is yours.

To read more about other ways my styling service is different, click here.

AUTUMN WINTER 2018 TRENDS

Posted May 16th, 2018 & under AW18 Trends, Fashion Tips, Fashion Trends, Personal Shopper.

2018 has been given a modesty makeover.

With female empowerment being on everyone’s lips, this season would be fit for the Queen of England with the demure hemlines, pleats, tweed and tailoring trimmed with grandma’s silk scarves.

There’s still a 70’s undertone that we’ve seen for many seasons now manifested through the rich, earthy palette – think paprika, chestnut & turmeric – with a smattering of fur, crochet & shearling, topped off with animal print patterns.

Colour is still a focal fashion trend so don’t go for black just because the nights are drawing in, but instead play with fun shades to improve your mood! If you want to find out the most flattering shades that you should be buying in to then read about my transformative COLOUR CONSULTANT service.

Here’s the top 10 newest fashion trends for Autumn Winter 18 (click on images to enlarge)

AW18 TRENDS:

1. CHECK MATE

Anyone who’s anyone now has an insta-worthy check blazer but the autumn/winter 18 way to wear this graphic pattern is with the matching bottoms as a full suit. Are you game?

2. ANIMAL PRINT

Not so much a trend but more of a contemporary classic, mix textures head-to-toe whilst covering the body creates a demure new iteration. No trashy connotations here!

3. LEATHER GLOSS

This fabric is both classic and sexy. Dominant, but not restricted to dresses in interesting cuts and most directional with a glossy finish

4. NANA’S SILK SCARF

One of my favorite trends due to how trans-seasonal these pieces are. Looks new because of the mix of colour-ways or solid blocking within the same garment

5. EXAGGERATED TWEED

But this winter it’s in blown-up 80’s proportions!

6. CAPES

Part super-hero, part religious gown, this elegant cover-up is a practical and stylish way to protect yourself from the elements. Perfect over tailored jackets when you can’t fit a coat

7. COSMIC SHINE

Silver. You can choose from a sci-fi slice of the future through to a more wearable coat including everything in between. Silver sequins are also having a moment.

8. HEADWEAR

Maybe hoods are another reincarnation of the athleisure-wear trend or it’s a religious movement, but hoodies, turbans and headwear appeared all over the runways

9. COWBOY BOOTS

Appearing in many guises. Pair with a cape for maximum impact

10. MINI HANDBAG

Not the most convenient trend as not many of them can fit an oversized iphone. Try the kids departments for cheaper alternatives which is what I do, have a look at my INSTAGRAM for shopping inspiration

SYDNEY PERSONAL STYLIST for HAWKINS & CO

Posted March 23rd, 2018 & under Australian high street, Fashion Tips, Online Shopping, Wardrobe Makeover Sydney.

I’ve been lucky enough to be chosen to appear on the fabulous HAWKINS & CO website. They proudly support Australian business with a focus on ‘everyday elegance’ – we couldn’t be more suitably matched!!

They’ve listed my personal styling service under their Sydney stylists as we share similar values in how we dress women in timeless, versatile clothes.

Hawkins & Co showcase many Aussie labels, one of them being PADDO TO PALMY who create beautifully feminine, modern boho styles from natural fibers at affordable prices:

I don’t know if it’s because these pieces bring out my inner Ibiza, or that they’re so effortlessly chic I feel like I could dress in them daily but I just LOVE their range.

Cleverly they create the look of a dress using separates so if like many women, you’re different sizes on top & bottom, then they cater perfectly to your body type needs.

Styling Tips for Trans-Seasonal Dressing

You know me, I want to know that my purchases will go way beyond just this season, so here’s a few wardrobe planner tips to make my Paddo To Palmy edit work in to Autumn and beyond:

TOP & SKIRT:

Create the look of a dress using separates so you can get twice the wear out of them by mix ‘n matching the skirt & top back with the rest of your wardrobe.

This top would look awesome with a slick dark jean & cream blazer.

Pair the skirt with a lightweight knit in navy

UNDERLAYER:

Add a plain fitted white tee with a cute cap sleeve under this pinafore to make it work for chillier temperatures.

To make it work for winter, just add a polo neck & opaques!

GIVE YOURSELF THE BOOT:

This style of dress with a leather knee length boot is a match made in heaven.

Keep the boot elegant and ideally tonal in colour and if you’re cold, pop a cami under & throw round an unexpected knitted scarf or fur gilet.

TOUGHEN UP:

Throw on a leather jacket to give this feminine frock a grittier edge and shield you from the elements

DRESSES WITH SLEEVES:

They’re on trend so they look edgy but they’re also practical, perfect for day and night, just style with different shoes & make-up!

FASHION BLOG AS FEATURED ON MAMA MIA !!

Posted March 13th, 2018 & under Body Shape, Personal Styling Service, Style Makeover Sydney, Stylist Sydney.

Working as a personal stylist in Sydney has made me realise just how much my female clients blame their own bodies when clothes don’t fit well.

However, from my 17 years working as a fashion designer, I know there’s a gazillion reasons (well maybe not that many) but loads of reasons that garments don’t fit our body type as per the size label they claim to be.

…and I know how demoralizing this can be for certain clients.

One of my primary aims as an image consultant is to share my industry insights and to teach clients my stylist tips & fashion advice, hence why I thought a great way to do this is through Mamamia, Australia’s largest independent women’s website, read my article here

I’m SO chuffed they chose to publish my blog post, i’m a huge supporter of women and know that fashion is never just about clothes, it’s about how we feel about what we see in the mirror every day – our personal branding.

Body confidence & clothing are deeply intertwined and I’m on a one-women-mission to make dressing and shopping a more positive experience for Australian women no matter what their shape or size.

Happy reading!!

BODY TYPES : STYLE HACKS

Posted March 8th, 2018 & under Body Shape, Clothes reflecting our personalities, Fashion Tips, Personal Stylist Sydney.

Talking of different female body shapes, i’ve shared a few style hacks linked to body confidence on my instagram so if you’re not following me on ig (where have you been??) then you can see my fashion tips below.

Not only is it our personal style that evolves as we get older, but also what we’re comfortable wearing changes as we question whether it’s still ‘age appropriate’.

Now, working as a personal stylist I would argue that too many people are dictated to about what is ‘age appropriate’ as my mum rocks tight jeans and converse at 67 years old and looks amazing, and I see numerous older women looking chic in outfits that others may feel is a more ‘youthful’ outfit.

Hem Length

However, the subject of hem lengths is one to consider, therefore I have suggested that you can still wear these shorter, lightweight dresses but as tops… and they don’t even need sewing!!!

Many clients still have tunics in their closet from the fashion trend a few years back so these can be re-purposed as tops too which give them a modern day style makeover.

Showing Skin

On the subject of showing skin, recent fashion trends have increased the amount of cut-outs we see in our dresses, jumpsuits & tops. If you feel like you want to show less skin for a daytime look or maybe you’ve just become less body confident, then layer under a fitted white tee to get more wear from it. It suits all different body types and a white tee is an essential that you need in your wardrobe!

Shoulder Robe

I love it when a fashion trend actually works in the real world and shoulder robing is a great one. It’s handy when you want to pop something around your shoulders and you don’t want a scarf, because, let’s face it, they’re a bit dated.

It dresses up the most humble of clothes styles, I feel like I could wear my denim jacket out to somewhere glam if worn over my shoulders.

But the best advantage is that for those of us who are pregnant, fluctuate with their weight or just have a favorite jacket they no longer fit it, then slinging it around your shoulders is the answer! Make sure the shoulder/sleeve seam is anchored on your body so it doesn’t slip off easily and off you go!

Heel Height

I feel like to need to address the topic of stilettos. I’ve had a few female clients that get in to auto pilot and pair everything with a high heel thinking their legs will look longer and slimmer. However, if the heel is chunky, a bad design or finishes at an awkward place on the ankle then they are no more flattering than welly boot!

Fundamentally, the shoe needs to be elegant and suit YOUR LEG SHAPE & PROPORTIONS to add length cue the reason for a professional personal stylist to give you individual advice. You’re better off wearing a lower heel that flatters you more and a style you can walk around in all day long so you look consistently fabulous (the sign of a stylish person), rather than struggle in a stiletto for a few hours – and then change in to your jandles (insert sad face shaking head emoji).