




Today is my 6th Blog Birthday – I started this day in 2008, which seems many years ago now, but also only a minute. I’m so lucky to have met a few of you lovely readers over the years, and I’d love to meet more of you (in fact I’m coming to Chicago USA mid-September and I’d love to meet any of my lovely readers who are there then).
What I’d love to know is:
What has been the one post that you’ve read here on Inside Out Style that has made the biggest difference to you and why?

What would you love me to write about in future posts?






Happy Blog Birthday, Imogen!
I don’t think I can narrow my favorite posts down to one, but the lessons I have appreciated the most have been on color. It’s been the thing about clothes selection that has stumped me the most prior to reading your blog.
Understanding how skin tone changes as we age has been so useful. Also, the principle of contrast. .As my hair color fades or I choose a richer tone, I select different items out of my closet that work with my contrast level. It makes a huge difference!
If only I’d had this information decades ago! I hope you know how deeply appreciated you are! You are a real blessing to me and I’m sure, to so many others! Thank you for all the time, hard work, and generosity of yourself you share with us! xx
Thanks for reading Julie! It’s good to know that my information is hitting the spot.
Congratulations on a fantastic blog! I can’t pinpoint the one post that has impacted me the most because I have learned so much from many. I have really enjoyed your videos, especially those with Jill Chivers. The color and body shape/proportion posts are among my favorites. Keep up the good work!!
Thanks Rebecca – Jill and I love making videos together – just a pity we live so far away from each other so we can’t do it too often!
Happy 6th!! I bought your e-book, The Finishing Touch, about a year ago, and I refer to it at least weekly. It is packed with very useful accessorizing tips that really help put an outfit together. I also check your blog at least a couple times a week to read your posts and watch your videos. Even though we are across the world from each other, I consider you my e-friend!
Wow thanks Wilma! Glad that you find my information so useful.
Congratulations, Imogen.
Your fantastic blog is my main resource to educate myself on fashion and personal style. What helps me the most to avoid mistakes are posts on body proportions, properties of prints and levels of refinement. I find it so much easier to shop for clothes and mix and match my pieces these days.
So great that you’re finding the information useful and applicable to your life Linda.
Happy Blogiversary!
I must say the post on visual grouping, that was my personal A-HA! moment, but I also often refer to the post “How to Choose Necklaces to Work with Your Neckline”: just love the visuals. The post on how to coordinate scarf, gloves and hat was also a defining moment. I like that you bring up some very simple and general issues that we face every day when getting ready to go out, but don’t seem to be addressed anywhere else. I hope to continue reading your blog for many sexenniums to come!
Thanks so much! I hope to be writing for many more sexenniums too!
Hi Imogen
Congratulations on maintaining such a successful blog for 6 years. That is a significant achievement! It must be very difficult to come up with something fresh each time. I have been reading your blog for a couple of years now and am very impressed with the breadth of your knowledge. I struggle to keep in my head all of the considerations for my particular figure, colouring and lifestyle so it must be difficult to be able to cover everyone.
As an 8 I have found the body shape information a particular revelation, the ideas around contrast most helpful and of course love your coverage of colour. I am still grappling with proportions and as a short person at 5″2 believe that this is an area with scope for improvement for me.
I am fashion conscious (even tho I am now 56 years old) and suggest that each season you provide practical information identifying new trends (styles and colours), which body shapes they flatter and how to wear them. I know that you do cover these topics already but I guess I am asking for more, perhaps for each new season a post on what’s new for each body shape and/or proportion issue. Also, I am a sewer and some ideas about how to choose fabric to sew would be great. It can be challenging to locate good fabric and then imagine how it will look best sewn, and then find a suitable pattern.
Thank you for your blog which is absolutely one of my favourites. Regards
Thanks Fleur – I really appreciate your comprehensive comments and what you’d like to know about! I will attempt to answer your questions over the coming months!
Congratulations! So glad I found your blog! It is so informative! I love the new season’s “latest colours”. I also am VERY INTERESTED in the body proportions, something I had never come across before. I would like to see, if possible, of course, more ” real women” featured in tthe “body shapes”. Quite happy to be “discussed”, or, used as an example! Being a “young”, older woman, I am very interested in this age group. I would love to see this covered in great detail, maybe as regards to makeup , clothing and jewellery. e.g. When is it “too much”? I do LOVE to wear bling, but, when is it OVERDONE? I hope you enjoy your posts as much as I enjoy reading them!
Send me a photo MaryAnn and I’ll see if I can do something with it on proportions
Thanks, willy certainly do that, thanks. Just about to get on a plane, will sort that out when I get home!
Along with FleurbieB, for me it was discovering I’m not the only figure 8 petite with some years on me.
Posts most useful to me: Figure 8 body shape, changes in coloring as you age (I’m 64), column of color (love that), and third piece (which I’d been doing but hadn’t realized).
Your depth and breadth of knowledge is awesome and inspiring. Thank you thank you thank you.
Thanks so much Laura – let me know if there is anything you’d like me to cover.
Congratulations Imogen!
This is a great blog, and you are so generous in the way you share your ideas and insights. And your positive views on body image and acceptance. Many of your posts have been useful, perhaps the ones about colour, ( which are more detailed and far ranging than on other blogs) and personal style and all the elements that make that up. De cluttering adn pruning wardrobes always useful.
If I have a question it is around knowing which pieces will make a real difference to my wardrobe- most mistakes I make – apart from buying clothes for a fantasy life- are buying ‘sensible” pieces, as in good quality, items that will ” be useful’ but are dull. And realising that it is easier for me to buy tops than bottoms so I have a lot of tops.
Being a Summer ( flowing into spring as my colour person said) I have bought a lot of grey rather than black as a basic. This is fine, but it can be a bit dreary. I like to wear trousers or jeans and the one colour column approach works well as I have a biggish bust and have put on a bit of weight- now an H i think , but then that leaves me with scarves, necklace or earrings rather more of my best colours – deep blue or blue reds or winter white. I haven’t explained this clearly.
But thank you so much for your blog, Imogen. It is always worth reading,. and the archive is a mine of useful information.
Hi Julie, will try and write a post to help – is there anything specific that you’d like to know?
Your posts on alternate day fasting inspired me to try it and I love it!
Glad it’s going well for you Lisa!
Happy Blogversary! I’ve been reading you for years. My favorite posts have been the ones about dressing for your body shape. Very informative and useful especially since I’m middle-aged and in the midst of changing shape. Keep up the great work!
I was the same size and favored the same 40s style for most of my adult life. Then my body changed with menopause from rectangular to what I thought was hourglass, and neither my clothes nor my style still worked. But I just look fat in many of the styles recommended for hourglass figures. Discovering through your blog that I am actually a figure 8 has been incredibly helpful in building a wardrobe that lets me feel happy with my new shape. I also make fewer shopping mistakes now that I know to consider levels of texture and of color contrast. As for future posts : I love before/after stories (especially your own!) and real-life bodies. I also still feel frustrated about my best colors. I am sure that I have cool undertones with a warm surface, especially in the summer when I am tanner. The colors that people say look good on me don’t seem to belong in particular palette (e.g., coral, periwinkle, eggplant, sage green, and dark but not light camel). Maybe some blogs on how to build from colors you think do work? And how to adjust for seasonal changes in one’s own coloring?
Bomm – the reason I don’t use the ‘seasonal palettes’ is that it’s not broad enough to fit in people like you, but I do have a palette that would suit you I’m sure! ANd it would include those colours you’re mentioned. They just don’t exist seasonally. Some people are not extremely warm or cool, but closer to the middle and you may be one of them (I suspect you are just a little warm, not cool, as all the colours you’ve mentioned are warm).
Unfotunately, I live in the States. But even this is helpful!
Happy Anniversary! I’ve loved so many of your posts and find them all so helpful. If I had to choose a favorite, I’d say the ones about figuring out the contrast in our personal coloring and how to dress to compliment it.
Happy 6th! I think I’ve been following you for about 5 years now! The most well-rounded and well-explained style advice on the internet. Other than learning a lot of useful info, I browse your posts and ebooks to relax and unwind 🙂
The single most influential post was by that guest who talked about people complimenting her while she felt her outfits were not ‘her’. That was a revelation. *Many* other favourites, from body shape to personality to colour.
Thanks Olga!
So much helpful information all along but I think the thing that was most enlightening for me was considering levels of refinement.
Congratulations! You deservd to do well. The best post which made a difference to me was.. ‘How to Look Serious or Authoritative when You Have Light and Warm Colouring’ . Hit the spot for me!
The posts of the 8 body shape
Congratulations and a big thank you for all your free help!
What I love is that in the body shapes you also included the I-shape. I hadn’t seen it elsewhere before.
That was very helpful.
I also love the blogs about color very much, and about yin yang.
A big eye opener to me was the fabric of the clothes. When your skin and hair is very smooth other types of fabric will probably look better on you than when you’ve got curly hair and freckles. When you wrote that I suddenly understood why some fabrics look so great on some people and with me it just doesn’t seem to work.
Also I liked very much how you wrote about the color of your hair being somewhat similar to the color of your shoes (or belt), to make the whole look more complete.
What I love about your blog is that you also show pictures of what does not really work, so I can easily see the difference.
You asked to mention one favorite blog post.. I am sorry.. there are too many 🙂
Happy that you have so many favourites Janet!
Congratulations Imogen! Your blog is one of my favorites and has stood the test (while many others I have left off reading).
Your content is excellent on so many helpful topics that I can’t choose a favorite. I especially benefit from your more technical posts such as body texture, personal contrast etc.
I am learning lots and refining my wardrobe and style as I learn more. Thank you so much for your part in it. Please keep up the fabulous job you are doing.
Thanks Annette for reading over the years!~
Congratulations, Imogen, and thank you very much.
Happy B day! To me, the column of colour and nude shoes were the most interesting and easily applicable, while signature colours and proportions were aaahhh. Thank you, keep on doing the great work! Best regards, Jelena
Happy blog-versary!
For me the most helpful posts have been the ones on dressing your body type — I refer back to them all the time — and the one on paralleling your hair/skin contrast with contrasts in your clothing colors.
Thanks AK!
Third piece/hero article, anything yin and yang, somatype article – probably at least 15 articles here have been very educational for moi, but the hero thing really clicked. Just one hero, but not no heroes. Congrats on a great blog achievement.
Future articles: Anything on “Naturals” or level 1 combined 2 dressers dressing for more formal or fancy occasions without looking off, fake, try-hard etc by ending up in a “fancy” style zone that just does not suit them.
Footwear for Naturals that aren’t Chucks or jandals (flip-flops). Or hiking boots. But similarly nonrestrictive – no pointy toes/squashed feet.
Hair hell – tips from a hairdresser you know? Don’t be afraid to buy a conditioning treatment?
Jewellery – what if it really doesn’t suit you unless it’s on your fingers? That’s ok, right?
I watched a documentary the other day called “The September issue” about Anna Wintour and fashion world. I found it interesting to see that everyone looked rumpled, the various fashion people, except for Anna, not a crease anywhere, and a couple of rather smooth looking men. Other than that, the gurus of Vogue looked as baggy and saggy in their clothes as anyone else. I saw hair both dry and immense and thin and ratty.
Thanks Kate – can I ask you what you mean about the jewellery? You can only wear rings? Or you personally don’t like any other jewellery than rings?
That’s a good question. It’s possible I don’t like necklaces and so don’t like the way they look on me. Hadn’t thought of it like that….I’ve tended to think if I could find the right one, but it’s possible I’m just not a necklace person. That is quite possibly the case and I’ve got stuck thinking about finishing the look being confined to rings/bracelets/necklaces/earrings – of which I only enjoy and feel comfortable wearing rings.
I might have to think about which accessories I actually like and focus on those, rather than thinking I’m doing it wrong by failing the necklaces and earrings portion of the equation.
Good question! Thank you!
Not everyone has to wear a necklace! Maybe scarves or more your thing? Or just finding tops with interesting necklines
Dear Imogen, congratulations and a big THANK YOU for your excellent blog! I found it about two years ago when I was looking for some suitable colours for me. Therefore, your posts about hue, value and intensity were exactly for me. Your posts about colour inspiration from landscape or nature were also great. Next, you explain everything so clearly, so simply, you not only write the rules, but also explain WHY they work that way, that everything is related to our own colour, body shape, face proportions etc.
Some ideas for future:
I have started to wear knee-length skirts and dresses much more, but here in Europe, cold autumn is approaching, so more solid shoes are necessary. Have you any suggestions for styling warmer flat/low heel shoes (chelsea boots?) with short skirt? (at present my style is “practical mum” 🙂 Is hosiery the only warm solution or can something else also be used??
Next, I have found an article about more ways how to combine colours, they call it Split Complementary and Double Complementary. There is also written how to combine warm and cool, bright and dull and light and dark colours. What do you think about it?: http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_c/c-316.html
Last, but not least idea: please, please, come to Europe – anytime, anywhere!! 🙂
PS out of topic – by chance I found this lady on YouTube with how-to make-up videos, she is very kind and reminds me a bit of you in her approach, she even has videos about make-up for mature skin, first date make-up, meeting the ex make-up etc. For anyone interested: https://www.youtube.com/user/lisaeldridgedotcom
Sorry for such a long answer to two simple questions, wish you all the best! 🙂 linda
Hi LInda,
I’ve not gone into split complementarys and double split complementaries because on people, it tends to look like too much colour all at once. Though they are good combinations to use when choosing colours to create a pattern.
As far as the cool/warm combinations, they are talking about overtones of warmth and coolness, not undertones – so combining warm orange with turquoise blue – as an example – but turquoise blue is a warm version of blue, so they will naturally work well together. COmbining colours with opposite undertones just doesn’t work. Yes when you see a garden it will be full of different colours and intensities, but it’s a large area, the human body is a small area, so we have to be much more careful when combining colours on it!
Hello..
I rarely post comments, but am a long-time follower of this blog 🙂 It’s difficult to pinpoint one particular blog post, although I (too) am extremely grateful for Rosina sharing her style journey. For me, what’s been especially useful is the concept/principle of repetition. It has told me a great deal about myself, body and mind alike, things I didn’t see (clearly) before. And since repetition seems never-ending, it’d be impossible for it to fit into one single post. The multitude of ways to relate and connect myself – body and personality – to what I wear continues to amaze me. I’ve even begun to find that whenever I (happen to) succeed I feel a sense of wholeness about myself that transcends insecurities about isolated parts of either personality or body because it showcases them as just that – parts; not the big picture.
Small things brought to attention make a huge difference combined. To the benefit of my over-all well being. There are things I realize that I don’t like, but I find out faster and let them go easier now – and if I hadn’t tried them out to begin with, I would have never known (and would lack information and experience that I now actively use). Often enough when I break it down, I find that I like some things about a ‘problematic’ piece of clothing, but not others. Being able to do this is very helpful.
Instead of building on and evolving a personal truth, as a woman it’s all too easy to pass up and by inner sense of self and truth and fall into the ‘objectify—>judge-pit’ of a skewed, biased rationality based nearly exclusively on an arbitrary ‘not-me’. Long before asking if it even MAKES SENSE to do so. Luckily it’s not too late to figure things out – and together we possess a rather magnificent diversity of figures. Figures that we need to get to know; personality wouldn’t exist without the body and neither is the brain separate from the body: ‘the brain’ is, basically, a feed-back loop of feed-back loops and the body is a data stream continuously feeding information. And speaking of brains.. objectivity in and of itself has no direction or meaning, it’s simply a very useful tool that needs the guidance of subjectivity to have a purpose (any purpose); values provide sensible, worthy ends and rationality provide useful, efficient means. In the best of worlds, at least.. 🙂 Nevertheless, in order to truly make responsible choices for our actions, we need to get to know ourselves and communicate as whole human beings. Communication is key b/c we can’t do it on our own, extremely few people are solitary enough to achieve anything entirely by themselves (leaders evidently aren’t isolated – not even us Introverts are very isolated, haha, especially not since many Introverts are leaders). IME, so far, and with the help of a substantial amount of theories, ideas and discussions..
So.. Thank you, sorry about the rant, keep up the awesome work – and Happy Blogiversary!!
Happy blogiversary Imogen, i am a relative new reader over the last couple of years but wow so glad I found your blog.
Hard to choose my favoutie post, I enjoyed the posts on real body shapes, necklines and necklace styles to go with necklines, pattern mixing and choosing a pattern for your age group, I found interesting and enlightening. I loved your posts on changing hair colours and your breast reduction.
As the seasons change and trends Change I would like to know what to look out for for my shape, and what to avoid in the current trends.
Once again I love your blog and enjoy reading comments from other readers.
Happy 6th Blog anniversary, Imogen! Your post on the H body shape, how to dress a short mid body and the column of colour have influenced my dressing the most, as I am a short H gal.
There are so many other posts that have been useful to me, on colour, the science of accessorising and combining tricky items. I like how you explain concepts eg proportion.
I’m still enjoying shopping my wardrobe and my winter outfits this year look slightly different from those of last years, with just a few new key pieces. You advice is succinct and very user friendly, and the polyvore images are a quick visual aid to your lessons. Thanks so much for the best personal style blog in the internet. I also love your new lighter look, in your beautiful clear colours.
Thanks for sharing YummyMummy – glad that you find these posts useful.
I am so happy that I found your blog I have learned so much from your posts. The information you hav for v-shape bodies was eye opening! I never would have tried raglan tops, but I now love them and they truly flatter my brood shoulders. When I shop I feel more confident that I am tuned in to what flatters my shape, proportions, coloring and personality. Because you want us to explore our personality and what our lives look like today, it’s easier to shop for items I’ll actually wear daily. Favorite post: style puzzle. Also the magic of nude shoes to make your legs look longer. Thank you! When will you be in Chicago? I live in Michigan and might need to take a road trip.
Thanks Katie – I love getting feedback like this! I’m in Chicago 13 – 18 Sept!
Congratulations Imogen!
I’m a dedicated reader of your blog and I think I am following you for more than 5 years.
Nearly all of your posts are very inspiring for me but it hit me when I read about posts on body shapes, accessorizing tips, face shapes and technical facts on clothing.
Please keep on as your are!
You are awesome 🙂
xx
The basics – but I think in some ways the idea of categorizing the type of figure on patterns was the newes to me.