Do you ever find yourself drawn to bold, eye-catching pieces, only to struggle with how to make them work together in an outfit? You’re not alone! Many of us love a statement piece—what I like to call a “hero” piece—but the question remains: how to style statement pieces in a way that feels cohesive? The…
In this podcast episode, Jill Chivers of 16 Style Types and I discuss how solid garments can still be classed as heroes. Not all statement (hero) items are prints, so what other elements of garments can be heroes and how can you tell the difference between a hero print and an interest print. Which Kind of…
Your style challenge for the weekend is to wear a hero garment or accessory. What is a Hero Garment? What’s a hero? Well it’s a statement piece. A hero makes your plain outfit more interesting and exciting. It can be built into the garment (such as a pattern) or can be added (like a statement…
How do you go about choosing or buying heroes for your wardrobe? I’m fine with the supporting cast, but worry about making an expensive mistake with something as visible as a hero. I tend to stick with using accessories for interest, but would love to splash out on something fab for the wardrobe. This question…
In this podcast episode, Jill Chivers of 16 Style Types and I discuss how solid garments can still be classed as heroes. Not all statement (hero) items are prints, so what other elements of garments can be heroes and how can you tell the difference between a hero print and an interest print. Which Kind of…
How to create a working wardrobe and get the right balance between basics and heroes? Whether those heroes are patterns or items in bold colours or textures that make their own statement it’s worth identifying the right balance or ratio for your wardrobe. This is the topic of discussion I had with Jill Chivers of…
One of the easiest ways to plan a wardrobe capsule is to take a multi-coloured patterned hero garment and use the colours in it as inspiration for your colour scheme. I have a real life example of one such capsule in this post about how to pack 72 outfits into carry on luggage where my…
Putting together a stylish outfit everyday doesn’t have to be tricky. In fact I’ve come up with a simple formula that you can use over and over for all different kinds of outfits. When choosing clothes for an outfit you will want to take into consideration things like: Level of Refinement Principle of Volume Body…
Do you struggle to put stylish outfits together? You can still join my Outfit Masterclass Integration Week Challenge – which runs this week 17 – 21 July and learn even more tips on putting outfits together – find out more and join here. If so you are not alone! In fact, in this video I’m…
No, this is not a movie plot, but a good way of working out what you should wear. With every good movie there is always a hero (this is the non-sexist, all inclusive version of hero, that includes heroines), there is always a Villain, and to make the story cohesive and understandable, some Supporting Acts.…
You often hear the term “Shop your wardrobe” or “shop your closet” and that’s great, but for many, they have no idea how to actually do this. There are two stages you need to work through to be able to do it successfully. 1. Organise Your Wardrobe The first is to organise your wardrobe so…
You know that adding a hero garment (statement item) to your outfit always makes it more exciting. Hero garments are frequently patterns, but what if you don’t like prints – how do you add heroes in solid colours that still have that impace? Find out more on the accompanying blog post here: Can There Be…
Now that you have your wardrobe basics sorted out (the first element of my outfit formula), it’s time to add in interest pieces. What’s an Interest Piece? An interest piece is a garment or accessory that has some interest or detail, such as: Colour Pattern Noticeable texture Sheen or shine elements Unusual or interesting construction…
A reader wrote to me and said, “My question is, how do I build a wardrobe of outfits instead of just basics?” And I love this question because it gets to the heart of why so many intelligent, capable women open their wardrobes and think, I have plenty of clothes, so why do I feel like…
There is so much out here on the internet about wardrobe capsules. When I started writing about them six years ago, it wasn’t something that people talked much about. Now, they are everywhere and there are hundreds (if not thousands) of blog posts giving advice on how to create your ideal capsule. But what I…
Necklaces are great ways to create focal points. They draw attention upwards and can add a desired level of contrast, interest and detail to your “communication centre” (that’s a fancy way of saying your face!). Why do I love necklaces so much? Well they can make you look instantly more stylish. They can add interest…
In this podcast with Jill Chivers of 16 Style Types we discuss strategies to building a wardrobe – whether you’re a new graduate from university and need to build a work wardrobe, you’ve moved industries and the dress code is different, or you’ve gone from the workforce to either bring up your kids or retire,…
Sheer garments are lovely and light and can add a feminine or elegant element to your outfit. Assuming you’re not a Hollywood Starlet (or catwalk model) looking to get your picture in the news, the question often is, what to wear under them? How do you choose the right underlayer for your sheer garments? There…
How much do you want your style to blend in or stand out? Do you want to be the focus of attention or to disappear into the background? Jill Chivers of 16 Style Types and I discuss this in the video. Watch the Video on Blending in or Standing out with your Style This is…
Are you tired of staring at your closet full of clothes and feeling like you have nothing to wear? Or maybe you’re just overwhelmed by the idea of putting together stylish outfits every day. Well, fear not! Developing a core capsule wardrobe could be the solution you’ve been searching for. So, how can you create…
A few people recently have commented to me that they feel bored with their style. They like what they wear, they think it flatters them (and follows their guidelines) but they feel bored. So why has boredom crept in? I think there can be a few reasons (and the answer may require some soul searching).…
