Reader Nicole asks: I love your website and hope to visit often. Could I presume on my very brief acquaintanceship to ask the question that I’ve been wrestling with? I’ve been told that pant creases are a bit nerdy these days, is that true? I’ve always thought that the creases made me look taller and…
Patterned tights have been in fashion for some years now. Large patterns and sparse patterns make your legs appear curvier and heavier. Dense curved patterns can be more slimming and elongating. Geometric patterns like fishnets will emphasise curves so large fishnets will make your legs appear curvier whilst smaller dense ones will not draw attention…
I’m really pleased to announce that I’m a speaker at the AICI (Association of Image Consultants International) South East Asia Conference on 24/25 September. The conference is in Manila, Phillipines, and I will be presenting at the conference. Early bird registrations close 20 August, so book your seat now and I’d love to meet you…
“How did I end up frumpy?” This is a lament that I hear from women of a certain age who feel they’ve lost their style mojo and they’re not sure when and where they lost it. It tends to creep up on us, as we get older we tend to have less time to go…
Patent leather can’t be polished up in the same way with shoe polish that regular leather works with, so how do you remove scuff marks? Soap and water can get some marks off. One thing you could try is to put some some non-acetone nail polish remove on a cotton pad and wipe over the…
If you’re like me and like to wear a cardi when it’s a little nippy, how to choose one to flatter your figure? How to Choose a Flattering Cardigan Clockwise from top left The stripy cardigan is great for I shapes, the wide stripes will add curves as will the pocket detail which will add…
Yesterday I was talking to a friend who I’ve known since I was 16 and she commented that back then she was jealous of my super cool trendy hairdo I had back then (it was an asymmetrical style very 1984), and it’s funny that I never saw myself as either cool or trendy back then.…
Do you have a favourite colour? Do different colours make you feel differently? Put you in different moods? Give you energy? Drain you? Introduction to Colour Psychology How we react to colours comes from a variety of sources, the natural world, our culture and even semantics. Nature is hugely influential in how we perceive and…
Colour is so important to us. One of the reasons humans have evolved into such a successful species is our ability to distinguish lots of different colours. Many animals cannot see red tones, so in a jungle, a tiger doesn’t look orange to it’s prey, it looks browny-green, thus easily blending into the landscape, but…
One item I never leave home without when travelling is a pair of ear plugs. When I’m on an airplane the ear plugs cut down on the engine noise which makes for a much more relaxing trip, they also cut down on the crying child in the row behind you (yep I’ve been that mother…
On Wednesday I was in the car listening to ABC Radio National’s Life Matters program and the topic was bad shoes and the women who wear them, and again on Friday the program covered why women wear heels and what it does to our feet. Given that every podiatrist in the world would tell you…
I have to wear office-appropriate but warehouse-safe shoes, so I have close-toed brown slip-on flats. Even with my longest pants, if I sit down and cross my legs my socks show. I’ve long since moved to black ankle socks (as opposed to the white socks that were long enough that I folded them over from…
With my kids being school and pre-school age, I get to spend a bit of time at the school gates and see how the other mums (moms) dress. Yes I know when you’ve got kids your life changes and it’s not so much about you anymore. Your focus becomes your kids, you end up being…
A reader asked if I could write a post on when and how to wear necklaces. Well, I think when – anytime, all the time, whenever you want! So how is another question. How to Choose Jewellery to Suit Your Personality Style Some tips. Really long necklaces look best on those with a small bust,…
“Do you think certain body types/faces look better in certain styles of clothes – and what I mean here is either casual, classic, sporty, etc.I have an X shape (hourglass) and with it being spring going into summer here in Canada, everyone wears t-shirts and capris/shorts a lot, but I find I look dumpy/matronly in…
After the post I did on What To Wear to Look Smart in a Casual Environment the other day I received some interesting comments, one of which, that I loved was from Duchesse: Anonymous: Be your beautiful, well-dressed self! Let them look, they might learn something. As Marianne Williamson says, Your playing small does not…
A little off topic today, but just to let you know, we got the first lot of pathology back on my son’s tumor and it was benign and they got it all, so that’s a relief. Life is precious, so is health. It’s important to embrace life, and do what you can to keep those…
Paola wrote to me an asked: I’ve been reading your blog for a little while now – I really enjoy your writing and your tips. I have a suggestion for a post about a style question that leaves me a bit flummoxed. I am a mother of two kids, live in a rural area on…
This week something happened that I hoped might happened, I just didn’t expect it in my lifetime, we got our first woman Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. It’s interesting to have watched her image change over the past few years. Women in politics are often criticised for their appearance (men are too, but not so viciously),…
After having spent years travelling for work (previous life) plus having spent time travelling for pleasure, one essential item I take no matter what the weather is a pair of socks. Even if it’s mid-summer, and all I’m wearing are sandals or thongs, I always take a pair of socks that I can put on…
I’ve had requests about ideas for capsule wardrobes, here are some ideas that I used in a travel capsule. I spent my Saturday afternoon helping one of my lovely clients pack for her trip to Europe this week. She is spending a week in Berlin at a conference which will have both day and evening…
