When I work with clients, one of the first things I aim to understand is why their clothes aren’t working for them. Often, their struggles with style stem from deep-seated attitudes toward clothing—beliefs they may never have consciously examined. Have you ever wondered why you gravitate toward certain shopping habits? Or why you feel uncomfortable…
I was alerted to this study done at the University of Yorkby one of my lovely blog readers. Apparently some scientists have found that horizontal stripes are slimming and verticals are fattening. This is true, but horizontal stripes can also be fattening and verticals slimming, the study is flawed. The participants were asked to look…
How do you dress in a minimalistic fashion, without being boring – Une Femme has some brilliant ideas. How do you like your style to be described? What would you rather people don’t call you? Audi at Fashion for Nerds lets you in on hers. From Retro Chick comes some great ways to update your…
I received this request from Rock the Silver about what to wear to look smart, but still be casual and comfortable in a hot environment like Texas, where she lives. I live in a hot climate (Texas) and am looking for casual day time outfits that are a step up from running shorts and t-shirts.…
Hi Imogen, I love your website but am using it to gain confidence with choosing clothes that suit my shape. I need your help and ideas for an outfit. I am a forty eight year old, X shape, bra 12F and I am going to a Powder finger concert with my children aged 19 and…
Stefanie Johnson While many see no downside to being beautiful, a professor at the University of Colorado Denver Business School says attractive women face discrimination when it comes to landing certain kinds of jobs. In a study released in the May/June Journal of Social Psychology, Stefanie Johnson, assistant professor of management at UC Denver Business…
Following on from yesterday’s post on Mad Men style and body shapes. There were some comments on the dislike of the patterns that Peggy wears. So it got me to think about why each character wears the prints and patterns chosen for them. Peggy – she’s a woman in a man’s world. She wears checks…
I’ve finally got into the Mad Men rage, it’s not big here in Australia but as Deja Pseu and others have all talked about it being a great show, I decided to get it on DVD and watch – I’m now up to Series 3 and loving it! Recently I was emailed by a reader…
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…
“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.…
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…
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),…
