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…
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…
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…
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…
Hi Imogen–I just found your blog recently and I really enjoy it. I have learned some great tips and recently bought a shirt in a style that you recommended. My question is about hosiery. I do not wear hose often but as I am 51 now I am trying to keep “current”. I have read…
I’m an H shape, not waist to speak of, and sometimes I wish I could wear a belt, but they just show off my lack of waist. So what are my options? Option 1 is to wear it low down on my hips rather than at my waist. Preferably with a curved belt that sits…
One of the other elements of choosing a necklace, along with the neckline, is creating harmony with the print or pattern or other design features of the garment it’s sitting next to. From left to right, top to bottom: Snakeskin cardigan with multiple piece coral necklace – two naturally occurring shapes, made of many small…
I was asked by a reader how to choose match necklaces with clothing, so to start, here is a quick guide on how to match necklines and necklaces Necklines that have detail – beading, ruffles, cowls etc, don’t need any extra embellishment, avoid wearing a necklace with them. Lower necklines such as Vs, Scoops, Square,…
December is here, and suddenly I’ve got to think more seriously about the whole present issue. So for yourselves (if you have to fill your own stocking), or for your stylish friends, here are a few ideas for stylish stocking fillers or Chris Kringle presents. Petal Plusheez – Spa Socks After a long day on…
Hi Imogen, A question I’d love for you to tackle in your blog some time if you feel like it: I have an hourglass figure, with big boobs. I look best in necklines that are reasonably low (although not barmaidy!). For example v-necks and deep wrap tops with camisoles underneath are both really flattering. They…
Hi Imogen, I am a regular reader of your blog and simply love your advice and tips! Your blog has helped me transform into a more confident person as far as dressing and accessorizing goes. I had a question for you and needed some advice. I am planning a trip to Hawaii in December and…
While I was in Sydney at the AICI conference, I shared a hotel room with my lovely friend and image consultant colleague Jan from New Zealand. She was kind enough to let me take a happy snap of her outfits (missed a couple of days sorry) to share with you here. This was on Saturday This is…
How to wear leggings seems to be a highly googled question, and what sorts of shoes work with leggings is a hot topic, so here is my 2c on the subject. Here are some ideas: 1.Ankle length (left) – work best with high vamp shoes and sandals, either in a colour that…
I have provided post upon post of style ‘rules’ to follow, but one of the things I always teach my clients is how to break the style rules. Why Follow Style Rules? Why have rules at all? They help those who have no idea or no reference to figure out what works for their body…
This morning my lovely daughter Niamh (4) decided she wanted to wear my great grandmother’s beautiful smocked baby dress (which a: she wouldn’t fit into, and b: is over 100 years old so would perish, so I don’t want her to wear it). So when I said no to that dress, she decided to put…
The other day I received this comment on my post Enjoy the Power and Beauty of Your Youth from an Anonymous commenter: I actually think you are more beautiful now than at 27! I take one day at a time, for it is all we are given. I’m 34, my body will never again be…
After my post on Highlighting Your Assets, some commenters seemed to have trouble working out what their assets are, they’ve spent so long being told about and focussing on their ‘flaws’ but never ‘assets’. I see everything as an asset, and don’t believe in flaws. It’s just that some assets you may want to highlight,…
Recently blogger Embellissiment asked how to choose a watch to go with outfits, and whether watches are ‘jewellery’ or something else. Basically, I think that watches are an accessory but like a shoe, a more basic, every day essential accessory (yes I know that your mobile phone has a clock on it, but a…
Metscan asked about Jan’s attitudes to jewellery and jeans – here is her reply – FYI – in New Zealand, jandals are their word for flip-flops which in Australia we know as thongs! “In respect to jeans and jewellery, I think you have to take care when you with putting the two together , it…
Have you ever heard of the term Visual Grouping (we group like with like to make it easier for our brains to work through all the millions of bits of data it has to contend with second by second)? This principle can help you when deciding on a shoe colour to wear with your skirts…
I’ve had quite a few requests from my lovely readers to do some posts on 50+ dressing, so rather than me do up another polyvore, I thought I’d bring some ‘real life’ 50+ into my blog. Let me introduce you to my gorgeous friend and colleague Jan Fisher – who is an image…
