I bought my first pair of brogues back in the late 1980s, they were the fashion trend at the time – but with a long pointy toe (not quite a winklepicker but heading that way). My next pair arrived into my life in the early 1990s, a rounded toe, and traditional decorative perforations. A third…
When the temperature soars or the humidity is high, being both stylish and comfortable can become really tricky, particularly if your body shape doesn’t suit the wafty, floaty, waistless styles of clothing that end up the most comfortable in the heat. So what kinds of tops work when it’s hot, when a waisted style is…
How to lighten up a colourful, but medium to dark wardrobe for low/medium contrast value. Help Please! If you have overall lighter colouring but you’ve got an overall darker wardrobe, and realise that to look your best you need to lighten up your outfits – but you only have a medium value contrast –…
The eternal question that I get asked repeatedly, is how to make your outfits stylish, but still relaxed enough to suit your casual environment? And now let’s add another ingredient to this mix – that not everyone likes wearing jeans – so what to wear instead so you don’t look either over-dressed or sloppy and unstylish?…
Got some events or weddings coming up and you don’t want to spend a fortune on outfits? Why not think about wearing one base outfit and then changing up elements of the outfit to dress it up or down, depending on the style and formality of the event you’re attending. What You Need to Wear…
When thinking about putting together an outfit once you’ve got the basics sorted (find out more about my Outfit Formula and choosing the best neutral basics for you) you may want a uniting or linking piece that ties other elements of it together This may be a garment or accessory that contains elements such as…
I’m guessing that most of you who regularly read (or even just happen across) Inside Out Style, are looking for ways to improve your style. You’re in luck – as there are masses of resources here – thousands of blog posts written over the past decade, as well as programs that are designed specifically to…
In this podcast episode, Jill Chivers of Shop Your Wardrobe 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…
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 while back I created my outfit formula to help you think about the different elements you need in an outfit. There is no single formula that works for everyone (such as a dark , a light, colour and a print which I’ve seen claimed as the ultimate outfit formula that works for everyone) as…
After over 14 years of spending time in the wardrobes of women from all around the world, of different ages and occupations, the common theme I’ve discovered is that the very best wardrobes of the women who are most stylish are built over time. One shopping trip will not get you the wardrobe of your…
How can you help others hear your message and be taken seriously in the workplace when the traditional business colours (dark cool neutrals in a high contrast with a light top) don’t suit you, either because your overall ideal value is light and dark colours look heavy, or you are high colour contrast and you…
How to figure out your body type if you have a significant difference from the usual features. For example, I have very, very broad shoulders, a slight waist, medium hips from the front and a protruding bottom. If I do a body calculator, I come out as a pear or a ruler. I am neither.…
One of the questions that came up on my Inside Out Style Lounge Facebook group was how to add interest to your summer outfits when it’s too hot for layers. Many women find cooler weather dressing much easier than hot weather, as they can add layers easily for that “third piece” element. So what to wear…
Have you ever thought about whether you are a hunter or a gatherer when it comes to your shopping style? In this podcast episode (yes it was a very fuzzy video), Jill Chivers of Shop Your Wardrobe and I discuss how the concept of hunting and gathering from ancient times is still an applicable idea…
Prints: I find I usually default to solids because there seems to be an overwhelming amount of considerations with a print (color and value contrasts, size, modernity, age appropriateness, straight/curved lines, connected or individual pattern…). For example: sizewise -flower prints generally look like I’m lost in the garden, but would calico be twee? I find…
I hate shopping now. I used to be a “good enough” buyer and now I know what I want and can’t find it. I’m not sure if I’m being too picky or not allocating enough time or not going to the right stores, but I’m frustrated at having needs I can’t fulfil. For example, I…
Inside Out Style Reader Question Online shopping tips, please! How to get a good enough match with the colour in the palette from Imogen as each of the colours in the swatch has their own names; can I use it for online shopping? This is a tricky one – sadly there is not a fabulous answer…
Let me tell you why I don’t drink coffee or tea… Whenever I tell someone that I don’t drink coffee (or tea) the reaction I get most of the time is “Oh, you’re good!” as if it’s because I’m more virtuous than they are. It’s just that I’ve discovered that caffeine doesn’t agree with me…
What is your process for morphing your style rules change – such as body shape, colouring or lifestyle changes that happen to us all over time? Change happens to us all and how we deal with it is something can be tricky for many of us. In this video with Jill Chivers of Shop Your…
Answering readers questions about our process of thinking about what to wear each day, from the colours and how they impact, to our processes for choosing an outfit which we shared here and here, Jill Chivers of Shop Your Wardrobe and I have been asked to answer the question of how do you know when…
