I turned 50 last year and it makes you think about how to look good during difficult (menopausal) changes in your life. I’m always trying to avoid looking “frumpy” and still looking modern but without buying the latest trends. I want to keep to my style recipe and what suits me. It’s difficult! All your…
Shopping for clothes is often a fraught experience for many women. It can be so hard to go shopping and actually find the clothes you want, the clothes that fit, the clothes in colours you love and that flatter you, and the clothes that express your personality. It’s a big ask really when you think…
In interior decorating, there is a concept of the 60/30/10 rule – that is percentages of different colours to use in a decorating scheme. 60% + 30% + 10 % proportion formula is considered to be a timeless decorating rule that can be used to mix different colours in a balanced way in a room.…
Do you want to make your outfits more creative or dramatic, or a combination of both? Blake Lively has what I’d describe as a Creative/Dramatic style (a touch of Relaxed, Feminine and Elegant Chic thrown in too). What does she wear and how does she put her style together? Let’s break it down so you…
What do you do with the clothes that you’ve worn once that don’t need washing but you want to know that they have been worn so that the next time you wear them they will end up in the wash? Sometimes you’ve only worn the item for a couple of hours and it really doesn’t…
Dear Imogen, I would appreciate advice of some sort, if possible 🙂 I have a dramatic personality, I love striking colours – but I have a soft, muted, low contrast, slightly warm colouring (“Intriguing”). Is there a way how to express my inner me in spite of this antagonism? Thank you very much, you are…
The 2019 Oscars have just happened and I was saddened at the choice of many of the frocks, I mean when you’ve got the money and the stylists and the access to amazing designers – why, why, why were there so many misses on the red carpet this year? Way too many of them resembled the…
Shopping mistakes around clothing are so common. Why? For a myriad of reasons that may include: Feeling the need to purchase to make the salesperson happy or not feel like you’ve wasted their time Feeling the need to purchase so that you justify your time and effort spent shopping (that hunter/gatherer instinct in us) The…
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…
I have found at 52 I no longer like the way prints look on me. Printed tops were once a significant part of my wardrobe, but as my hair and colouring have cooled they now overwhelm me. Can you explore the types of style changes one may need to make? What are the changed I…
As I’ve discussed before here, understanding how your personality impacts on your clothing and style choices (and how it’s way more important than body shape in so many ways), The personality dressing style that is used the most these days (with the casualisation of the work dress code) and with most of us also having…
Jill Chivers of 16 Style Types and I were asked to discuss how your body shape may change over your lifetime. We’ve discussed in the past how your colouring may change here. Considering transitions such as pregnancy, menopause and even just weight gain and loss. Will you shape stay the same or change? Body…
Jill Chivers of 16 Style Types and I were asked to share our personal strategies for replacing items in the wardrobe – particularly those wardrobe workhorses that wear out and need to be replaced. Replacing Items in Your Wardrobe 1. Can You Get an Exact Replacement? If it’s a particular cut/style/brand – can you…
Dear Imogen, I am a big fan of your contrast series. I had never known about this concept before, and often kept myself wondering why some particular outfit felt off to me – but couldn’t quite put my finger on it. It all really boiled down to contrast levels! I am amazed that so few…
Looking for some unique gifts for loved ones? Then Etsy is definitely the place to go to find a myriad of items that they will love. I’ve spent some time trawling through it and found some fabulous ideas for Christmas gifts. For Around the House Unique handmade glass splat wall clock Recycled wood hanging display…
I’ve written posts on the fashion lifecycle – fads – trends and classics, and also the expected lifespan of different fabrics and clothing. And whilst doing research on these topics, I stumbled over research on how long people actually keep their clothes – and thought it was quite fascinating and wanted to share some salient…
Recently I discovered the lovely and talented Meredith Hoult who is a jewellery designer and maker of gorgeous handcrafted silver and anodised aluminium jewellery in Melbourne. Given my love of jewellery (it’s such a brilliant accessory to draw attention to your face) I picked up a few pairs of her earrings in different colours and…
How do you know when you’ve hit your happy point on your style journey? Is it the same for everyone? Once you’ve hit your happy point, where do you go from there? What do you do on a regular basis to keep yourself up to date? This is the question Jill Chivers of 16 Style…
One question that popped up for me (and is something I’m asked about) when I wrote about the expected fashion lifespan of your wardrobe staples here, is how long can you expect a garment to really last – as far as it still looking good and wearing well – how long will your clothes really…
I have a question, that perhaps others ponder too: What is the “life expectancy” of various clothing items from a fashion point of view? (not considering washing and sun and piling and wear and tear). I am asking because it would help me and possibly others to find a balance in how many items I…
When you’re thinking about how to flatter your body and enhance it in a way that makes you happy, there are a few ‘tricks of the trade’ that make it easier to decide what to wear (and what to avoid when you’re shopping so you don’t keep making expensive mistakes). How does the magician create…
