As I discussed here when I explained how lines work, body shape tells us: Where to put the verticals Where to put the horizontals to balance, broaden or highlight Where to place detail Where to keep boring/dull/plain/no detail That’s it! So let’s look at the A Shape (commonly called the pear shape or triangle shape)…
By Ms MakeItOver Bernadette Lis The new scarf jewelry findings are great and a lot of fun! (They bring order to my disorderly folding!) I have only experimented with the “center tube” type and not the beads yet. Since they came as a trio in the package, I decided to keep one intact so that…
Have you ever thought about what your skirt length says? Many women have skirts in their wardrobes that end at unflattering lengths for them. It’s commonly because the skirt is made for someone with longer legs than they have (particularly for the short legged and petite). The other common reason is the skirt is from…
The amazing and lovely Brenda Kinsel wrote in her book Brenda Kinsel’s Fashion Makeover: 30 Days to Diva Style! all about the value of the “beauty bundle” as she calls it. These are bundles of accessories that are in a similar colour that can be worn together to make a neutral outfit more exciting, or…
Recently I was invited to attend an open house viewing at the request of The Home Journal of a recent renovation that is featured in this months Inside Out magazine. Now I love getting to peek inside other people’s houses, and when that house includes a walk in wardrobe that I can share with you…
By Bernadette Lis – Ms MakeItOver Necklaces which are too short or too long can be fixed with a pair of pliers and a few “jump rings” (you can also use the same findings which came with the necklace). Necklace extenders for too short chains can be found at craft stores or you can add…
How do you go about choosing or buying heroes for your wardrobe? I’m fine with the supporting cast, but worry about making an expensive mistake with something as visible as a hero. I tend to stick with using accessories for interest, but would love to splash out on something fab for the wardrobe. This question…
By Bernadette Lis – Our Resident Ms MakeItOver Scared of your own jewelry? That sounds a little ridiculous but if you think about it, sometimes I think we treat our little baubles and beads as if they were priceless museum artifacts! (If yours are, please post the pictures; we’d love to see them!) Now, I’m…
I was recently asked by a lovely reader if I can share my tips on scarf wearing when you have a larger bust. So I’ve made a short video to tell you my tips. Don’t forget to check out these other posts that show more ideas and tips for scarf tying. The Easy Way to…
Given the number of people who contact me asking about identifying their body shape (if you’re not sure what body shape you have, do the Body Shape Quiz to find out!), it’s obviously something that is considered to be an important factor in the whole “finding flattering clothing” issue that many women face. I’m…
I’ve been working as an image consultant (personal stylist) for well over a decade now and I realised in my training that personality would be an important factor in dressing, but probably not the full extent to how important it is when choosing clothes to flatter a client (or for yourself). Like many of you,…
Recently I received two requests for posts on issues surrounding trouser fit and flattery asking about issues such as knock knees and thick calves. Given my post on which pants suit your body shape I’m now going to go into these body variations. Knock knees (where the knees have an inward curve and then the…
There are so many ways to style a plain or lightly patterned skirt in a neutral colour and it works for so many occasions. You may remember I mention wardrobe workhorses in this post about the 5 questions you must ask yourself before you next buy any clothes. This skirt qualifies as a wardrobe workhorse…
So when I’m talking pants here I’m not talking about your underpants (panties or knickers, whatever you call them). I’m talking the best shape of trousers for your body shape! Best Shape of Trousers for Your Body Shape I shape You are straight and may describe your shape as boyish, so create some curves with…
Last night I attended the launch of a new clothing exchange boutique – Penny Lane, which is the brainchild of one of my former image consulting students Peta Stephenson. Located on Sydney Road in Brunswick (number 145 to be exact) Penny Lane Clothing Exchange is a little different from many consignment stores. Instead of…
Imogen, Do you have any advice on styling a man-tailored shirt with jeans? Especially for us short waisted types, even shaped shirts can look sloppy and boxy. I’ve tried belting them but I don’t really know how to do it so that it looks good. I don’t want to give up , because I love…
Your outfit doesn’t have to be complicated to be stylish. This is one of my current favourite combinations. I don’t wear it exactly the same every time, but it’s an easy outfit to wear. I love the loose nature of this top, so easy to wear and it hides my tummy. How to Mix Patterns…
Before you buy any piece of clothing there are some questions you need to ask yourself to ensure that what you buy becomes a wardrobe workhorse. Will it work for more than one season? Some garments are for mid-summer or deep winter only, they may need to be in your wardrobe, but you don’t want…
You often hear the term “Shop your wardrobe” or “shop your closet” and that’s great, but for many, they have no idea how to actually do this. There are two stages you need to work through to be able to do it successfully. 1. Organise Your Wardrobe The first is to organise your wardrobe so…
This post is written by one of my fabulous 7 Steps to Style members Bernadette Lis who has lots of experience dying her clothes. ALL warm ladies should keep a bottle of Rit Golden Yellow liquid dye and all cool ladies should keep a bottle of Rit Pearl Grey liquid dye within the house to…
I recently wrote a post on creating a summer wardrobe capsule using the column of colour concept (which helps you look taller and slimmer) for summer. And I know that even though the northern hemisphere is coming out of winter and heading towards summer, we in the southern hemisphere are sadly saying goodbye to summer…
