Frequently, my personal styling clients say to me “I don’t want to look like mutton dressed as lamb!”. It’s a common lament, but what does “Mutton dressed as lamb” really mean anyway? Meaning of Mutton Dressed as Lamb The term “mutton dressed as lamb” has its origins in British slang and has been in use…
A reader asked me if “round adds pounds” why do you say curved hems are more flattering? Aren’t curved hems round and therefore shouldn’t be more slimming than straight ones? So I thought I’d make up this really simple graphic that shows the difference between the two options: a horizontal hem and a curved…
Have you ever stood in front of your wardrobe, puzzled by a garment that combines both warm and cool colours? You’re not alone. This can be particularly challenging when the pattern includes colours like blue and orange or blue and yellow. Here’s a guide to help you navigate these tricky combinations and ensure that your…
I recently read this quote from writer and designer Edith Wharton, the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize, on what causes old age: “The producer of old age is habit: the deathly process of doing the same thing in the same way at the same hour day after day, first from carelessness, then…
One question I get asked a lot after a personal colour analysis and the client now has their palette and signature colours in their hand, is “Who sells my colours and where can I buy them?” Now I’ve got some posts here to help you identify colours that fit your palette when you’re out shopping…
Do you have a colour palette but are not 100% sure how best to use it? Maybe you’ve been looking for individual colours in the palette and trying to match garments and accessories to those exact colours and ignoring anything that doesn’t match exactly? If this is you, then this post is for you, as…
With winter approaching way faster than I’d like, I noticed that puffer jackets were available and they’ve become such a great staple in so many wardrobes because they are both lightweight and warm. That said, because they are puffy and voluminous in their style, they do add visual bulk to your frame, so it’s worth…
What Styles of Tops Suit Your Shape? Depending on your shape there are some differences in the styles of tops that you should look for when shopping (or sewing) for them. I’ve collected a variety of styles for each of the body shapes on these shoppable boards so that you can easily find some great…
Happy World Book Day! Let’s Crack Open a Universe of Style Have you ever stopped to think about the magic a book holds? It’s a portal to countless worlds, a repository of wisdom whispered across centuries, and a wellspring of inspiration waiting to be tapped. As someone who spends a good chunk of my time…
Did you know that back at the turn of the 20th Century there were women known as the Dress Doctors, who taught in universities how to develop your style and create and curate a wardrobe of clothes that you love to wear and that fit, flatter and express your personality, using concepts from the world…
Did you know that (according to recent research) the average woman spends between $1800 – $4000 per year on clothing and accessories yet wears less than half of that? So that’s 50% of your clothing budget wasted. A minimum of $900 per year. Add that up over a few years and it adds up to…
Even if You Love Clothes Like Me, Shopping for More Clothes Isn’t The Answer to Your Wardrobe Woes Have you ever stood in front of your wardrobe, filled to the brim with clothes, yet felt you had absolutely nothing to wear? This paradox is one many of us face, and the intuitive solution seems to…
Do you ever feel limited by your age or height when it comes to fashion? Age and height are just numbers, not fashion sentences. While the fashion industry might skew towards the younger and taller demographic, there’s no rule stating that age dictates your style choices. So, let’s banish the notion that you’re confined to…
With the recent spate of red carpets including the Oscars (and after-party), you may have seen a lot of formal frocks abounding. Which, if you’re like me, are not something I need in my wardrobe as I just don’t have a red-carpet lifestyle. But what the red carpet frocks can tell you about is some…
Have you ever felt like your wardrobe is a puzzle, with pieces that don’t quite fit together? Or perhaps, despite your best efforts, finding clothes that truly complement your unique shape and style feels like a Herculean task? You’re not alone. Like many intelligent, professional and more mature (cough cough) women, I too have faced…
Finding the Perfect Fit: A Guide to Choosing Garments that Embrace Your Style If I had a dollar for every time someone said to me “I wish I could find clothes that fit me”, well I wouldn’t be a millionaire, but I’d have quite a few dollars! So why is it so hard to find…
Fashion trends come and go and there always a plethora of different trends each season. So what are some of the ones you can expect to see in 2024? And which should you indulge in and which to avoid? Well of course that comes down to you, your body, your colouring and of course your…
Beyond Retail Therapy: The Real Journey to Authentic Style Do you often find yourself strolling through the dazzling aisles of boutiques or endlessly scrolling through online shopping websites in search of the perfect outfit or garment, hoping it will magically transform your style? It’s a common tale. As a personal stylist and color and image…
Reader Question: Please could you do a post about choosing shrugs, wraps and pashminas for the different body shapes? My particular problem is being short with an O body type or Apple shape. Should I use longer or shorter shrugs etc. to balance my proportions? Also With pashminas, I tend to wear as a thicker…
How Organised is Your Wardrobe? There are lots of different ways to organise your wardrobe and there is no one right way. But there are a few tips I’m going to share with you here and some examples of one well-organised wardrobe that may inspire you as the seasons change and you do a wardrobe…
Did you know that September celebrates all things Second Hand – via the Oxfam Charity where people pledge to buy only second-hand for the month to reduce waste and to stop your impulse to stock up on the latest season arrivals (which is so easy as change of fashion season is here). With so many…
