What are the key wardrobe basics I need? Type this question into Google and you’ll get the same answer fifty times over: a white shirt, dark jeans, a trench coat, a little black dress, nude heels. Pin it, buy it, you’re sorted. Except you’re not, because that list was written for nobody in particular. It…
Do You Actually Suit Prints? (It’s Not a Matter of Taste — It’s a Matter of Physics) “I find prints tricky, I’m not sure about finding my preferred shapes and colours when trends don’t necessarily reflect them. My daughter says I should just wear solid colours and neutrals, but I like some prints,” wrote a…
A delightful reader wrote to me with this query: “I can’t believe that it’s now been about 10 years since I started reading the blog and taking all of the programs and masterclasses, and I would still say that it’s some of the best money I’ve ever spent! “I turned 60 in March, and maybe…
You’ve probably experienced this without quite naming it. You put on an outfit that’s perfectly “fine” – good fit, flattering colour, nothing technically wrong – and yet it feels a little flat. Then, on another day, you wear something with just a hint of sheen… and suddenly everything feels more elevated. Not overdressed. Not flashy.…
I have been asked this question so many times I could answer it in my sleep. And honestly? That tells you everything. If “business casual” were actually clear, nobody would need to ask. Here’s the uncomfortable truth. “Business casual” and “smart casual” are not dress codes. They are dress code suggestions written by people who…
Lois wrote to me recently with something I hear all the time: “I’ve got too many clothes and I love them all. I need to donate more and I can’t seem to cull them out.” Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Wardrobe overwhelm is one of the most common things my clients come to me with,…
I had a question from Margie recently that I suspect a lot of you will relate to. She’s a Classic style personality living in Texas, where summer temperatures sit in the high 90s to low 100s Fahrenheit, which is roughly high 30s to low 40s Celsius for everyone else. She wanted to know: how do…
You’d think finding a pair of comfortable pants would be straightforward. Something you can move in, bend in, sit on the floor in… and still feel like yourself in. But if you’ve ever stood in a fitting room wondering why everything either feels good or looks good – but never both – you’ll know it’s…
In our Top 10 Most Googled Style Questions, the next on our list is “How Can I Dress More Confidently and Powerfully?” It’s an interesting question, as research on confidence suggests that it comes from action and building skill. This is why just following the style formula of someone else, who is not you, won’t…
You don’t actually need more clothes. What you need is a wardrobe that works harder for you. A wardrobe full of clothes that work seamlessly together, rather than separate outfits that you can’t split. Because more clothes rarely solve the problem. They usually make it harder to see all your options, even though having those…
The Wardrobe Problem Nobody Warned You About Nobody tells you, when you are building a career, that you will spend a significant portion of your professional life trying to solve a problem that has no official name. It sits somewhere between “what should I wear to work?” and something considerably more complicated, something closer to:…
Following on in our deep dive into the most commonly Googled style questions is “What are the latest fashion trends and how do I wear them?” It’s an interesting question: as fashion trends change, the older we get, the less aware we often are of them. Yet how we are perceived can be influenced by…
You do not need a wardrobe full of shoes to create stylish, cohesive outfits. In fact, having too many options often makes getting dressed harder, not easier. What matters far more is choosing the right shoes that work across multiple outfits and occasions. When you understand how to match your shoes to your outfit using…
As a child, I learned to sew. I was lucky, my grandmother taught me to knit, and my step-mother taught me to sew (as she sewed), and I always loved making things (we did a lot of toilet roll craft in our house and for many years had napkin rings covered with wool made from…
“What does my clothing say about me?” is the next in the top 10 list of most Googled style questions. Every morning, after deciding what to wear and donning your outfit, before you have said a single word, you have already made a statement. You have communicated something about who you are, what you value,…
Melissa asked a brilliant question: “How do I go about balancing my natural flamboyance with the practicalities of being a mum of four?” First of all, there is absolutely no reason why you cannot have your natural flamboyance in your style. Being a mum of four does not mean your personality has to disappear. It…
Stop Buying Clothes. Start Seeing What You Already Have. We’re looking into the next most Googled question about style: “How Can I Make My Current Wardrobe More Stylish?” If you go on social media, the answer will be to shop more. Follow some influencer’s list (that they’re getting paid to promote) and supposedly your style…
The Most Googled Wardrobe Advice – And Why It Keeps Failing You “What are the key pieces for a capsule wardrobe?” is the second-most Googled style question over the past couple of years. Type “capsule wardrobe” into Google and you will find, with remarkable consistency, the same list. A white button-down shirt. A trench coat.…
You Don’t Need Another Capsule Wardrobe. You Need Your Identity Revealed. You’ve tried the capsule wardrobe. You’ve bought the “investment pieces.” You have a wardrobe of basics. You’ve followed the style rules. So why does getting dressed still feel like such a struggle and you still feel that you lack style? If you’re a woman…
A reader wrote to me and said, “My question is, how do I build a wardrobe of outfits instead of just basics?” And I love this question because it gets to the heart of why so many intelligent, capable women open their wardrobes and think, I have plenty of clothes, so why do I feel like…
You love clothes. You’ve always cared about sartorially fitting into your environment and looking polished, but somewhere along the way, the world got more casual. Now, wearing what feels right to you can make you feel out of step. You’re not alone. Many women face the same dilemma: how to stay true to their more…
