The question came from Penny, but it’s one I hear time and time again: “I struggle with intimidation and a nonapproachable effect. I’m tall, high contrast, and have a classic, dramatic look. Lately I’ve been dressing in muted tones and low contrast to seem more approachable – but it feels less like me.” First, let…
Transitioning from Corporate to Smart-Casual Style in Retirement When you’ve spent years dressing for meetings, presentations and professional credibility, retiring or pivoting into a new season of life can leave you staring at your wardrobe wondering: “What do I do with all these tailored jackets and structured dresses now?” You’re not alone. Many women I…
Smart casual. Two little words that somehow manage to cause a whole lot of confusion. If you’re like Rebecca—a woman who’s intelligent, accomplished, and completely baffled by what “smart casual” actually means—you’re not alone. This is one of the most common style struggles I hear from my clients. And it’s no wonder. The term is…
In This Video 0:08 I struggle with smart casual dressing and I want to have more confidence and feel good. 5:18 I find prints tricky, I’m not sure about finding my preferred shapes and colours when current trends don’t reflect them. My daughter says I should just wear solid colours and neutrals, but I…
Dress codes may be subtle, and you may think they are a thing of the past, but they are powerful in shaping perceptions and guiding our interactions. Whether you’re heading to a job interview, a dinner party, or a casual outing, understanding the psychology of dress codes empowers you to navigate social norms with confidence…
Reader Struggle “My main problem is that I hide my femininity also the bright warm colors are my style half my closet is Chic feminine and elegant but rarely worn I only actually wear it at home outside I still wear a kind of armor of dark ugly suits they’re very classic but even with…
Reader Question–I just read your post about wearing your good clothes every day and its effect on how people see you as well as how you feel about yourself. I work at home. People see me from the waist up. How important is it that I wear a full-on “good” outfit every day at…
I’ve been following the discussion in the 7 Steps to Style group about different types of feminine dressing. I identify with the ethereal dressing with its long lines floaty gossamer-like fabrics. How would you suggest adapting your style to a business casual work setting? The definition of Ethereal is to be extremely delicate and light…
Hi Imogen, What do you wear to work when your colouring doesn’t suit the traditional light/dark and neutrals of corporate classic dressing. Especially for people with light colouring and low value contrast that still need to be “in charge” and taken seriously. I’m working on this now and find it hard to find the sweet…
This next couple of weeks in Melbourne is the height of the Spring Racing Carnival, and if you’re still not sure what to wear I thought I’d share some tips to help you find an outfit. 1. Is it Racewear? Find out if what you’re planning to wear is race appropriate with this fun flowchart…
I have a business casual workplace, but do a lot of travel, and have many formal meetings in countries like the US and Europe. So I have many shirts, blouses and Jersey tops, and wear them mainly with light trousers suitable for the warm climate in which I work, and also for travel and business…
If you have a relaxed dressing style how do you still be yourself if you work in a corporate business environment? This is the topic of Jill Chivers of 16 Style Types and my podcast episode. Why are you expected to dress more formally anyway? Rather than consider corporate dress codes as an imposed restriction…
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…
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…
aka What You Wear Matters I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from people over the years things like: “Why does it matter what I wear? It’s what I create or produce at work that matters!” “Women shouldn’t need to have to dress a certain way to be considered accomplished and capable! I…
Jill Chivers of 16 Style Types and I were asked to comment on the question of “how much skin is appropriate to show in the workplace”. Now we are aware this can be quite a contentious as there will be some wildly differing views on this topic depending on your culture, your work environment, job,…
The style that those with a highly relaxed, natural and more casual personality style find hardest to wear is evening wear. All that fuss, uncomfortable clothing (and possibly underwear required), high heels, highly groomed. Do you really have to dress up? Does it really matter? Are these a couple of questions you ask yourself? If…
When you think about choosing a pair of shoes, you want the shoe to work with your outfit as whole. When deciding which pair of shoes to wear, it’s worthwhile being able to quickly interpret the formality of the shoes. For example, if choosing a pair of oxfords (brogues) there are different elements that…
One of the issues I have in the cooler months, if I want to wear pants and an open top shoe – like a ballet flat or pump, even a loafer, but I don’t want to wear a pair of tights (hosiery), then my feet get cold. Now there have been the old “pop sock”…
If you’re a keen racegoer, Melbourne’s Spring Racing Carnival can be an expensive time of year. So I thought, why not just buy one dress, and then using the beauty bundle concept, change it up so you feel like you’re wearing a completely different outfit each time, still on theme. I’ve chosen a simple offwhite…
When you’re putting together an outfit, always consider what you want to communicate with it. Ask yourself what the situation/occassion you are wearing it. Who you are going to be interacting with, and how you want to be perceived. Then you can use this knowledge to choose the right combination of colours and contrast to…
