Reader Question – The last time I was fitted for a bra I ended up as a 34G. I understand that the band needs to be firm to support the dress the breasts, however, the firm band of my bra digs into my padded back causing unsightly bumps under t-shirts and other close-fitting tops. Are…
Reader Question: Footwear issues: what to wear with each kind of outfit? I can’t wear heels because of a bad back and I never know what type of shoe to wear that is both stylish and season appropriate (warm in winter. etc) and what kind of leg covering goes with what: leggings and socks, just…
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…
Reader Question: “Where is the best place for a V-shape body to wear brooches? I’m especially interested in areas in the portrait since the brooch can help with both value contrast and colour contrast.” Most women when getting dressed focus on the body parts they like least. This is completely the wrong way of going…
Are men from Mars and women from Venus? I don’t think so, but culturally and with many societal expectations in the way we are brought up it can sometimes feel that way, and I’ve noticed that men and women often have very different attitudes towards their wardrobe and the value of style. Do Men…
“Where should I shop?” was a question I got emailed by a lovely reader this week. And my answer was “I don’t know”. Why is this? Because there are so many other things I need to know BEFORE I could even think about suggesting places to shop. In fact, shopping is really not the answer…
Make do and mend was a saying that I heard a lot from my grandmother (who was born in 1903 and lived through two world wars as well as the Great Depression) and even some from my parents who were late 30s babies and their formative years were during the Second World War. The UK…
Many years ago (aka 2004) just after I’d completed my image consultant training course and launched my personal styling business, I was out shopping at a local boutique. I walked in the door and started looking around at what was available, immediately, I as approached by a sales assistant who said “I’ve got the perfect…
It’s Valentine’s Day and to celebrate I thought I’d share with you some of my best tips and advice that are dating-related! From the traditional colour of the day… Wearing Red on Valentines Day How to Wear Red to Boost Your Desirability Finding the right red for you in both clothes and lipstick Red Lips…
People talk about having superhuman strength in times of crisis to do things like lift a car off someone to rescue them. Yet some people do this for fun so I discovered recently. My son and his girlfriend recently competed in a Strongman competition for the first time. I’ve never been to a competition before…
Continuing my Best of 2022 Post series, today I’m sharing with you the best posts to help you think about building and maintaining a stylish wardrobe and some tips and strategies to be more successful when shopping. You can read my best of the discovering and wearing colours plus body flattery posts here. Working Your…
I frequently hear many women saying things like… “I’m not stylish” “I have no style” “I’ve lost my style and I don’t know how to get it back” “I haven’t got the time to be stylish” “I don’t have a big budget for clothes so can’t be stylish” “I hate shopping for clothes” “I’m too…
Jill Chivers of 16 Style Types recently shared with me some of her denim upcycling projects and I asked her to share with me some of her processes as it’s a great way to create your own custom items as well as reduce landfill from garments that you no longer wear. Sustainability is important to…
Reader Question: I struggle with the intimidation and non-approachable effect created by being tall, high contrast, and a fairly classic dramatic personality. I dress in medium to low contrast and more muted colours to be approachable and less intimidating but it feels less me. What do you suggest to dress to look more approachable? How…
Reader Question – I often choose great outfits which don’t look good on me. How can I make better decisions? We can love an outfit on the mannequin. We can love it on the salesperson. We can love it on one of our friends. You are not the mannequin. You are not the salesperson. You…
I was recently asked by one of my 7 Steppers about how to wear shorter sleeves over longer ones and it’s a topic I haven’t covered before, yet it’s a part of my outfits quite frequently, so here are some tips to do it well. 1. Long Sleeves With Cuff Detail A key to making…
Do you have a very hard time getting rid of things you’ve owned and loved for decades and are still in good shape? You are not alone… This is not everybody’s issue. Some people happily let things go but other people just hold on to things for an awfully long time. They may no longer…
Reader Question: Hats for professional settings Is there such a thing? I feel the cold and wear hats most days, except when I am working (I work in a creative education setting). I’ve tried wearing many different kinds of hats over the years, but tend to feel either too relaxed or too stylized, depending…
Reader Question: After finishing Visualise Your Style, I realize a large part of my personality is feminine. It seems I can find feminine shoes for warmer weather. But how do I find feminine winter shoes? What details do I look for to add feminine touches? Preferably not heels but everyday shoes! When Your Feet Have…
The choice of scarf comes down to personal preference. A scarf might conceal or draw attention away from body parts that you don’t particularly like. If you have a pear shape and want to add more balance to your ensemble, for instance, you can wear a vibrant scarf to attract attention up to your face…
A collection of lovely handbags is a wonderful idea if you enjoy variety and dress for different occasions (from everyday casual, and business attire to evenings out). However, having a collection can mean spending a lot of money (though these days there are many places you can purchase quality handbags at affordable prices, from thrift…
