Hi, could you please address what color and shape of glasses to wear depending upon coloring? I am a cool brunette. Thanks. There are so many elements to choosing a flattering frame, including colour. Here are my top 5 essential factors to consider. 1. Colour Is your undertone warm or cool? If you are warm…
Who are you and how do you want to be perceived? This is something I work through with my Style clients to discover who they are and how we can translate their personality into an authentic expression through their clothing and grooming. If you’ve thought about this topic before and have wondered how you…
Your clothes are talking but what are they saying? If you go back to the concept of Yin and Yang – which relates to the line and design of your clothing, you can easily understand what your clothes are saying (without you opening your mouth or making a sound). When choosing what to wear, consider…
Inspired by your post on formality of prints I’m wondering if you could do the same examination with accessories? So: What makes a necklace/belt/earrings casual/formal/elegant? My aim is to have just a few clothes which I combine differently with different accessories. It’s not enough clear to me how to dress it up and down with…
Now that you have your wardrobe basics sorted out (the first element of my outfit formula), it’s time to add in interest pieces. What’s an Interest Piece? An interest piece is a garment or accessory that has some interest or detail, such as: Colour Pattern Noticeable texture Sheen or shine elements Unusual or interesting construction…
What does playing it safe with your style mean to you? Jill Chivers of 16 Style Types and I discuss this in the video below and link it to personality type. Do you want to stand out or blend in? Do you naturally want to play it safe? It feels comfortable? or Do you feel…
The other day I was asked about why a floral print wasn’t appropriate for a job interview. My answer is to do with how we interpret different prints and patterns, as they say different things to us. Frequently people ask me “what patterns suit me?” and the answer lies in what are your personality traits?…
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…
I was asked by one of my lovely readers, Jennifer, to do a post on Elegant Chic and Strict styles. Not having come across the term before I read it on Deja Pseu’s blog and then Duchesse’s, I don’t feel Strict is something I’ve yet come to grips with fully. According to Duchesse the look…
Hi Imogen, I have been wondering if you can give some tips on how to not match effectively. I’m in my early 50’s, and I find that my choices have become more stodgy and less risky :-(. This isn’t about shoes and bags (mine would only match accidentally anyway) but I’ve noticed younger women are…
Who would have thought 10 years ago when I started Inside Out Style that it would: a: Still be around (apparently the average lifespan of a blog is only 100 days – not even a year!) – and in internet years that makes this blog 42 today! b: be read by a global audience from…
Factors When Choosing Accessories I wrote last week about quality and choosing clothes, particularly as we age. Today I’m going to turn my attention to the subject of accessories – and how to choose them no matter your age. When I was young, quality in jewellery meant: Real gold (not gold plated or gold colour…
Finding your authentic style can be tricky – so much mass media and social media telling you what the latest fashion is and what to wear. What you must buy this season – but is it you? Is it authentic to your style DNA? Jill Chivers of 16 Style Types and I discuss in this…
Today I am answering a question about how to incorporate feminine elements to a classy outfit. When we think about classic style, we’re talking about conservative and traditional items of clothing. Classic style comes from traditional men’s businesswear. It’s all about the Yang – smooth, crisp, straight and structured elements. A straight vertical line, opaque fabrics…
What are the different kinds of shoes you need to have in your shoe wardrobe? There is no one right answer to this questions, but here are some important considerations when deciding what to include in your shoe wardrobe. Weather and Season Depending where you live in the world and how you spend your time,…
How can I define my short waist, which also happens to be the slimmest point of my body, along with arms/wrists, without totally screwing up my proportions? I’ve recently been watching some old Tim Gunn (Guide to Style) which I downloaded onto my iPad and have noticed that his three main ingredients to style are:…
Finding your personal style can be tricky for many of us. Figuring out what we love and don’t love, which elements of our styles always need to be included versus those that are fun sometimes but not an essential addition to every outfit we wear. Now there are so many ways to do this and…
Jackets are one of the most useful and versatile garments you may have in your wardrobe. A more formal jacket will make any outfit more formal or professional by adding a collar. A casual jacket can dress down more formal attire. One of the easiest ways to make your jeans outfit more dressy is by…
Reader Request: I lack the confidence to trust my own judgment on style. Seems like I’m always trying to balance between comfort and what looks great and not sure whether I get it right. It doesn’t help that I’m often asking my husband who would say “you look great” if I was wearing a potato…
Have you ever thought about how your clothes make you feel? Not just are they comfortable, itchy or have a scratchy tag, or you like the feel of velvet, or buttery soft leather, but inside your head and heart? Mental Comfort Personality is the key to finding and developing your style. Personality comes into play…
Scale is one of the most important elements to consider when thinking about dressing your body and personality. It’s one of the tools we have to create an optical illusion, we can use it to make ourselves or parts of ourselves appear larger or smaller (or just as we are), depending what we want to…
