I’ve been working as an image consultant (personal stylist) for well over a decade now and I realised in my training that personality would be an important factor in dressing, but probably not the full extent to how important it is when choosing clothes to flatter a client (or for yourself). Like many of you,…
Maxi skirts and dresses are everywhere again this summer here in Australia. They can be a glamorous addition to your wardrobe, work for day and night (though not the office). There are a few tips to consider when wearing maxi’s depending on your height and body shape which I’ll share with you here. So what…
This is the shape of models, very slim, which many would call boyish. Here are some ways to flatter your I shape body 1.For many, you may wish to add some curve to your body, to make it look more feminine. To do this, think about adding detail where the feminine normally curves – so…
Kelly, from I’ll Be Back requested some help working out how to dress her A shaped body, so I’ve put this polyvore together for her, and hppefully it will help some others too. Kelly works as a Legal Assistant and so wants to look approachable yet professional at work, and at the weekends…
Reader question – What is your view on wearing blouses or tops that are longer than the sweater or jacket over the top? Doesn’t it draw attention to the hips? That Depends … As with all matters of fashion and style, women’s bodies are all different so certain styles will be more flattering on…
Here we have one version of a V body shape (inverted triangle) body. You will notice that her shoulders are broader than hips, but there is not a lot of curve through the body either. Some Vs are significantly wider than their hips, others are just a bit wider (like this example). How to dress…
X body shapes (hourglass figures) have defined waists, but their shoulders and hips are the same width (unlike the A who has wider hips than shoulders). There is a longer straighter slope from waist to hips (unlike the high shelf-like curve of the 8 shape). You can see that the X shape has a much…
I have found at 52 I no longer like the way prints look on me. Printed tops were once a significant part of my wardrobe, but as my hair and colouring have cooled they now overwhelm me. Can you explore the types of style changes one may need to make? What are the changed I…
Reader Question: “For the last 20 years (since retirement) I have attended a theatrical production several times a week and I wore long flowing dresses, hats and heels. now due to age and tripping, I am restricted to runners and pants. I’m very petite with long torso, a bit of a belly, and very short…
I’ve been asked once again to share with you how to measure your body proportions, so I made a new video to help you figure out where you are proportionally longer and shorter. Just remember, when you’re measuring. 1 head length (top of head to base of chin) – use this length to determine…
When you’re petite, finding the right clothes can be a challenge. Along with dressing for your body shape, your height and proportions matter, too. When you have a straight body shape like an H shape, there is not much definition between the shoulders, waist and hips. As with all H shape bodies, petite, average or…
As I discussed here when I explained how lines work, body shape tells us: Where to put the verticals Where to put the horizontals to balance, broaden or highlight Where to place detail Where to keep boring/dull/plain/no detail That’s it! So let’s look at the I Shape (it’s owners would describe their shape as “boyish”…
The other day there was a conversation over on the 7 Steps for Style private Facebook forum about breaking style rules and I loved this quote supplied by one of the members. There was a question about how many rules can you break and how far you can push them. How far can you go…
Reader Question: My biggest issue right now is finding age-appropriate clothes that I LOVE. I’m 55 and (based on your quiz) I’m a Classic style and I do like to always have a “put together” look, but that is getting hard to do. I don’t want to look like my 27-year-old daughter, but I also…
Not just the bi-annual wardrobe transitions from summer to winter and back again. What do you do when your wardrobe needs a major overhaul? Where to start? You first need to define your personal style. Watch the video and discover how to transition your wardrobe to one that works for you, your lifestyle and personal…
I’m really excited to be sharing details about a new documentary all about body image. Apparently, 90% of women dislike their bodies. They find them lacking. Not good enough. Not right. I have experience this many times when talking to my clients in my image consulting/personal styling business. Many find it difficult to even look…
Reader Question: my biggest challenge is my weight I keep thinking hoping and praying I’ll lose it meanwhile I’ve put off buying new clothes that work on the body I have now I’ve never been a big shopper even when I wore a size eight I’m now about an 18 to 20 I’ve been this…
Menopause which is the cessation of menstruation (and Perimenopause, which is the period before that often lasts for around 10 years) are something I knew very little about until I started going through them, and even then there were a bunch of strange symptoms that have happened to me over the past 15 years that…
In This Video 0.08 My biggest challenge is my weight. I keep thinking/hoping/praying I’ll lose it. Meanwhile, I put off buying new clothes that work on the body I have now. I’ve never been a big shopper, even when I wore a size 8/9. I’m an 18/20 now & have been for over 25 years.…
Ok, how many of you think you’d be interested in style and fashion if you were blind? I certainly hadn’t thought about it, but then I stumbled across Michelle of Eyeronic, a blind journalist who enjoys fashion and I love her writing and her unique perspective on style so I asked her to write a…
I know that many of my readers are in the northern hemisphere where it’s currently winter, but here in Melbourne, we’re sweltering – or in the words of Cole Porter “It’s too darn hot!”. The heat from my laptop feels extreme, something I normally don’t notice. My hands are sweating on the keyboard as I…
