MEAGHAN SMITH PERSONAL STYLIST

One of the most versatile items of clothing you can have in your wardrobe is a classic white shirt.  Those of you who are not typically classic dressers will no doubt be screwing up your noses at this moment – but before you think I’m suggesting you own something bland and uninteresting, bear with me until I show you a few different ways a white shirt can be worn.

My personal favourite is from Ralph Lauren, but I also have one from Gant and another from French Connection.  I prefer it to be fitted and the cotton to be thick and crisp.  Having said that, I’m searching for a men’s white shirt that I can wear large and un-tucked (channeling Audrey Hepburn) with skinny cigarette pants and black ballet slippers.  I keep mine bright white with the occasional overnight soak in warm water and NapiSan and if I want some extra crispness for a meeting or interview, I’ll give it an iron using spray starch.

Sure, the white shirt can at times, be a little tricky to wear.  White certainly doesn’t compliment all complexions, the cotton can be a bit painful and time consuming to iron and the whiteness even harder to maintain – particularly for those with young children.

But what I love about the white shirt is how versatile it is.  I love that one item of clothing can be worn in so many ways and look different each time.  You need to be creative and come up with lots of ways to wear it – with a pencil skirt, the neck open as low as you can go and a lovely lacy cami or bra peeking out the top; with a pair of denim cut off jeans, a straw hat and a French market basket or with a pair of black pants and a large brightly colored bib necklace.   Your challenge is to wear it in new and interesting ways each time you take it out of the wardrobe.

Inspiration…..

I wear mine with my black pants suit, with jeans and a navy blazer, with a vintage brocade skirt,  under my V-neck sweaters, with my black skinny tube pencil skirt and with my blue sailor pants.

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As if the prospect of re-entering the workforce is not daunting enough, often when women want to return to work after they’ve had a long break, they are faced with the issue of what to wear.

Not only could you be confronted with the fact that the clothes you used to wear no longer fit or are no longer flattering, there is also the dilemma as to whether any of your clothes are still “in fashion” and therefore suitable for work.

It may also be that you don’t have a big budget to buy new clothes for your work wardrobe when you first start back – so clever thought and planning are needed.

The trick is to be as resourceful as you can. Play around with items that still work in your wardrobe and think about what could be added to them to create different outfits.

For example, you may have an old black skirt which is still in great condition, but the shape is now outdated.  Think about whether you may be able to take it to a tailor (or if you’re handy with a machine, do it yourself) and have it remodeled and modernised.

These days a suit is not always required for interviews and work places. As long as you are well groomed, in well fitting coordinated pieces and smart accessories, that’s all you need.

Here are a few things to consider (before panic sets in) about what to wear and how to update your look, when you return to work …

• Don’t go out and buy a whole new wardrobe before you start. Wait until you get a feel for the culture and environment of your new workplace. Some places can be very casual and others quite formal.  Look to the way your manager dresses for guidance.
• Go along to your hairdresser and get a great cut. This will immediately give you a confidence boost.  (This is my hairstylist if you want to try someone new)
• More than likely if your work shoes haven’t been pulled out of the cupboard for a while, you’ll need a new pair.  If your old shoes are still suitable, make sure they look new with a polish and maybe even a re-sole.  *Whatever you do, don’t wear your shoes like this.
• Perhaps you already have a great handbag, but it might be a bit neglected and in need of some TLC. Think about either taking it to be restored or giving it a polish yourself. If you don’t have a good quality handbag, consider investing in one.  It’ll instantly add polish to your look.  Consider a color that goes with about 80% of your wardrobe.
• If you don’t already own a pair, invest in black pants.  If you like to wear both flats and heels, opt for a style that works with both.
• Refresh whites that have been sitting in the cupboard for a while
• Consider a flattering pair of dark denim jeans for casual Fridays. Team them with a blazer and ankle boots for winter/wedges or pumps for summer.

Need help with your work wardrobe, details of my styling services can be found here

More of my style tips (including how to de-pill your knits, clean your boots, etc) can be found here and here (In the “Highlights”)

Get to know me and my style on Facebook here

..& Instagram here

image via here

I’ve been going to the races since I was a little girl.  My mum & dad would take me and my two sisters to the Melbourne Cup every year.  It was a big family outing to the city from where we lived in what was then, the country.  As a little girl, holding my mum or dads hand wandering through the crowds, the races were a visual feast for my little eyes.  We’d stand outside the Members Enclosure and peer in at the glamorously dressed ladies, marvel at the big beautiful colored roses and we’d find very entertaining the jokers dressed as superheroes or in cleverly designed outfits made out of beer cans.

It was this introduction by my parents, as a little girl, that fueled my love and fascination for racing and a racing social event, today.  I’m quite the seasoned racegoer now, but as a young woman in my twenties, beyond excited by a day at the races with my friends, I learnt the hard way.  I left home looking lady-like and came home red as a beetroot, shoes in hand, with the early on-set of a monstrous champagne headache.   Not a good look.  So I thought, after years of experience I’d pass on the things that I’ve learnt about surviving the races in style.

• You don’t need to dress traditionally.  You don’t need to wear a hat.  You should, however, try and dress so that you feel comfortable, chic and stylish – not exposing too much flesh and not like you’re going clubbing or the beach.  Remember it’s an event held during the day, so the dress is day wear, not evening wear.

• Don’t carry an enormous handbag.  Carry a small clutch or wear a small shoulder bag.   It’s more elegant than lugging around your big every day, carry all sack.

• Don’t overdo the fake tan. Remember the aim is for you to look naturally tanned, not resembling a mandarin.

• Carry lipstick, band-aids, painkillers and a couple of safety pins….just in case.

• Don’t wear shoes that haven’t been worn in – even if it’s just around the house while you do the housework.

• Don’t wear brand new, never worn shoes.  You’ll last an hour and you’ll want to go home.  If you don’t love or are inexperienced in wearing high heels, opt for a wedge – particularly if it’s raining.  The heel won’t sink into the grass and they’re much more comfortable than a stiletto if you’re on your feet all day.  Consider wearing gel cushions in your shoes and maybe even carrying a little pair of fold up ballet slippers  in your bag for the trip home.  DO NOT LEAVE THE RACECOURSE CARRYING YOUR SHOES AND WEARING NOTHING ON YOUR FEET.

• Wear shapewear so you don’t need to suck in your tummy all day.

• Slather on the sunscreen.  You don’t want to have to back up on Oaks Day, after Cup Day, with a sunglasses mark on your face.

• Take something to throw over your shoulders (a trench, pashmina or Nana’s fur cape)…..just in case it gets cool…..& put them in the cloak room.  Don’t forget to collect them at the end of the day.

• Have a very big breakfast and then don’t forget to eat during the day.

• Don’t have your first glass of bubbles til at least midday and alternate each glass with a glass of water.   It might seem like a great idea at the time to make the most of the free flowing drinks, but nobody wants to open the Herald Sun the next day and see a photo of themselves looking like this…..

Details of my personal styling services (Including prices) here

Get to know me and my style on Facebook here

..& Instagram here

I’ve never once looked in the mirror and thought, “Gee I’ve got good hair”.   In fact quite the opposite.  It’s thin, frizzy, lifeless, and I have a cowlick in the front which makes it difficult to control the fringe.  Through the years I’ve tried many different colors and styles, trying to come up with something I was happy with.  It wasn’t until I found my current hairstylist that I finally started to learn how to wear it so that I was comfortable with how it looked.

When I look through past photos of me and my various hairstyles, (after I cringe) I can recall exactly where I was in my life and how I was feeling at the time. I got a perm when I was in high school because it was the “cool” thing at the time – and of course I wanted to be accepted and liked, so I followed the crowd.  I cut all my hair off when I had a relationship breakup – to start afresh and to tell the world I was grown up and didn’t give a damn if “boys don’t like girls with short hair”.  The blonde streaks were (the nineties) when I was struggling with insecurity and identity – trying to be somebody I wasn’t.

Aside from the few sprouting greys and the constant battle to make it look thicker than it is, today I feel pretty content with my hair.  I’m comfortable that it represents me and who I am. It’s pretty close to the natural color, I try to work with it, rather than against it, I purposely spend less time with the blow dryer and I comfortably feel that I don’t need to conform to a style or a look for anyone else.

What does your hair say about you?

In the same way that your clothes and your style represent who you are, the cut, the style, the condition and the color of your hair can tell a story about you without you even opening your mouth. Your hairstyle can reveal a lot about your personality.  Your hair could be saying….

• I don’t like change
• I couldn’t care less what you think
• I’m petrified of ageing and desperately trying to hold on to my youth
• Life is a bit out of control at the moment
• I’m easy going, playful, adventurous and fun
• I’m not really sure how I want to look
• I can’t be bothered
• I’m comfortable with my age
• I’m in control
• I’m self conscious and insecure
• I don’t make time for myself/I’m not a priority/The way I look is not a priority
• I’m a nonconformist/I’m rebellious

Is that what you want it to say?

READ: “Time For A Hair Change?”  here

Details of my personal styling services (Including prices) here

Get to know more about me and my style on Facebook here

..& Instagram here