MEAGHAN SMITH PERSONAL STYLIST

I have a feeling the ladies in my knitting circle are going to be less than impressed when they see my efforts this evening.  My little knitting project is not progressing as well as I’d hoped.  I put it down to being a Virgo/perfectionist  (an excuse often used for my indecisiveness).  The first time I pulled it out was when I felt the stitch was too loose and there appeared to be too many holes, then I started again because I thought the lines were crooked (I think the problem was lack of concentration and mixing up my knit two, pearl two pattern) and then yesterday when I took it out of my Lincraft shopping  knitting bag to hurriedly add some rows before tonight’s gathering, I decided I’d prefer to use the wool to make a cushion, rather than a scarf and so needed to start from scratch again and make it wider. 

I think the french navy blue will sit beautifully against my red and white striped cushion…….when it’s finished.

image via Table Tonic Blog

It appears that there are still a lot of people out there who are not too familiar with blogs.  I’ve recently added to my style consultation client prep forms the question, – Which, if any, blogs do you read regularly? - and I have received answers like, Not sure what you mean,  …???…, I don’t read any blogs, How do you find them?  and  Is a blog the same as a website?  Just last weekend I caught up with a girlfriend and when the conversation turned to my business and my blog and the plans I had for it, her expression looked slightly blank and uncertain.  It turned out that she didn’t even know that I had a blog, despite the fact that she read the articles after clicking on them through my Facebook page. So because of this recent observation, I thought I would share the ten blogs I read daily and tell you why I do, and what I get out of them.

The blogs that I enjoy reading the most are those where women share their lifestyles with us.  They show us what they’ve recently purchased to add to their wardrobe, how they’re decorating their home, where they’ve been, what they’re reading, what they saw and what they ate.  It’s like a mini style magazine, but much more personal and relatable.  It’s the style with which I intend my blog to be, so I look at them for both blogging ideas and for lifestyle inspiration.  It’s also important to me that I can relate on some level, to the person writing the blog and that I enjoy their writing style. For this reason, I look at Table Tonic each morning.  The thing that is inspiring me the most about writer, Louise’s blog at the moment is her posts on healthy cooking and living.  Though you will not be seeing any shots of what I’ve served up in my kitchen, I do love to see what Louise has made and feel encouraged to make sure I’m eating good clean, healthy food myself.  I enjoy Louise’s witty, conversational writing style and admire some of her great photos.

image via French Essence

French Essence has a been a favourite blog of mine for quite some time now. In fact, it’s one of the first blogs I discovered.  I’d just returned from a trip to Provence staying in St Remy, the same town Vicki (the writer) lives in, when I stumbled upon one of her beautiful books, My French Life,  in a book shop.  This prompted me to google her and as a result discover Vicki’s blog which I have been devoted to ever since.  I aspire to write as beautifully as Vicki does.  Often when I read a post about life in that little quaint village in France, I can almost smell the fragrance of the candle or taste the cheese, Vicki is talking about.  Like her books French Essence, the blog, is very pleasing to the eye.  Vicki is very handy with the camera.  Vicki’s other exquisite book, French Essence, also has pride of place alongside  My French Life, on my coffee table. 

image via Garance Dore

I simply love Garance‘s photography and her witty way of expressing her thoughts.  I particularly love her “My First Times……” stories where she talks about how she became a successful blogger/photgrapher/illustrator.  An inspiring read if you’re wanting to change career or start a blog.  Type, “My First Times..” into her search box so you don’t miss any of them.   (There’s about 4 or 5 posts on this subject and it’s a really great worthwhile read)

image via Liberty London Girl

I dream about having Liberty London Girl’s life. Day’s at the Polo, a friends glamourous wedding in the English countryside, a four day break at her family home in France, a work trip to Barcelona.  I particularly like when she shares a bargain find and when she shows us what she wore to an event – but my favourite thing she does would have to be her videos where she’ll take us on a tour inside the hotel she’s staying at.  Check out the video she took to show us what the Hotel de Vendome in Paris has to offer here. (You’ll need to scroll down a bit to see it) 

image via Vanessa Jackman

I look at Vanessa Jackman’s blog to check out what people are wearing in the streets.  From this I get styling ideas and keep up with the trends in Europe.  Another Aussie girl doing great things overseas.

image via Salvation Jane

I like Salvation Jane’s (aka Jane Hall) blog for two reasons. Firstly, her business and blog is about transformations – of which I am obsessed about in any way, shape or form, and secondly because Jane is undergoing a career change, like I did myself, and I find it inspiring to watch how it’s growing and evolving.  A transformation in itself.  This blog will show you and give you ideas as to what a slap of paint or a piece of fabric can do to brighten up and transform a room.  It will encourage you to keep an eye out on the side of the road or in op shops, keeping in mind that something discarded can become something amazing. I relate to this site in a lot of ways.  When Jane goes to a home, she looks at it to see what can be done to spruce it up a bit.  She works with what is already there, but maybe using it in ways the owner hasn’t considered, and then suggests things that can be added to compliment what is already there.  What she does with a lounge room or bedroom is practically the same as what I do with a wardrobe.

image via The Sartorialist

For the same reason I like reading Vanessa Jackman’s blog I enjoy seeing on The Sartorialist how people are dressing and interpreting trends on the streets of New York, Paris, Milan….I learn so much more about personal style and putting together looks from what I see people wearing in the street as opposed to magazines.  I’ll see a photo of someone carrying a little wicker bag, hunt for one online and then maybe purchase it for myself or email it off to a client who I think might like it.

 image via Jak & Jil

I drool at the beautiful street fashion photography on Jak & Jil.  Often he will just capture an amazing shoe or a wrist full of jewels and my mind will immediately race with ideas of how I can change the look of an item of clothing I have hanging in my wardrobe or have seen hanging in a clients wardrobe.

 image via The Design Files

Each day Lucy, the owner of the blog, takes us into an amazing home.  Love that the Design Files is Melbourne focused.  I haven’t found a lot of blogs that I really like and relate to, that are.  Apart from the great images I love the q & a section Lucy often has on her posts, where she asks the person who’s home is featured to share their hidden secrets about Melbourne. 

image via Heather Nette King

Heather Nette Kings blog is filled with inspiring home decorating ideas. 

What I love about this site and Salvation Jane’s site, is that they show you that it doesn’t have to cost you a lot of money to beautify your home. 

There you have it ladies and gents – my current favourite top ten blogs.  If you’re wondering how I have time to search for and look at these each day, well it’s simple I receive an update notification either through email (by subscribing on their blog) , Facebook (where I have “Liked” their page) or Twitter (I am a follower of all of them).  I don’t need to be reminded, they remind me.  And it’s worth it.  Each day I get something from one or all of them.  Maybe it’ll be what I can make for dinner that night, how I can show a client to wear their Nana’s pearls mixed with something they bought at Mimco, or discover a new way to style my dressing table. I love them all, and the best thing is they’re free to read. 

Do you have a favourite blog?  If so, please let me know in the comment section below.  I’m always on the lookout for new ones to add to my growing collection of favourites.

Designer Erin Fetherston’s apartment is a wonderful example of how personal style is reflected in both decor and dress.  If you look inside her enviable closet you’ll notice that the texture and colors of her clothes resemble the furnishings in her home.  Her clothes, in soft muted blush tones, are a mix of vintage and modern, as are her furniture and fittings.  Notice how the gold shoes she is wearing are very similar in appearance to the light fitting in her dressing room and the tables and hanging birdcage in her lounge space.  The rug in her living area has a hint of sparkle and her wardrobe is full of clothes that are sequined and embellished.   Even the bed-spread and bed-skirt are very much like the fabric of some of her brocade jackets.

When I go to a client’s home for the first time, as soon as I walk in and see how the place is decorated, I usually get a good idea of what their clothes will be like.  If the two are very different (i.e. if the wardrobe is very classic and the home is very floral) there’s a chance that they haven’t discovered and defined their personal style.  They may be feeling a little confused and unsure about what their style is and they need to spend some time really thinking about what feels most authentic and comfortable for them.

Is your personal style reflected in both your home and in the way you dress?

You can see more of Erin Fetherston’s beautiful converted loft here

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As someone who loves fashion, decor and beauty, there’s nothing better than picking up a new glossy magazine and flicking through it for the first time.  I love looking at the beautifully styled shoots, discovering what trends are about to emerge and imagining new looks I can put together, inspired by the photos, with the clothes that already hang in my wardrobe or the furniture I have in my apartment. 

In the same way that I adore books, I love to physically feel and hold the magazine in my hands.  I’ll fold in a corner, with the intention of returning to an article at a later time or I’ll rip out a page and either paste it on my fridge or add it to a folder for inspiration.  Past issues of magazines are kept hidden in a cupboard for a year, just in case I need to revisit them for ideas. 

But as much as I get a thrill at seeing the new British Vogue  has hit the shelves, I have started to become equally excited when I get a little message in my inbox informing me that one of my favourite online magazines, new issue, is ready for viewing.  

The best thing about these magazines is that they’re free, so all of us with computers get the opportunity to enjoy them. You just need to sign up to receive alerts when the latest issue is hot off the press. (so to speak)

Here’s a few of my favourites.  I’d love to hear if you have any I may not know about.

 Ivy & Piper

Collected

1 by Fryd

High Gloss Magazine

House of Fifty

Lonny

Matchbook Magazine

Est

Rue 

Adore