MEAGHAN SMITH PERSONAL STYLIST

I get asked often whether denim jackets are still in fashion. A client might have one in their wardrobe, that’s been hanging unworn for years, because they’re unsure whether or not to let go of it or hold on to it.

My answer is always yes denim jackets are still in fashion however, like everything, shapes change and some can become outdated – particularly those that are made of treated denim (perhaps stone washed) or have zips, studs or rhinestones.  So if you have an old Sportsgirl version from 1995, chances are it may well be dated and either needs reinventing (if possible) or retiring.

Because I’m always encouraging people to try and work with what they already own before racing out and buying anything new, I thought I would talk about how you can determine whether your denim jacket is right for you and whether to keep it or not.

Consider..

• firstly, whether a denim jacket is your style.  It’s certainly a classic piece, but not for everyone.  Don’t just wear it because it’s there.
• whether your particular jacket is flattering to your shape.  Is it too short and boxy or too long?  Is it too wide across your back?  Are the sleeves too full making your arms appear bigger than they are?  Is it making your shoulders and/or bust look broader/bigger than they are?
• whether the denim is dated.   1980’s distressed denim and 2000’s distressed denim are not the same
• whether it’s worth having it altered by a tailor to make it a more modern, flattering shape for you
• whether the style is still current or if it’s dated. (ie. if it’s acid washed with bat-wing sleeves and suede fringes, unless your style is Eighties Rocker, I’d say it’s probably time to donate it)

…and in case you’re wondering, yes, denim jackets can be worn by all ages.  But just like anything, it’s not what you wear, it’s how you wear it. For instance, unless you want to look like Dolly Parton, avoid wearing your rhinestone embellished denim jacket with your jeans of the same denim. Wear a dark denim jacket to lunch with a stripey tee, navy linen pants and espadrilles or throw one over your shoulders when you’re wearing a cool summer dress, while you’re on holidays.

Here are a few pictures to give you some ideas for how you can wear your jacket.

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Updating your look doesn’t always mean having to buy new clothes.

It might be, particularly if you’re on a tight budget, that new clothes are not a priority at the moment.  It could even be that you have plenty of clothes already, but you need some fresh ideas.

Clothes can be altered, dyed, reinvented or simply worn differently.

One thing to try is cuffing your jeans.

Play around and try different ways of cuffing to determine what works best for your leg length, shape and style.

Try rolling them neatly.  (You might even want to press them like these ladies below) 

Or just turning them up to expose your ankles.

Don’t roll your jeans too high that they become three quarter length…which we all know is a length that is not flattering for most.

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When people first meet me and discover I’m a personal stylist  I think sometimes they’re taken aback a little.

I’m not that impeccably groomed, blow-waved and meticulously manicured person they might assume I will be.  You see I aspire to be imperfect.

Those of you who are born perfectionists, as I am, will know it can be exhausting and stressful.  In a couple of areas of my life overcoming my (Virgo) perfectionism is still a work in progress, but when it comes to how I dress I think I’ve just about nailed it.

I like my hair to look undone (slightly messy even), my nails to be short and neat, and my jeans to look a bit worn in.  Sure I can pull it all together and look very well presented when I need to – I did it for over 20 years when I worked in banking – but these days you’re more likely to see me in my favourite black (sometimes faded) jeans, a Gap t-shirt and a blazer with my hair slightly tousled.  It’s my personal style.

Recently I was reading Nina Garcia’s, The Little Black Book of Style and came across a passage that resonated with me.  It was titled, “How to be imperfect”.

“I call it “The Kate Moss Factor”.   Kate Moss has this tactic down.  She never looks like she is trying too hard.  Something is always a bit off.  Her hair is messy, her accessories don’t match, her shirt is rumpled.  And yet, she always looks amazing.

It’s kind of painful to see girls so pristinely put together all the time.  Those girls that always look like they are ready for a photo shoot do not interest me.  I’m more interested in those girls who are less than perfect (perfection is overrated).  They are the ones whose hair is not flawless, whose outfits are not perfectly matched, who are somehow breaking the rules. Every time I see a girl who has mastered this tactic, I smile in silent worship.  They know how to live, these girls.  They know how to have fun and let their hair down.  They never look too perfect.  These are the girls who know the most about style”

It was during my first trip to Paris when (as Oprah says) I had a light-bulb moment.

Parisian women, well at least the Parisian women who caught my eye, were not over-groomed.   Certainly there were those walking their poodles with coiffured hair and  couture suits, but these were not the ones who inspired me.  It was those who were casually, yet stylishly dressed.  I realised it was all about how you wore the look.  If you stood and walked tall, ensured there was an element of uniqueness and femininity, dressed in clothes that flattered your body shape and did it all with confidence – you could be chic and elegant in a simple jeans and tee combo.

Ines de la Fressange, who masters this look beautifully,  talks more about French imperfectionism in this article here.  Of particular interest to me (as a woman in her 50’s) were her views on grooming.

“It gives you a lot of age if your hair is too done—I am fifty-four, and it makes me look much older. I think it is good to take care of yourself, but it shouldn’t show. I hate, for instance, when women have things on their nails, like a French manicure. I think that sometimes women do too much—they put earrings, and color, and necklace, and the lipstick, and fake eyelashes, and fake hair—it’s a nightmare.”

These are my style influences and this is my style – not my Mums, my sisters, my friends or my clients. Just mine.  Who are your style influences and what’s your style?  Have you spent time working out what your unique personal style is?   Have you defined it?   Understanding your personal style will help when you shop.  Knowing how you want to look and dress will mean that you won’t waste money on clothes that are not complementing your style.   It will make you feel confident and self assured.  By understanding how you want to look and the image you want to achieve you’ll fill your wardrobe with things you love and things that will make you feel confident.  Not understanding your style properly means wearing things that might not feel right and feeling uncomfortable and often self conscious.  No one wants that.

You can read what styling services I offer here

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Recently I worked with someone who contacted me because she had just moved to Melbourne from rural Queensland and felt as though she needed some help putting together some casual outfits – particularly a few things she could wear to pick up her daughter from school. Her wardrobe largely consisted of shorts, t-shirts and thongs, given the climate and the relaxed style of her previous home town, but she didn’t think her old wardrobe of clothes would cut it now she’d relocated to Melbourne.

It was important to her that her daughter wasn’t embarrassed by how her mum dressed when she waited for her at the school gate and she also wanted to make some new friends with the mums and she knew for her to do so she needed to feel confident and good about herself.

When she emailed me the first sentence she wrote was,

“I hope you can help me.  I need a revamp”

She went on to say she “desperately needed new clothes” because the climate was so different in Melbourne to where she’d come from and that she had attempted to shop for new things, but really had no idea where to start. She’d been living on a farm and was completely out of touch with what was “fashionable”.   She wanted some help putting together what she called, “Melbourne outfits”.

After going through her wardrobe together, we agreed what she needed initially (it was spring when we met) for this area of her life was ….. at least one great pair of jeans (preferably two for variety), one or two pairs of comfy, casual (alternative to jeans) pants, some fresh flattering t-shirts, knits, perhaps a casual dress and/or a skirt, a couple of pairs of comfy yet stylish flats, a casual jacket and some clever accessories to decorate her basics.

I don’t collect a child from school so I don’t see how people dress, but I have been told (in different neighbourhoods) it can feel competitive and intimidating. According to this article in the New York Times mums in New York are feeling the pressure to dress up for school drop-off. Some are dressing up for the school run and then going home and changing into their tracky’s, before changing back into their designer outfits for the pick-up.  And in this article in the UK Daily Mail the writer suggests that for the first day back at school, “around one in six will sport a new hairdo, a similar number have bought a new outfit while others will be showing off a bronzed look”.    

Goodness……I’m sure things are not quite as extreme here as they are in the swanky neighbourhoods of New York and London….are they!!?

It’s so important to remind ourselves that we are good enough, just as we are.  We don’t need to look or be like anyone else.  We are all different, unique and individual.  If you feel great in what you’re wearing and confident knowing that the style and image you’re portraying is you, then that’s all that matters.  Be kind and don’t put too much pressure on yourself.

*It turned out, like many things, the unknown and the picture my client had created in her head was a lot different to the reality.

You can read what styling services I offer here

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