When I posted about white shoes a few days ago, I got a couple of questions and comments about 1. The practicality of them (keeping them clean mostly), and 2. Whether I thought it was a good idea to buy into the trend now. (Whether I thought they’d be around for a while.)
So…
1. As you can see I have a pair of cream boots and I haven’t had any trouble keeping them clean. I’ve had the odd mark and I’ve just used this (below) and so far it’s worked great. FYI – I don’t drive in them.
2. I have no idea how long the trend will last – remember skinny jeans were a trend and they were fashionable for decades. The thing to think about is, will they work for your style, with the clothes you have and do you love the idea of them? It doesn’t really matter if the trend disappears, if you buy a fairly classic style, you’ll be fine. It’s just a color. (I’d like a white sling back kitten heel for spring/summer)
I think it’s very smart to shop thoughtfully – I (try to) do it & I encourage my clients to do it. But, I also remind myself that fashion and dressing is supposed to be enjoyable and fun. It’s a way for us to express who we are. I bought these boots about 5 years ago. I didn’t want to invest too heavily in the trend at the time. (They’re just from Zara) I’ve loved wearing them. If I’d been too sensible, I would never have bought them. (Or my flares)
Click here to read about Fab Finds & Favourite Things.
Fabulous Finds & Favourite Things is a subscription group where I …
Share what my clients have bought.
Tell you why we liked the piece.
Explain what to look at if you try it on.
Give you ideas and examples for how you could wear it.
Give you the chance to ask me questions about it.
Show you my current favourites (e.g., favourite jeans, t-shirts, white shirt, belts, etc.)
Tell you about anything that might have caught my eye while I’ve been researching online or in-store.
Let you know when any of my favourites go on sale.
Share with you what I’m buying or eyeing.
Scan the sales, and tell you what my picks are. (What I think are worth checking out)
Give you style and wardrobe tips and advice.
For example, I bought this (above) beautiful (French brand) leather jacket for AU$140, while it was still available online in France for AU$680.
And I recently bought these jeans for $40, knowing they were in the Levi’s store for $160.
Both were shared on Fab Finds.
(Both were bought in Melbourne, but occasionally I’ll share something from an international online site such as Net-a-Porter.
Fabulous Finds & Favourite Things was born from clients telling me that they like to look good, love clothes, and (some) even like shopping, but rarely have the time to do it. Or, they find when they do, that it’s overwhelming and often unsuccessful.
So my idea was that I would show them different things I’d see in my travels, and then they could just click and buy if they liked it and wanted to try it.
It would help those who just want to know what to buy to keep their wardrobe updated, it would inspire those who get stuck wearing the same thing over and over, and maybe it would bring some joy to those who get as much of a thrill as I do when they find something “fabulous” they love.
Here’s an example of something I might post.
The Fab Finds & Fav Things subscription is ideal for anyone who…
Wants to look and feel good, but doesn’t have the time to physically go shopping.
Would like to stay up to date with what’s in fashion
Likes the occasional bargain. (Who doesn’t!)
Might not be able to afford to work one-on-one with me, but would still love to learn about style, fashion, and shopping, and have the chance to ask me questions.
Doesn’t want to make any more costly fashion mistakes
Would just like to be shown what to buy.
*While the subscription is certainly about shopping, it is also designed to help you build a great wardrobe of versatile pieces, and not just waste your money on stuff. My intention is to encourage you to make conscious purchases.
The current subscription cost is…
$99 for 6 months $169 for 12 months
If you’d like to buy a subscription, have any questions, or would like some further details about it, you can email me at meaghanbs@hotmail.com
My lovely client Helen recently mentioned Fab Finds in her Google review…
“I’m a repeat subscriber to Meaghan’s “Fabulous Finds and Favourite Things” (FF & FT) Instagram private group where she provides regular suggestions on what to try/buy from current season clothing in mostly Australian retail stores, as well as loads of inspiration on how to wear pieces. I’ve become a more confident shopper because of Meaghan!”
Whether you’re petite, curvy, lean, or over sixty-five, there’s an ideal pair of jeans for you.
Great jeans will make you feel stylish and confident. They will fit in all the right places and be comfortable.
They’re one of the most versatile pieces of clothing in your wardrobe. You’ll be able to wear them to work with a blazer and boots, on the weekend with a t-shirt and casual sneakers, and to a party with heels and a blouse.
However, finding a pair of jeans that are flattering and stylish can be frustrating and overwhelming; after all, there are literally hundreds of different brands, styles, washes, and fits to navigate your way through.
Here are a few things to consider next time you decide you need to update your denim.
Unless you’re shopping with the view to sample lots of different styles, have a clear picture of what you’re looking for. (e.g. mid-rise dark denim straight with some stretch)
If you don’t know what you’re looking for, be open-minded to trying on different styles.
Always try jeans with shoes. If you think you’ll wear them with a heel, try them with a heel. If you think you’ll wear them with a boot, try them with a boot. (You don’t want to get them home to discover the boots you have, don’t work with the jeans you’ve bought)
Know your body shape and understand the best denim styles that suit your particular shape – the best rise (crotch to waist), the best color, and the best leg width.
Try a pair of jeans that theoretically shouldn’t work for your body shape. What’s the worse thing that could happen? They just might work, and they might look great.
Think of buying jeans as you would buying pants/trousers/a skirt. To find the perfect fit for you, you may need to have them altered.
In the change room, once you have the jeans on, bend over, sit down, do some squats, and lift your knees up (like you’re marching) to see how much they stretch and move with your body and to ensure they fit properly.
Take more than one size into the changeroom. Just because the pair you have at home is a size 12, doesn’t mean you will be that size in all jeans. Try on a size smaller and a size larger than you normally would.
Unless they are boyfriend or girlfriend style, jeans shouldn’t sag around your bottom; pull across the tops of your legs or bag at the front of your thighs. They should fit firmly at the waist and not dig into your stomach or hips.
Take notice of the size of the back pockets and where they sit on your butt. Are they doing what you want them to do? (ie giving your bottom a nice shape)
When I changed careers several years ago, my clothes needed to change too.
I was working at an Investment Bank so most of my wardrobe was made up of suits, crisp shirts, blazers, and heels, but when I started my Personal Styling business, my needs were different. My style was still classic, but it needed to transition from corporate classic into a more casual, fashionable classic.
Before I invested in new clothes I made the conscious decision to simplify my wardrobe, and how I dressed and also decided that I would build a wardrobe around a color palette, of black, white, grey, and navy. Having these colors as my primary base means that everything works together, and therefore dressing is easy.
Over time, for variety, I would add bits and pieces in other colors – red, orange, cobalt blue, fuchsia – that would complement the neutral basics.
I’m now ready to introduce a new neutral. One that I know will work well with all the others, as well as some of my colored pieces. This autumn, I’m keen to incorporate some khaki into the mix.
Photo by Vogue France
What are the primary basic colors you’ve built your wardrobe around? (For you it could be beige, charcoal, cream, white, etc) If you haven’t (and your wardrobe is only made up of lots of colors and patterns) it could be one of the reasons you find putting outfits together difficult and you feel like you have nothing to wear.
I'm a Personal Stylist from Melbourne who is passionate about helping real women of all ages, shapes and sizes with varying budgets and lifestyles, look and feel the very best they can. I love old things, am addicted to blogs and online shopping sites, have a weakness for happily-ever-after movies and dream of one day having my own apartment in Paris. I'm an avid collector of beautiful books, love a full-bodied glass of red, and could eat my body weight in French cheese.
