MEAGHAN SMITH PERSONAL STYLIST

One way to add impact and interest to your outfit, is to add a pop of color.

While the easiest options are colored shoes or a colored bag, they’re certainly not all that’s available to you.

Here’s some ideas to get you thinking…

*Make sure you don’t overdo the amount of colors you wear in one outfit.  While some clever people can combine several different colors very well, for most of us it’s a good idea (so that we don’t appear confused) to limit ourselves to only a couple. (As demonstrated above)

You can read what styling services I offer here

Follow me on Instagram here

If you put an outfit together and it feels a little more masculine than you’d like, try feminising it.

For example, a polo shirt and a pair of chinos.

Together or on their own they may not feel feminine enough for you. (Of course it depends on your personal style, your personality, the image you want to portray, etc.)

In this case Ines de la Fressange has piled on and layered several pieces of jewellery  (She’s also carrying quite a “ladylike” bag).

Some things (like dresses) can be thrown on and they instantly feel right, and others (parkas, boyfriend jeans, shorts, brogues, cotton shirts, etc, etc) often need some styling to achieve the desired look.  (and feel)

You can read what styling services I offer here

Follow me on Instagram here

Once you’ve found yourself a cool pair of sneakers try wearing them with unexpected pieces from your wardrobe.

The skirt you wore to your child’s christening, the slim black pants you wear to work or the trench coat you save for weddings or meetings.

Sneakers can add a freshness to your wardrobe by casualing (I may have made that word up) down some of your more formal pieces – so that you’re wearing them rather than just looking at them hanging in your wardrobe.

REMEMBER to keep your sneakers looking like they’re fresh out of the box – rather than like you’ve been out working on the farm in them.

TIP: Note the length of this skirt with the sneakers. Be careful you’re not wearing your skirt, with your sneakers, at a dowdy unflattering length.

See how some of the women who inspired me while I was recently in Paris, wore their sneakers here 

You can read what styling services I offer here

Follow me on Instagram here

If you’re feeling yourself falling back into a style rut, if you’re starting to get a bit tired and bored with your clothes and your current look, if you’re getting stuck each morning putting something to wear together and you’re really not sure what to buy to inject some freshness into your wardrobe……perhaps it’s time for a Wardrobe Review.

Although we’re only a few weeks into winter I recently found myself feeling a bit blah about some of my clothes, and felt like I needed to shake things up a bit.

I’m just like everyone else.  I find myself getting a bit lazy, bored, unexcited about my clothes and putting outfits together.  For me it can happen when I’m busy, tired, stressed or have other things on my mind.  I start to reach for the easy option and wear the same thing over and over.  Fortunately, I’m very aware of it when it happens and I know how to pull myself out it.

Firstly, I spend some time going through images on Pinterest to get some fresh new ideas.  (I particularly focus on pictures I’ve collected in “My Style” and “My Style Role Models” boards so I can be reminded of what I love.

Then I sit down and reassess my style.  I’ll make a list of about 5 or 6 words that describe the personal style (and the image) that currently feels right for me based on my lifestyle.  (Doing this keeps me on track with what I need to achieve the look)

Once I’ve done that I’ll go through each and every piece of clothing I have (for that particular season) and work out whether they’re still working for me.  Do I need to freshen them up?  Do I need to see if I can come up with a new way to wear them? Do I need to reinvent (alter) them? Do I need to buy something that will give it new life?  (As I did here)  Or do I simply need to let them go?

Next up, I’ll spend some time playing around with new outfit combinations with the intention of trying to come up with at least 3 – 5 ways to wear each piece.  (If you follow me on Instagram you’ll see that I try to show you how I use my clothes in lots of different ways and that you don’t necessarily need a lot of clothes, to have lots of outfits)

Doing this not only creates new outfits, but also gives me a good idea of what gaps I have in my wardrobe.  (For example, I may discover that there’s a skirt I wore in summer that would work well in winter with the right knit, tights and boots)

Dressing stylishly is not just about how you look.  It’s also about how you feel.  Winter is long and can be miserable and dreary, so it’s important that we dress in a way that uplifts us and makes us feel good about ourselves.  If some of the pieces you’re wearing now to get through winter, are tired, drab or outdated, that’s how they’ll make you feel.

If you need some help getting unstuck from your winter style slump – perhaps a Wardrobe Review or some Outfit Planning (or both!) shoot me through an email here

*If you’re not sure about which style session is right for you, we can have a chat about it and I can help you decide.

You can read what styling services I offer here

Follow me on Instagram here