MEAGHAN SMITH PERSONAL STYLIST

Does this sound familiar?

“I have at least 20/25 tops in my wardrobe.

6 long sleeve t-shirts I wear around the house, and underneath things when I garden, walk the dog, etc.

4 tops I wear when we go camping. (The demoted from everyday tops)

3 going out tops. One doesn’t fit properly, one I feel frumpy in (that baby doll style) and one (I got because it was massively on sale) that doesn’t go with any of my bottoms

6 work tops. They’re all summer tops I wear under cardigans in winter. I don’t like any of them.

There’s also a few tops I wear when I exercise, a couple my sister gave me (that are not really me) and one of those padded shoulder t-shirt tops because I noticed everyone else was wearing them.

BUT… I’m going to my sisters 40th in 3 weeks and I have nothing to wear, I’m catching up with a couple of girlfriends for lunch next Saturday and I have nothing to wear, I’m hoping to be able to start going to galleries and shows and doing some more cultural things again soon (now lockdown’s over) and I have nothing to wear, most Mondays I stare at my wardrobe before work and think, I have nothing to wear.”

In this case I’d say this person has not really considered building a wardrobe and has shopped without a plan. If you relate to this scenario here’s a couple of tips to try and prevent the “Nothing to Wear” situation from happening.

Write a list of all the areas of your life you need clothes for.

Write a list of the areas and things that are lacking. (ie gaps)

Consider what percentage of your wardrobe needs to be taken up with each area.

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Rolling, tucking, buttoning, unbuttoning, ruching, folding, wrapping, tying, belting, layering…

You’ll be so surprised by what a huge impact some of these little tweaks can have.

Tweaking requires nothing new – all it is is styling the pieces you own differently.

It can make an outfit look more balanced, flattering, and interesting.

Give it a try next time you put a couple of pieces on. Look in the mirror and think about what you might be able to do to change it up a bit, that you’ve never done before.

(Jane’s giving you a couple of ideas here.)

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I was chatting with a girlfriend recently about double denim. She told me she likes the look, but when she tries it, it doesn’t feel right. She was wondering what she was doing wrong.

This is what I suggested she try…

Experiment with wearing different shades of denim together… (i.e. white jeans with a blue jacket)

Break the denim up with a belt, bag, jacket, jewellery, and/or a colored or textured shoe. *If you’re outfit doesn’t feel sophisticated enough, it could be how you’re accessorising.

Also, make sure the denim you’re wearing is a modern style, otherwise, your outfit could feel outdated.

If the denim feels too much, try wearing your jeans, skirt, or shorts with something chambray (which will be softer) on top…

..and of course, make sure the denim pieces are flattering. (Jackets that are long or have drop shoulders and wide sleeves, or shirts with big pockets on the bust, are not always the best options for everyone) That can also make you feel like something’s not quite right.

I also suggested to her that perhaps she likes the look of it on other people, but it’s just not for her. If she feels uncomfortable and self-conscious when she wears it, it might not be her style…

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Whether it’s from Zara or Prada, select carefully when you buy something new for your wardrobe.

Having four pairs of black pants…

One that is too tight

One that is poor quality

One that was already outdated when you bought them and,

One that’s fancy designer but not your style

…means you really don’t have any *black pants you can or want to wear.

Make well thought out choices. If need be, wait until you find the right piece. Don’t just buy near enough. Resist being lured into buying clothes that are a waste of money. Don’t fill your wardrobe with things that don’t make you feel great or stuff you’ll never wear.

*Black pants or white-t-shirts, a navy blazer, nude shoes for work, a tan handbag, etc, etc..

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