MEAGHAN SMITH PERSONAL STYLIST

Don’t ruin an otherwise stylish outfit with a daggy, dated, tatty, unflattering shaped, cheap and nasty belt.

Belts, as I’ve written about here before, are often a forgotten piece – just thrown on to keep up your pants.

If this sounds familiar start thinking about belts differently. Think about them in the same way you would a great pair of shoes or a beautiful bag.  Rather than spend your money on a fancy top that goes with one (or none) other thing in your wardrobe and you wear once a year (if that), invest in a good quality belt that you can wear with lot of things in your wardrobe, and that you’ll have for years to come.

It’s the details in outfits that matter and make the difference.

FYI – this doesn’t mean that a belt you’ve had for decades or found in a vintage store or op-shop has to go. It just means anything ugly should be discarded – quick smart!

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This is how a nude shoe should look.

The shoes blend in beautifully with the color of the wearers skin and therefore become an extension of the legs, making them appear longer and leaner.

The focus becomes all about the person – their face and what they’re wearing – away from the feet.

Nude shoes are a great choice when you’re wearing something colorful or pattered. In fact, they pretty much go with everything.

Nude shoes elongate the legs

Tip: Keep in mind that there are so many different shades of “nude”,  so if you’re buying a pair of shoes to wear to a special occasion (maybe the races), you’ll need to consider whether you will be tanning your legs.  If so, apply some tan before you hit the shops so that you don’t end up with two very different shades of nude. (ie an orangey tan and pinky-nude shoe)

It’s not always easy, or even possible, to find the perfect match to your skin, but it’s always a good idea to aim for it (just like if you were trying to find the perfect color foundation for your face) and try and find something as close as you can to your skin color.

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Do you put as much thought and effort into decorating your outfits as you do decorating your home?

If you love your home chances are it’s because you’ve surrounded yourself in beautiful, handpicked pieces that are special to you and that reflect your taste.  (Art, cushions, vases, rugs, lamps, frames, etc, etc)

Treat your wardrobe like you do your home.  Decorate your clothes, as you would your furniture.

Gather together great accessories that reflect your individual personality and then wear them – don’t just collect them.

These are some of my belts.  I’ve had a few for decades, a couple I made, several I picked up in op-shops, a couple are vintage and one or two were discovered while I was travelling.  The one thing in common is that all of them are flattering to my shape and all of them are my style.

The key is to make sure the accessories you own and wear are your style – not someone else’s.

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For more inspiration for how to decorate your clothes check out my “Accessorising” Pinterest page here

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I bought this jacket a few years ago while I was on holiday in Rome with my mum, aunt and uncle.  It’s not a fancy designer piece and it wasn’t super expensive but I still remember the day I bought it and it brings back special memories.   I won’t keep it forever, it’s not that much of a sentimental piece, but at the same time I’m not quite ready to part with it just yet.

Recently I pulled it out to wear and it felt a little tired.  I gave it a good clean and played around with it a bit – buttoned the neck a different way, rolled up the sleeves – to see what I could do with it to breathe some life into it.  What I found did the trick was adding  a different belt around the waist.  I realised the old belt, the fabric buckle in particular, was what was dragging down the jacket and making it look stale and worn out.  My Trenery waist belt (purchased on sale for $19) was all it needed to give it a new look and the boost it needed.

Go through your wardrobe and see what’s in there that can be rejuvenated by running it in, taking it out, taking it up, adding new buttons,  beads, brooches, belts or even some dye.

Be resourceful.  Don’t just dismiss something and toss it out before you really analyse it and look at it with a creative eye.

Need help deciding what can be reinvented (and how to do it)? Book in for a Wardrobe Overhaul or Review here 

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