MEAGHAN SMITH PERSONAL STYLIST

I receive regular emails from prospective clients asking,

“What sort of budget would I need to go shopping with you?”

My answer is always the same.

What you choose to spend on your wardrobe is entirely up to you.  I’ll work within your budget.

I work with people who only like to spend $100 on a new pair of jeans and some who wouldn’t blink an eye at spending $350.

The thing is, everyone’s different. Everyone has different lifestyles and priorities and we might have more or less to spend on clothes at different times in our lives.  (You might recall me talking about the time when I changed careers and I didn’t have a lot of money to spend on new clothes)

Despite your budget everyone deserves the right to look and feel great.

One thing I suggest to people who want to stay current and up-to-date with fashion but don’t necessarily have a lot of money to spend, is to not just avoid stores they think are too expensive for them, but to go in, sample what’s on offer and then if anything appeals to them try and find similar pieces at stores that are closer to their budget.  (And often during a “sampling” session people are pleasantly surprised that some of the stores they tend to stay away from are not as expensive as they had imagined – particularly if it’s a store where my clients receive my stylist discount) 

The above picture is an example of this.

The blazer on the left was $69.95, from Zara and the one on the right was $349, from Saba.

I will say that I do encourage people to look for quality. Even if the item is not overly expensive still pay attention to what the fabric is and how the garment is made.  (It’s not a bargain if it falls apart or looks shabby after two washes and you need to throw it out)  I also believe there are some things that are worth spending more on and may require saving for.

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I love the idea of a clutch bag.  They remind me of a couple of things – the 70’s …and Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw.  Both of which have influenced my style a lot.  (I would wear Farrah’s outfit (above) head to toe today)

Perhaps it’s because I’m petite (ie under 5ft 4), but I like the idea of not being swamped by or having to lug around, a big oversized bag, instead having something small that I can hold in my hand (like Amal did here and Meghan did here) or tuck under my arm. (Like so).

I’ve collected a few over the years.  There’s this one, a birthday gift from my family, this one I found at The Mill Market in Geelong, and this one I bought from a vintage store in Paris.

While I tend not to use them much during my day to day, the first chance I get to pull one out and use it for a night out or a day at the races, I do.

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Whether you’re petite, curvy, lean, 30 or over seventy, there’s an ideal pair of jeans for you.

Great jeans (like these) will make you feel stylish and confident. They will fit in all the right places and feel comfortable.  They’re one of the most versatile pieces of clothing you can have in your wardrobe.  You’ll be able to wear them to work on casual Friday 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.

Because there are so many options available, it’s not uncommon to hear someone say they returned home from a jeans shopping expedition exhausted and dissatisfied or even worse – with a pair of “they’ll just have to do”  jeans.

Do you need new jeans but have no idea where to start?  Then my new styling session is for you.

The idea is that we only shop for a new pair of jeans (or two) for you. Perhaps your current ones need updating or you feel that you’d like to sample some different styles to what you’re already wearing – maybe something new and fresh for autumn. (Sick of your skinnies?)

The session is for one hour – maybe in your lunch break or after work.

*If, by chance, we are able to find the perfect pair of jeans in 10 minutes, you can use the extra time leftover to shop for something else.  We’ll play it by ear.  (Obviously though, I will not be researching anything else for you, so it will be off the cuff)

Just to get you thinking, these are a few things some of my clients have not known about jeans, til I taught them.

• The placement and shape of the back pockets to give you the best butt shape
• What to avoid to not make the butt, hips and thighs look bigger than they are.
• What rise to look for (ie Length from crotch to waist band.) Low rise, mid rise, high rise, etc.
• What the most flattering style is for your body shape
• How to prevent buying jeans that stretch out and become baggy every time you wear them
• Whether whiskers work for your shape (ie Pre-fabricated creases that create a broken-in and worn look in the denim at the crotch/upper thigh level.)
• What length you should wear them
• The shape of the back yoke. (Which will have an effect on how flattering they are on your butt)
• How they should fit at the knee.
• Where to shop

*Of course I’ll also answer any questions you might have about taking care of your jeans, altering them, and one of the most common questions I get, what shoes to wear with them.  (How to wear ankle boots with them is a query I get regularly.

An added bonus is that at a few of my favourite stores for shopping for jeans, including Levis, Country Road, Trenery and Saba, I receive up to a 35% discount.  (Which applies to not only jeans)

The price of a one hour jeans shop is $130 for one hour/$195 for 1.5 hours.

How great jeans should look

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This is my Mum in the jeans I recently bought her.

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According to Ines de la Fressange, a navy sweater is one of her “Magnificent Seven” basics every wardrobe must have.  (We all know – right? – that basics are the key to creating great outfits.

Here’s a little excerpt from her book, Parisian Chic, detailing why she thinks we all need one among our collection of knits.

You can read what styling services I offer here

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