MEAGHAN SMITH PERSONAL STYLIST

I love women wearing men’s shirts.   I think the look can be really chic, in a tomboy kind of way. Feminine/masculine is very much a part of my style.

The key to wearing something borrowed from the boys (whether it’s a jacket, a knit or a shirt) is to incorporate an element of femininity.

Consider..

• Showing just the right amount of skin – whether it’s your decolletage, your wrists or your legs
• Accessorising – with belts, earrings, sunglasses, necklaces, bracelets, bags, etc..
• Wearing an elegant shoe – a ballet flat, beaded flat sandals or heels
• If you’re wearing it oversized, team it with something that fits snuggly and accentuates and flatters your figure – a pencil skirt, slim jeans or pants
• Painting your nails
• Putting on some lippy or coating your lashes with mascara
• Exposing a hint of lovely lingerie

Click here to read about Fab Finds & Favourite Things.

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This knit above as you can see, was in desperate need of maintenance.  It’s wool, so it will pill.  I was aware of that when I bought it.  It just means that every now and then I need to spend a bit of time on it.  Using a razor I give it a gentle shave – being careful not to cut the fabric.

From time to time give your clothes a once over and assess whether any items need some T.L.C.

• Have the heels worn down on your shoes, exposing the metal tips and do they need replacing?
• Is the hem on your pants, skirt or dress falling down and need fixing?
• Does your knit need to be de-pilled?
• Do you have any loose buttons that need sewing or loose threads that need cutting?  (Maybe even replace them like I did here)
• Is it time your coat went to the drycleaners?
• Are your shoes and handbag looking scruffy?  Do they need a clean and polish?
• Could your jewellery do with a clean and sparkle?
• Do you need a new watch band?
• Could your white shirt be whiter?  Does it need an overnight soak in nappy wash or bleach?

My boots are due for another visit to the cobbler to have the heels replaced.  (As you can see in the picture I’ve already had Topy soles put on them to prolong their life)  When they get back from the shoe repairers I’ll give them a clean with either shoe polish or some Mr Sheen.

My tan leather bag gets quite grubby from rubbing against my dark denim jeans or getting thrown on the ground occasionally, so I give it a gentle clean with Dove soap.   (When I contacted the company where  I bought it from in Italy to ask them what they recommended I use to clean it they said, “facial cleanser” but I’m a little bit nervous about doing that).

Some things need maintaining otherwise they start to look manky.  Pilling, balling, scuffs, marks, general wear and tear can make a big difference to how stylish you look.  Spend a couple of minutes giving your outfit a once over to see whether anything needs attention.

Certainly some things just need to be booted out of the wardrobe when they start to show signs of wear, but sometimes things just need some love and care to reinvigorate and restore them to their former glory.

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image via here

Lisa Wilkinson knows what looks good on her.

At 52 she looks fit, healthy, strong and stylish.  While her style might not necessarily be mine (or yours) what I love is that she knows how to dress to accentuate her best features.

All of us have something lovely about us – despite our age, size or shape.

Beautiful hands, amazing skin, great hair, a tiny waist, slender ankles, a good bum or as in Lisa’s case – toned shoulders.

It’s up to us to figure out our best features and then play them up.

Lisa knows she has good shoulders, so she wears clothes that draw attention to them.  (Barbra Streisand is another celebrity who often wears styles to bring attention to her shoulders as you can see here)   That’s what clever, stylish dressing is all about.

Too often we just look for faults. We search for them every time we look in the mirror.  We look to see how many more wrinkles we have, we look at our bellies, we look at big busts, our upper arms or our thighs that aren’t like they used to be.  We focus only on the negatives.

What about, just for a change, next time you look in the mirror and when you’re just about to search for a new grey hair, you ask yourself..

What do I like about myself?

What’s lovely and unique about me?

What am I neglecting to show off as best I could?

When I’m working with someone for the first time, I’ll have them fill out a questionnaire so I can get some insight into them before we meet.  I’ll ask them lots of questions ranging from, How would you describe your current style?  How would you like your clothes to make you feel?  and What are the features you like the most?   Occasionally someone will say, “eyes” or “hair” but sadly, often women leave it blank.  Either they don’t like to brag about themselves or they simply can’t think of anything they like.

When I ask,  “What are the features you dislike?” – there is often a list as long as my arm.

So for those few hours that we spend together, shopping or trying on clothes from their wardrobe, my mission is to make sure that person can see themselves for what they really are. How lovely they are.   How clever and special and amazing they are – just as they are.  And then my intention is to make sure we, together, work out how to accentuate and show off their best features.  In doing so, playing down the bits they least like.

This is what Lisa does.  Nobody would know whether Lisa has a tummy or a bottom she’s trying to disguise because we’re instantly drawn to her great shoulders and arms and her beautiful face and smile.

What are your best features?  Have you spent time focusing on them and not just on the bits you don’t like so much.  Take some time to look at yourself differently in the mirror.  Pay attention to yourself.  Be nice and gentle, rather than harsh and critical.  Then go about learning how you can make the most of those great features.  Keep them hidden, no longer.

READ: “That Dress Lisa Wilkinson Wore” here

Details of my personal styling services (Including prices) here

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For those who are not familiar with the Mamamia site it has been described as “Australia’s leading independent women’s website”.  Launched as a blog in 2007 to coincide with the release of Mia Freedman’s book, Mama Mia, it has grown so much and is so popular that it now has more than 500,000 people (the majority being women) reading it every month.  On Mamamia you might learn what the latest trend in lipstick colors is, get a run down and summary of the Federal Budget or have the opportunity to share your opinion on the circumcision debate.  There’s always a thought provoking, often controversial topic to enter into a discussion about.

Back in February I received an email from them asking me if I would participate in a new project they were launching which was to be titled – Wardrobe Week.  All I knew was that Wardrobe Week would feature “Real Women Wearing Real Clothes” and what they would like me to do was submit photos of a week’s worth of outfits telling them what I was wearing.  It didn’t matter if it was a ballgown or if it was my PJ’s.  Just me being myself in my every day clothes.

Despite the fact that I was experiencing just a tad of hesitation when I first read the email –  picturing myself on a website where I might be seen by thousands of women who would very likely scrutinise how I looked, was scary  – but within 30 seconds of receiving the email I responded with a – yes.  It was a good opportunity for people to learn about me and what I do and it was also a challenging exercise. I’ve always been camera shy at the best of times, let alone on this type of platform.  Waaay outside of my comfort zone. Which is good right?

My strategy, when putting together the outfits was that I wanted to be authentic to my own style and look just like me.  I didn’t want to get my makeup done or my hair blow waved.  That’s not me.  I could have borrowed clothes, or I could have dressed up glamorously – but I didn’t want to do that.  I wanted people to see the normal, average, real me and realise that I didn’t dress in Prada or Chanel every day.  Sure I like nice things and I have the odd designer piece, but I’ll mix them up with some Kmart, Big W or Target.   In this picture below I’m wearing a pair of pants I bought in Paris, with a Cotton On men’s shirt.  To me, dressing this (high/low) way is more interesting and creative than dressing head to toe designer.  As I’ve told you many times before, I find “Chic on a Budget” shopping fun and often rewarding.

I want to say a great big thank you to my two lovely friends Carol and Sarah for taking time out of their busy schedules to shoot some pics of me (& tell me to stand straight, pull my shoulders back, smile, fix my fringe and put some more lippy on) and thank you also to the team at Mamamia for giving me this great opportunity.

For anyone who hasn’t see the article and the photos you can do so here.

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You can read what styling services I offer here