MEAGHAN SMITH PERSONAL STYLIST

Even if you were wearing a beautiful dress from Chanel, there’s no way you could look stylish wearing a shoe like the one pictured above.  (Which I must say, is not mine)

I’m a big believer that the shoes are the most important element (apart from the underwear) of the outfit.

So…in preparation for the colder months of autumn and then winter, this is your Weekend Wardrobe Challenge.

Take out all of your autumn/winter shoes and (ruthlessly) go through each of them one by one, to decide..

1. If there are any shoes that need repairing or a good clean (This includes sneakers)
2. If any of them are outdated and need to be retired
3. If any of them are no longer required for your lifestyle
4. If any of them no longer work for your personal style and represent the image you want to portray
5. If any of them are too small, too big, too uncomfortable – and send them on their way
6. If any of them are unflattering.

This week I took these shoes to my local cobbler and (for $18) had new heels put on.  I then gave them a polish with Mr Sheen to shine them up.  I know that I’ll be wearing them through the next couple of months and well into winter so I need them in good shape and ready to go.

Next up…

Make a list of the various areas of your life (For example, work (weekdays), work (casual Fridays), weekend (casual during the day), weekend (going out), etc, etc)  Determine whether your shoes cover the areas you need them to.  Make a list of any gaps you need to fill.

Take a good look at what you have and consider what could be added to your shoe wardrobe to create more outfits with your existing clothes.   (ie a pair of knee high tan boots to wear with some of your dresses or a pair of white sneakers so you can wear some of the dressier pieces in your wardrobe, more casually)

If you are having trouble deciding what’s still current, what’s not, what should stay, what should go, what needs adding or ditching, and would like some help, you can book in for a Wardrobe Overhaul here (or read about it here)

Something to leave you with..

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Toss..

It was 1988 when Working Girl was released, so it’s fairly obvious that the fashion from then is now outdated (or in some cases, vintage)

Knowing whether something from the last decade has become out of style is not as easy – especially for people who don’t regularly follow fashion.

If you find going through your wardrobe and deciding what stays and what goes, daunting and would like some help deciding which of your suits, jackets and coats (among other things) are still current or not, which ones can be remodeled and which ones to let go of,  you can contact me here.

If you’re on a roll and up for more wardrobe challenges you can find them here.

You can read what styling services I offer here

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A little while back I received an email with the word “HELP” written in the subject line.

It went on to explain…

In the past, when C was younger, she really enjoyed clothes.  Putting new outfits together each day and experimenting with her style, had been fun.

Back then she also had quite a clear idea of what her style was – what worked for her and what made her feel good.

But now she was feeling lost.

She had since become a mum and the way she dressed had moved to be more about practicability than anything else.  She was no longer enjoying dressing each day and was starting to miss the pleasure she took from it.

C certainly had plenty of clothes, including a wardrobe full of vintage dresses collected during her travels, but now she wasn’t sure that they were still appropriate for where she was currently in her life.

She decided it was time to do a big wardrobe cleanout but felt that she needed some guidance and support as there was some emotional attachment to her vintage collection and she didn’t really know how to begin.

When I went to C’s home, together we came up with *a style she felt reflected her current self, along with a plan for how she could achieve it and I helped her decide what to keep and what to throw out.

This is a little note C sent me after the experience…

Meaghan,

Your wardrobe overhaul and personal shopping is the best money I’ve ever spent on myself (apart from travel, of course 🙂.  I must have discarded around 300 items during the wardrobe session and I can honestly say I don’t miss a single one of them. In fact, I’m extremely happy to be rid of the weight of years of unloved clothing!  You also taught me how to shop; I went shopping properly for the first time ever today – I spent 3 hours and only went into 3 stores… tried on things I never would have and in several different sizes, taking my time, inspecting every angle, and only buying things that were a perfect fit.  It’s so nice not to get home and try to figure out when I can get back to the stores to return unsuitable purchases. It felt great… thank you :-).  The overhaul and shopping were as enjoyable as they were successful… You were so professional but still bubbly and fun and I would recommend your services to anyone.  I can’t thank you enough.

*Once you have a clear image in your head of how you want to look and know what styles do and don’t work for you, (and of course when they fit you properly or not)  you know what you do and don’t want in your wardrobe.

**The photo above, showing the clothes discarded from C’s wardrobe during the overhaul, is quite extreme – but not entirely unusual.  Some people have a lot of clothes they choose to get rid of and others only have a handful. Each Wardrobe Overhaul is different and every person I work with has a different reason for wanting my help to sort through it.  While a Wardrobe Overhaul is certainly about having a good look at your clothes and editing and culling where necessary, it’s not just about getting rid of pieces.  You can read more about it here 

You can read what styling services I offer here

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In an attempt to try and disguise something (your tummy, bottom, thighs, arms, etc.) are you hiding one, or more of your best features?

For example, Jessica, a client was returning to work from maternity leave.  She was feeling “frumpy”, a bit out of touch with what was still in fashion and was wanting to buy some new pieces before going back to the office.  She didn’t know where to start.  So she contacted me to help her sort through her existing wardrobe, see if there was anything that still worked and to help her come up with a list of things she could buy going forward.  (She didn’t want to make any more costly shopping mistakes)

When Jessica started trying on clothes from her wardrobe I noticed a pattern.  Most of her tops and some of her dresses (all of the ones she had bought after having her little girl) were shapeless, boxy and sometimes had gathered fabric falling from the bust. (ie Baby-doll style).  

When I quizzed Jessica about the style, she said she’d bought them in an attempt to cover up and hide her tummy.

(I get that.  As a woman in her forties I too like to wear styles to play down or disguise my tummy on days I feel I need to.)  

But for Jessica, what she was doing in the process of wanting to conceal her tummy, was making her waist (one of her loveliest features) completely disappear.

If you’re doing what Jessica was doing – covering up the bits you like in the quest to hide the bits you don’t love so much – then spend some time learning what styles will help you play down or conceal, while also featuring.  They are out there and they will make you look and feel better and help you to embrace your beautiful, unique shape.

*Jessica is not a real person.  She is an example of many many clients I work with who are in a very similar situation and have an almost identical story.

You can read what styling services I offer here

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