A good style tips goes a long way. It doesn't take much to elevate your style, with just a little know-how and help from a stylist you can instantly make changes that will take your wardrobe from average to amazing! Here are some of my favourite quick tips to update your look...
1. Pick one area or the other when it comes to baring skin. Choose only one body part to show off - if it's cleavage, don't show your legs, if it's your legs, stay covered on top. This isn't about being modest or demure, it is about visual balance and proportion.
2. One of the biggest mistakes people often make is wearing pants that aren't the right length for their shoes or the right rise. Generally, hems should just graze the tops of your shoes and be from 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch off the floor. Roll your hems up to show a little bit of ankle and add a heel or heeled boot to lengthen the leg. Look for a rise that allows you to define your waist line, if your waist sits too low it will cut into your sides and create a muffin top shape regardless of your size and distort the mid section. Mid to high rise styles vary and it is worth trying a few to get it just right.
3. Once you know which silhouettes flatter you, filter trends ruthlessly. For instance, if you're petite, it's best to avoid ruffles and billowy shapes even if you love them, instead go for tailored and fitted pieces and short hemlines. If you are curvy through the bust, a v-neck will balance your shape instantly, whether than be a tee, wrap dress or shirt buttoned down to where the top of the bust begins. If you carry weight through the middle, opt for a shift dress and show off the arms and legs. Balancing the shape is the first and most effective way to style, the rest follows from here.
4. Always take one "it's cute but so not me" thing into the fitting room. You never know!
6. Outerwear should never be an afterthought. So often a coat or blazer makes the outfit and is the only thing people will see you in as you go about your day. The value of a stylish coat should never be underestimated (I often suggest shopping for these at the end of the season for a bargain and then bringing it out the following year)
7. Combining colors, scale, and patterns in a way that looks dynamic takes practice, but is well worth trying! Don't worry, there ere are some basic tricks to getting it right. You can wear two prints that repeat the same colors or mix a large-scale pattern with a smaller one. What's even easier is to use the second motif as an accent.
8. You should always have your go-to tailored blazer in the back of your mind. No matter how casual or thrown together the rest of your outfit, a blazer will pull your outfit together instantly and is light enough for most seasons.
9. Style with extremities. Pairing something really small with something really big creates the perfect balance in proportion and gives a fashion forward edge to an outfit instantly, A great example is a small cross body bag worn with an oversized jacket or an ultra skinny jean with a chunky boot.
10. Tuck your tee. The average hem line of most shirts and tee's sits just across the hips or slightly above. This isn't flattering on anyone as it creates a solid shape through the waist right through the hips down to the thighs. To break this up, always tuck your shirt into your jeans or skirt or knot at the front, or side, or even at the back. Shape is key!
11. Know your measurements! Enjoy online shopping without the risk of a million returns by keeping your measurements listed somewhere. Once you know your shoulder, bust, waist, hip, and inseam measurements, the varied sizing between brands won't throw you off.
12. Belt it. Adding a belt to an outfit is an instant style fix - it creates shape, interest and allows for tucking and fabric manipulation to create endless different shapes and looks (try to invest in a stretch belt, as one without stretch often falls down or cuts into the body uncomfortably)
13. Beware of decision fatigue. Having to make too many little decisions early in the day drains the brain of decision-making power later on. Don't waste your brainpower in the morning trying to get dressed - get rid of things you can’t or don’t wear regularly and simplify your wardrobe to pieces you like then try to plan your outfit the night before. Ease is one of the most important factors to effective styling - ease equals confidence, comfort and aesthetic success!