We're doing things a little differently this month and looking at styling your whole look as well as working with accessories.
Your style is an expression of who you are. This is not about fashion or trends, it's simply about your individuality. Bold or feminine, floral or minimalist, your preferred way of dressing is your personal statement to the world.
But with so much fashion and shopping content available to us, it can be overwhelming sometimes to make really individual choices. This month I'm going to help you navigate this journey and leave you clearer on your personal style.
Bracelets add a lovely subtle accent to any outfit.
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Understanding Your Body Shape
This first step is about understanding the silhouettes that flatter you the most.
Rather than comparing yourself to different celebrities or fruits (I’m somewhere in between an apple, a pear and a strawberry), I love this body shape calculator by Who What Wear.
It narrows things down to four key body shapes, looking at where the weight is distributed in your body. It then gives you lots of ideas of what will look great on you and explains why. Give it go- it’s honestly game changing!
Choose a colour palette
Yes, this is very similar to putting together the colour scheme for a room or even your wedding.
You start by picking some key colours- these are usually found in the staple pieces you wear- so trousers, jeans, skirts, jackets and they are often colours like black, navy, grey, khaki or white.
Then add in some accent colours. These are the ones that add personality and make your look pop. Make sure you think about what works on your skin tone. If you’re unsure about this, it can be helpful to either take photos of yourself and see what works or ask friends and family what they think.
Quite simply, having a personal colour palette will mean that you always look put together and your looks are coherent and stylish every time. It certainly makes shopping so much easier.
Necklaces draw the eye and focus attention.
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Create a mood board
Gather together lots of looks you love either on Pinterest or by using the save function on Instagram. Or for some real old school fun, cut up some recent magazines and stick them on a large sheet of card. Pretty soon you’ll start to see some trends- colours, shapes, key pieces. This is you gravitating towards what you love and it will act as a map of what you’re aiming for.
Declutter
Now that you’ve done a lot of the thinking and planning it’s time to declutter your wardrobe. Get rid of anything that doesn’t fit you right now, and of course that doesn’t fit with the planning work you’ve done.
Invest in key pieces
These are the items you’ll wear 75% of the time.
For me, that’s things like dark jeans, semi-smart jumpers, shirts and blouses, jackets and coats. Because I work from home but I’m also a mum who does the school run twice a day I don’t need any super smart office wear. When I go to meetings, I usually pair my smartest jeans with a jacket or shirt.
Determine what works for your lifestyle and invest accordingly. Then have some fun with a few seasonal pieces like slogan tees, Breton stripes, trainers, polka dots and bold colours.
Find your style icons
This isn’t about copying a celebrity look. Style icons are there for inspiration and a little guidance when you’re unsure. Bloggers, friends, that lady in your office, a school mum, even your mum or your sister can be a fantastic source of style inspiration.
Statement earrings are such an easy way to make an impact.
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As I always say, have fun with this. Take your time learning about your body shape, colours that suit you, shops whose tailoring sit well on you. And if you really make it your own, you’ll have found your personal style.