PERSONAL SHOPPER TIPS: SUMMER HOLIDAY LOOKS

The sun is out, and whether you're embracing the heat and revelling in it, or feeling overwhelmed by the absence of your autumn/winter jumpers, knowing what to wear during the warmer months can be daunting. If you're seeking some summer outfit inspiration, you're in the right place! In this blog, I'll share five of my favourite summer outfit ideas for you to experiment with during the sunnier season.

Midi Skirt and a Tee

If you know me, you'll know I adore the combination of a graphic tee and a midi skirt! Not only is it perfect for feeling summery and free, but it also suits a variety of occasions. Whether I'm heading to work meetings or having brunch with friends, I feel my outfit is always appropriate with just a change of accessories.

As the weather heats up, you'll want to feel cool and comfortable. The beauty of this outfit is its simplicity and ease, perfect for those rushed mornings when you need something stylish that suits your personal taste.

You can express your style through the graphic tee you choose – whether it’s a glittery quote, a classic rock tee, or a v-neck white tee – it works across different personality types. The same goes for the midi skirt. From pleated, colourful skirts to leather-look midis that bring out your inner rock chick, there are plenty of options to make this outfit your own!

Floaty Dresses

Floaty dresses are a staple for summer. They’re breezy, comfortable, and effortlessly chic. You can choose a floral print for a classic summer look or go for bold, solid colours to make a statement. Pair with sandals for a casual day out or dress it up with wedges for an evening gathering.

Denim Shorts and a Blouse

Denim shorts paired with a lightweight blouse create a stylish yet comfortable look. Opt for high-waisted shorts for a flattering fit and choose a blouse with a fun pattern or unique details. This outfit is versatile enough for running errands or enjoying a day at the beach.

Source: an Indigo Day

Jumpsuits

Jumpsuits are a fantastic all-in-one option that can be dressed up or down. Choose a lightweight fabric for maximum comfort in the heat. A sleeveless jumpsuit with a cinched waist can be incredibly flattering and easy to accessorise with statement jewellery or a cute hat.

Linen Trousers and a Tank Top

For a more polished summer look, linen trousers paired with a tank top are a great choice. Linen is breathable and perfect for hot weather. Choose a neutral colour for versatility, and complete the outfit with a pair of espadrilles or slip-on loafers.

With these outfit ideas, you'll be ready to take on the summer months with style and confidence. Enjoy the sun and have fun experimenting with your summer wardrobe!

PERSONAL SHOPPER TIPS: SUMMER OUTFIT INSPIRATION 2023

The sun is out and whether you’re embracing the heat and wanting to relish in it, or you’re feeling overwhelmed by what to wear without your jumpers of the Autumn/Winter, it can be daunting to know what to wear during warmer months. If you’re looking for some summer outfit inspiration you are in the right place! In this blog, I am going to share 5 of my favourite summer outfit ideas for you to play with during the warmer months.

Midi skirt and a tee

If you know me, you will know that I love a graphic tee and a midi skirt combination! Not only is it great for feeling summery and free, but it also works across all different occasions. Whether I am heading out to work meetings, or having brunch with friends, I feel like my outfit is appropriate, just with a change up of accessories.

When you get into the warmer months, you want to feel cool and comfortable. The great thing about this outfit is that you can quickly and easily put it together when you are in a rush, if it suits your personal style.

You can reflect your style in the graphic tee you choose – whether it’s a glittery quote, a classic rock tee, or a v-neck classic white tee – it works across the different personality types. You can then also do the same with the colours or styles of your midi skirt. Whether it’s a pleated midi length colourful skirt, or a leather look midi skirt that brings out the rock chick in you, there are plenty of options for this outfit!

If you are heading out and there may be a chance of cooler weather, you can pop on a blazer or a leather jacket for that added warmth.

I personally love to elevate this look for meetings with heeled sandals, or for more casual events I wear platform trainers or slide on sandals, depending on the weather forecast!

Linen two-piece set

For a beautifully chic yet cool look, linen is the perfect way to go. This works well for people who are more of a Classic or a Creative personality type. If you are a Classic, you can make a clean, crisp yet comfortable look with a white or neutrally toned two-piece set. Whereas, if you are a creative, you can discover sets with patterns or colours that reflect your personality.

With linen looks they can sometimes feel a little more casual, so you’ll want to embrace the flowy nature of the fabric. However, fashion designers have worked to take away the usually flowy nature with more figure hugging options, to help bring you in at the waist. You also don’t have to reside with wide-legged trousers and an oversized blouse, consider finding a skirt and cropped top option for a unique look.

Cropped jeans and a blouse

Cropped jeans are a must try style as they work beautifully for both petite and standard height people with a range of body types (depending on the cut). When you pair them casually with a blouse the look is very chic and laid back. If you want to go for Classic styling, wear a fully monochromatic look of white cropped jeans, a white blouse, white heeled sandals and a crossover body bag in white with hints of gold to elevate the look. Whereas, for a romantic look, bring some of your favourite ruffles or bows with your blouse – also a great option if you are more pear shaped to balance out your shoulders!

For more inspiration on how to style up your cropped jeans, visit this blog!

Midi dress with sandals

If you love to dress up and dress down a look in a flash, without having to worry about what works with what, a midi dress is a great option to add to your wardrobe. Thanks to the length, it is suitable for both professional and relaxed events. Paired with sandals you can style up or down the look with just the change of heel! Flat sandals, with a sun hat and your midi dress are a great option for late afternoon drinks, whereas heeled sandals with a laptop bag and perhaps even a blazer works well for meetings during the day.

Midi dresses come in all shapes, styles and patterns so you’ll want to check out which style of dress may work best for your body shape. For pear shapes, a dress that comes in at the waist, with structured or detailed shoulders are a good option for you. For ovals, you will want to have a more flowy option around the waist and have perhaps a v-neck or wrap dress style. If you are a rectangle, you’ll want to find a shift dress shape. For inverted triangles look for a midi dress, that has minimal details at the top while adding volume at the bottom to create balance.  

Wear the shorts!

Finally, my summer go-to for us is to wear the shorts. Many clients I work with feel overwhelming fear of wearing shorts (myself included!) but this is because we hadn’t found our perfect style or length.

If you have thighs that touch – which is many people by the way – then you’ll want to invest in shorts that come down long enough to prevent any discomfort. There are plenty of excellent styles of shorts that you can try out in a variety of fabrics that work for the summer weather helping you feel cool and comfortable, as well as confident.

A few of my favourite types of shorts, depending on your body shape, are:

Rectangular: Straight cut or Mom shorts. Finding a pair of mid to short shorts work perfectly for you, in a straight cut. This is because they ensure your shorts aren’t too tight, but continue to show off your leaner legs. Whereas a Mom cut will add definition to your hips where you may want to add a little volume to create an hourglass effect. If you have slightly shorter legs, this will also help to elongate them. Match with a pair of heels or platforms to lengthen, or just go all-out summertime and pair with your favourite sandals and a loose tee.

Hourglass: High rise shorts. Because you go in at the waist, you want to show this off. Look for high or mid rise shorts that cover your thighs about half way between your pelvis and your knee for an elegant option. Look for trouser-style fabric shorts, to keep the look feeling professional, and match with a blouse in a monochrome style for a chic option.

Apple shapes: Short shorts to show off those legs! When you are an apple shape, you tend to have longer and leaner legs. This means you can go for those shorter options to help show off the length of your legs. Look for a pair with an elasticated waistband too, to make you feel more comfortable. Match with a flowy top tucked in loosely for a casual option.

Pear shapes: High waisted looser shorts with minimal detailing. You may want to look for shorts without pockets, and definitely without pleats. Feel confident and comfortable with shorts that are tailored to feel slightly “wider”. Paperbag style shorts are great for pear shapes, as they bring your eyes up to your small waist. Look for a pair that come with or allow for a belt to add that extra oomph to your waist and make sure the fabric is soft, rather than stiff. Elongate your legs with a pair of neutral stilettos, and add definition to your shoulders with a blouse that has volume at the top.

Summer shouldn’t be a time of year where you are feeling daunted by the prospect of what to wear. Your clothes should be an extension of your personality and help you feel your best no matter what the occasion! If you are feeling conscious that your wardrobe isn’t reflecting your personality, or you want support from someone who can help you discover outfits that help you shine with confidence I’d love to help.

PERSONAL SHOPPER TIPS: AUTUMN OUTFIT INSPIRATION FOR 2022

Autumn is here and what comes with it new outfit options! My clients can find this time of year difficult to dress for as it’s not cold enough for a full winter outfit, whereas the summer clothes feel too light. Whether it’s layering or picking the right shoes for the weather and how to style them, I share my top tips for autumn outfits just for you.

Top colours for Autumn 2022

Autumn 2022 has a great selection of colours to choose from, but which ones work best for you? As you may know, I help people discover their best colours by using the seasonal colour analysis. You can find out more about how to know yours, here. These are my picks for each of the seasons:

Spring: Zesty lime - a bright and fun colour to add to your wardrobe.

Summer: Lilac is a strong contender for my favourite colour for Autumn 2022.

Autumn: Burnt orange is a truly Autumnal colour and can be a rich addition to your wardrobe.

Winter: Pink & cobalt blue for a cooler tone that works on your skin, while remaining bright and colourful for the seasons to change.

How to wear your Autumn trending colours

There are plenty of different ways to add colour to your outfit, from a little touch to an all out full monochrome look.

A perfect start can be a woolly hat, a leather jacket, or a pair of shoes.

The next step can be a pair of leather wide-leg trousers (very on-trend right now, and works great for most body shapes), or even a blazer.

For an all-out commitment to your colour selection, or perfect for abstract personality types, is to wear a full outfit in your colours. Whether it's a suit, or even a maxi dress, with a mesh top underneath to keep yourself warm in the cooler weather, with a handbag and jacket.

If colours feel a little daunting to add to your outfits, I'd love to help.      

Top trends for Autumn

Outfits for this time of year include great layering and light, yet warm options.

Some of the top trends coming into the season include "punk prep" - think leather, pleated midi skirts, and tailored blazers. Maxi dresses and full-length hem lines are also back in fashion, and great with a pair of over heeled boots.

One great trend coming into fashion for the season are tailored waistcoats. These are great for the androgenous look for the office, or with a pair of wide-leg jeans over a more casual long-sleeved top for a more casual look.

Statement leather is also a strong option for the 2022 season, and you can't go wrong with a leather jacket at any time of year. You could also try any of the leather trousers coming onto the shelves, or for a more approachable statement leather piece, think of a leather bag in the colour of your season.

Top 3 Shoes & Outfit Inspiration for Autumn

Now we’ve talked all about the colours and outfits on offer for Autumn 2022, we can jump to the shoes! Shoes can oftentimes be the most difficult part of the outfit to pair together. There are some unique and fun ways to play with the shoes and your outfit for this time of year.

Combat Boots: Best with cropped loose-fitted jeans, and shorter skirts

Combat boots continue to stay on trend, year on year, and they're a great piece to bring into your Autumnal wardrobe. As they come up to your ankle bone, they do need a little consideration when being styled.

One casual option can be matching them with looser-fitted jeans that are cropped or rolled up to show off up to about an inch above the top of the boot. Check out my blog for 7 ways to style your cropped jeans, here.

You can also wear them with a midi or mini skirt with tights, and as the days get cooler, even with a pair of thick socks peeking out of the top of the boot too.

Knee-high boots: Match with dresses, skinny jeans, and maxi skirts

There's something so elegant about a pair of knee-high leather or suede boots with a small platform heel!

While you can go quite nineties with the styles on offer, it's best to pick leather or suede if you prefer a more professional look.

Matching your boots with a maxi skirt will keep you warm without having to fight with tights while wearing a dress with a slit can mean you can show off your boots without getting too cold.

Another way to wear and show off your boots is by wearing them over your skinny jeans, or with a mini skirt, depending on the event.

There are some great options available for those of us with larger calves, and do opt for a boot with a zip so you can more easily put your boots on.            

Trainers: Casual chic looks with flares and wide-legged trousers

Workwear no longer has to include stilettos (as I shared in this blog) and this means you actually can wear trainers to work! There are some great options nowadays for us to pick up a pair of comfy yet professional trainers that work for all occasions.

Match your trainers with a pair of trending flares, or if you want to mix and match professional with sport-luxe, why not try with your trouser suit?  I would recommend looking for a pair of high quality trainers in a neutral tone, or go quirky with one of the colourful suede options now available to add a touch of personality at your feet.

Seasons change, and maximising your outfits and wardrobe items you already have is so important. If you’re finding it difficult to discover the seasonal outfits that work for you and bring you confidence, I can help with my Style Masterclass, or Personal Shopping experiences.

PERSONAL SHOPPER TIPS: SPRING OUTFIT INSPIRATION 2022

Spring is such a beautiful time for inspiration for our wardrobes – out go the grey and dark days, and in come the beautiful colours of pinks, purples, greens and yellows.

If you are looking for what to wear this spring and how to add a touch of colour, then here are my personal styling tips for your spring wardrobe!

Adding colour with your shoes

One of the fun, effective, and most approachable ways to add colour to an outfit, in my opinion, is through the shoes! Why? 

Because you can choose to show just a flash of the shoe when you are wearing flares or longer jeans, or show off the full shoe when you wear skirts, cropped jeans, or dresses – which are a great outfit choice for the warmer days. With these shorter hemlines, you can truly bring out your colour personality, but without feeling like you have overdone it with the outfit.

From finding a pair of beautiful heels in a spring-perfect green or pink, to wearing a pair of sneakers in a bright orange or pattern you love, the world is your oyster when it comes to colourful shoes available. 

To truly show off your beautiful shoes, you may want to try out cropped trousers or jeans! 

What I love about cropped jeans is that they not only allow you to show off your favourite shoes, they are also an easy to wear item that still feels fashion-forward. If you prefer to wear trousers or want to try out the cropped look at work, you can find several styles of cropped trousers in a variety of colours. 

Why not go all out and bring in the springtime with a pair of cropped culottes in green (Spring 2022's top colour choice!) or even a pattern (best if your body shape is wider at the shoulders to bring definition to your leaner legs). 

Adding a colourful spring bag to your outfit

A colourful bag can be a great way to transform a more neutral look, as it isn’t taking up your full body, but brings just a spark of colour to the look.

When looking for a colourful bag, you'll want to make sure it is practical as well as beautiful. Consider what you will be using it for, which items you need to fit in the bag, and where you want to wear it (will it be an "every day", "work", "special occasions"?) this will help you find the perfect bag for you.

A few spring bags to add to your wardrobe are this gorgeous pink and orange small shoulder bag for just carrying your essentials; this Kurt Geiger rainbow shoulder bag; or this slightly larger crossover pink bag from Aldo.

Colourful clothes for spring

We're now onto the big addition to your colour journey - the clothing!

When you want to bring those springtime feelings to your wardrobe using colour, you can truly transform your mood with the colours you bring to your outfit. 

If a full suit is perhaps a little too much, why not try a skirt? While I love dresses, and if you feel the same way, I'd recommend adding a spring dress to your wardrobe at this time of year, skirts are often overlooked!

Spring/Summer 2022 runways saw the return of the mini skirt, and if you are ready to try out a trend that feels young, and fresh, then I'd highly recommend getting a mini skirt for this spring. Whether it's an asymmetrical orange skirt or a quirky colourful patterned a-lined skirt, now is a great season to try them out. They will help you embrace & get used to the shorter hemline as you can wear tights if you would feel more comfortable.

If miniskirts just aren't your "thing" then a midi skirt matched with a tee or a blouse is also a fantastic option to add to your spring wardrobe. Try a multi-functional option in a colour block or even a pleated easy-to-wear option to throw on and upgrade your jeans and a tee style this spring.

Depending on your style, you can pair it with a pair of heels, platform trainers, or even combat boots - and you'll feel ready to take on the sunshine. 

Admittedly, it can seem daunting to create a fully monochromatic outfit with a bright colour, so take gentle steps if you're someone who is new to the colourful game. Tone down a suit with a neutral blouse underneath, add a neutral tee to your colourful skirt, or wear a colourful jacket over a neutral outfit below. 

Start by finding the colours of spring (greens, purples, pinks, oranges) and then make sure they are in your colour wheel, and then enjoy the springtime vibes!

If the changing of the seasons is a daunting time for you, and you’d love to welcome them with open arms, or an updated wardrobe that you can treat yourself to with confidence, I’d love to help. I provide a bespoke personal shopping experience to help you find the right pieces to add to your current wardrobe, or even a personal styling session so you can discover your personal style.