Travelling Light

Going somewhere this summer? I used to take far too many things 'just in case' (and feel embarrassed about how much luggage I had) yet only wear some of them!

"This is NOT working." I grumbled. So I spent some time trying to figure out what did work, and how I could pack less but better.

Using the capsule concept to build your wardrobe really helps; neutrals for core essentials with flattering colours to liven things up. When you're packing, limit yourself to two neutrals eg a dark and a light*, and two colours (one main, one minor).
*a light neutral is good for holidays in the sun

Make sure you have an outfit for each type of occasion: Casual, Smart, and Dressy. Some items will work in two (or three) categories eg well-cut trousers for Smart and Dressy. Consider your trip; is it 50% Casual, 25% Smart and 25% Dressy? Then pack to that proportion.

Separates offer the most flexibility so pack more tops than bottoms (5:1)

Select items you can layer for maximum versatility. Take multi-purpose favourites - the ones you turn to again and again.

Choosing neutrals for footwear means they'll go with whatever you wear. One pair for each type of occasion; pack two and wear one for travelling (make sure they're comfortable as you'll probably do more walking than you expect, especially if you're flying - airports are enormous!)

Accessories don't take up much space yet can quickly take an outfit from Smart to Dressy. Scarves and sarongs are useful because they're so versatile: tied as a dress, a skirt, a top or a jacket. They'll cover your head / arms when sight-seeing or over-dosed on sun, and warm you in chilly air conditioning (or an NZ summer!)

Ideally, opt for things that hardly wrinkle (most creases will fall out if you hang items in the bathroom while you take a shower - it's the steam).

It can make sense to wear your Smart outfit to travel in as: a) you may be upgraded, b) you make a good impression en route and upon arrival, and c) you don't have to pack it (jackets can be bulky).

Travel Capsule Suggestions

Winters: black, white & bright turquoise

Summers: grey, white & smoky, Wedgewood blue

Autumns: chocolate, oyster white & deep jade

Springs: camel, ivory & bright aqua

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Here are some of the recent posts:

• How do you know if you have a short or long neck? ...
• Do you have favourite outfits? Just now this is one of mine ... [photo]
• How to camouflage a tummy ... [photo]
• Had a quick wander around Fashion Island this morning ... [photo]

'Tis the Season

Hello and welcome to this quarter's newsletter.

Hooray! the pohutakawas are in blossom, there's Christmas music and decor in the shops, and (my favourite) warmer weather.

It is a bit silly to have so many parties and get-togethers over just a short period but ... oh well!

I recently spent an afternoon at home trying on different Dressy outfits and seeing which worked, which didn't, and what was suitable for each event.

A few months ago I'd bought some shapewear (think of it as smoothing-out rather than sucking-in) plus made a real effort to maintain my weight over winter, rather than let it creep up. So I was very pleased to try on hardly-ever worn dresses and find they fitted.

One's a gorgeous long pink dress I've had for at least ten years; it's so simple and timeless it can be dressed up or down. Love that versatility!

Another is a Little Black Dress whose original price tag was well beyond me, but it was dramatically reduced in the sales. I've worn it on several special occasions and, with varied accessories, it looks different each time.

That's why accessories are very useful and worth buying.

The trouble with weddings is that photos are taken ... ensuring everyone can remember what you wore!

So for a family wedding in April, a new dress is required and before I'd really started looking, I found it!  I was browsing in a local shops, tried on a dress and was absolutely stunned at how good I looked in it - uh oh! when it makes you look that good ... it's a must-have!

Please take a moment to have a look at my new website - the address is the same, but a different design; far simpler for me to update now.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year; I hope you enjoy the celebrations, the weather and some relaxation time.

Margaret

Spring Fashion

So many delicious colours and gorgeous fashions coming into the shops now (and the weather is warming up too - yay!)

There's something for everyone this season ... clear bright yellow-based colours for the Springs (coral, yellow, peach, neon green). Lots of pastels - great for Summers and a few Winters (lemon, lilac, spearmint). Some very bright deep colours just for Winters (neon pink, cobalt blue). Perhaps fewer colours for Autumns but there are some of your blues and teals, plus deeper corals and peaches.

Unusually there isn't a dominant style personality; plenty of florals and lace for the Romantic, exotic prints for the Expressive, tailored timeless styles for the Classic, fabulous denims and loose, comfy tops & jumpers for the Natural.

I'm seeing a tidal wave of ocean shades (cobalt blue, blues, turquoises, teals, aquas - a hue for every Season), heaps of black & white, and some classy metallics (silver, gold, even bronze).

Historically, there's a sense of the Baroque period (very rich, ornate materials) and the 1920's (drop waist, long fringing - think Charleston dress). The contrasting lady-like 50's with the colour-blocking and simplicity of the 60's continues.

Peplums (a short flared piece of fabric attached at the waist) are still popular - they don't work for every figure, and not every peplum is the same.

Key items are pretty dresses (lace, pastels, brights & floral prints), short, tailored jackets, and coloured jeans (plain & prints).

Have fun!

Thank You!

In my last newsletter I mentioned the 'Clothing 2 Cash 4 Cambodia' sale (held on 14th June).

We'd hoped the raise $NZ1200 to build a house for the poor in Cambodia. That figure was totally blitzed - over $NZ1800 was raised!

Resulting in: one complete house, a substantial donation to The Princess Project*, and the remainder went into building another home. Fantastic! Great work Breakfree Expeditions!

*The Princess Project rescues precious daughters, along with any siblings or family they might have. Providing food, clothes, shelter, education, school supplies, vocational training, dental aid ... and their lives are being transformed.

Have you heard of Pinterest?

I remember spending hours on rainy days going through magazines and finding pictures I liked, cutting them out and pasting them into a scrapbook. Did you?

Now I can do it online!

I've found pictures of clothes (of course!) hair styles, lovely decor and beautiful places. Not only can I 'pin' them onto a 'board' but I can also trace it back to the original website (very useful).

You're welcome to look at my boards and there are many others to explore ... Enjoy!

http://pinterest.com

Shopping

I don't shop on line - I prefer doing it in person; looking, feeling and trying on are just too important (and fun). Here are some of my favourite local shops and their web-sites:

Glassons you may not be their target market (I'm certainly not) but they have a great range of useful items, as do Temt and Shanton.

Max has a new Creative Director and they're relaunching their tailored styles with longevity and co-ordinating items in mind (sounds like I'll be buying from there more often).  Portmans have some great work pieces and Jackie E (nb these last two are Australian sites - prices are $A).

I always enjoy browsing at Repertoire; I like their 'classic yet current' style and their staff are very helpful.  Another one I make a point of going into is Kilt (I fell in love with one of their blouses ... sorry, can't link to show it here). And Wendy's - they have such wonderful displays, I always go home feeling inspired!

It doesn't pay to ignore any shop ... some favourite items have been found in K&K (despite their advertising they are plus-sized clothing) and Caroline Eve.

It's quite a mixture and definitely reflects where I live (downtown Mount and Bayfair are handy, Papamoa's Fashion Island and Tauranga are further away) and my tastes.  Of course, when I'm shopping with a client it all depends on what THEY want to achieve, plus their budget and personal style.

Be quick to save $$

Katikati Resource Centre is hosting two more 'Affordable Wardrobe Planning' this year (these consist of Personal Style's Workshop 1 in the morning and Workshop 2 in the afternoon).

Saturday 15th September is already booked out, Saturday 27th October is nearly filled.  You can book in via their website or telephone them on 07 549 0399 to reserve your place.  Please note these workshops are heavily subsidised and limited to 10 per group.

PS

The joys of Spring! I think my favourite season is Summer (because it's so lovely and hot) yet Spring is my next choice; the temperature is warming up (finally!) and the new fashions are coming into stores.

Not everyone enjoys shopping but while I get frustrated when the budget won't stretch any further, I do love looking around the stores and getting a feel for the new styles and colours.

Although I'm not a fashionista - I think style is more important than fashion - there are some excellent fashion magazines I read to keep me up to date. Yes, most of the clothes and accessories they showcase are expensive, but I think of it as a way of educating myself - like looking at old masterpieces to appreciate art.

Here's another application for the 80/20 rule:  80% of your clothes are timeless essentials and 20% fashion.  Within that 20% are current colours, shapes and accessories - which you may already own.  For instance the cobalt blues, teals and turquoises that are so popular just now - I've been gathering items for years because they're my colours.  Ditto the bright pinks, blacks and whites, lace and florals - they're all part of my personal style.

So now's the time to go through your wardrobe, review your capsules and consider what's missing ... you probably only need to buy a couple of items to refresh and update your look.

Please feel free to contact me with your queries - phone 07 575 7415 or 021 234 8561, email margaret@personal-style.co.nz or FaceBook message me www.facebook.com/personalstylenz
M
wish there was more (pictures, tips etc)? then "Like" my FaceBook business page

PS

So the crazy season is over (Christmas, New Year, summer holidays, Christmas bills, back to school, more bills) Did we have Summer? How can it be March already?!

Well, we did manage to spend some quality time with friends and family, and enjoy some wonderfully relaxed days. The grandchildren are growing up quickly; so precious when the youngest is delighted to see me and squeals saying "Nana!" while the older ones can't wait to show off their latest skills and accomplishments.

During the summer break, I took action on client comments and feedback. I split the Personal Style three-hour (sometimes longer) workshop into two, then added more information on identifying and overcoming Figure Challenges. So now you can choose to do Workshop One (focusing on colours and wardrobe planning) then follow up with Workshop Two (specialising in style personality, scale, flattering design lines, body shape & proportion).

Both workshops take about two hours, and can be done as a Private Consultation or Small Group. In a Private Consultation a 90 minute wardrobe audit follows each workshop; the practical application of workshop discoveries. More details and prices are on my website.

As always, I love to hear from you and am happy to answer any queries you may have. Do look at my new look FaceBook business page - it's full of tips and handy hints.

Margaret

Emergency Outfit

On a recent trip to Auckland, I'd carefully worked out what to take for each event and duly packed. But upon arrival I was stunned to hear all my 'hanging-up' clothes had been left behind - OH NO!

I managed reasonably well for a couple of days as I'd worn a sun-dress to travel in and had a pair of jeans, coloured singlet and a merino cardigan in my bag. However I needed something warmer and smarter than either of them for one particular event.

So with a tiny budget and limited time I headed to the shops - see photo above - and bought an outfit for $40!

I was determined it would be a useful addition ie that I'd wear again, and not a double up of something I already owned.

Thankfully my dressy sandals 'made' the outfit. I felt a bit strange not wearing any colour - bright blue earrings not withstanding!

Have I worn it again? Yes! once with a smart little jacket and cobalt blue scarf, another time with a teal green top underneath. Yipee - a winner!

If you'd like some help choosing useful additions to your wardrobe, then please contact me 07 575 7415 or margaret@personal-style.co.nz

2012 Winter Fashions

2012 Winter Fashions

The sad thing about March is that it heralds the end of Summer. (What Summer?!) However it's great to see the Autumn and Winter fashions coming into the shops.

Such an interesting range: there are slim pencil skirts (very popular) AND softly draping A-lines (kinder to more figures). A dress to suit every woman - flattering empire lines, oh-so-useful wraps, straight shifts and waisted with full skirts. Lovely lady-like looks from the 50‘s plus 60’s mod interpretations.

Wide and skinny legged trousers - choose the style that suits you, also leggings (to be worn with great caution: ensure your crotch and bottom are completely covered by your top AND your legs are worth showing off. If not, wear under a dress).

Marvelous jackets - short and long lengths, tuxedo style (a timeless classic) and with peplums (be careful - they tend to emphasise a tummy and widen hips). Heaps of cardigans - especially sweet little waisted ones, some are long and flowing. Plus waistcoats - in fact, lots of tailored-suit styling.

Fabulous colours too; my personal favourites are cobalt blue and teal green. There are some wonderful reds (blue-reds and yellow-reds) from each season’s palette. Lovely grey blues and soft mauve-pinks for the Summers. Oranges continue - bright corals for Springs and deep pumpkins for Autumns, with Mustard making an appearance (this has to be one of the hardest colours to wear, and it doesn’t suit all Autumn ladies).

If you need to update your core essentials ie neutrals, then this is the time to do it as it’s a massive trend to dress only in neutrals this season (boring!). In the shops - as always - heaps of black, but I’ve also found fantastic greys, browns, creams, and whites - you really are spoilt for choice.

Oh and if you need a coat you’re likely to find it - colours and neutrals, plain and prints, short and long, from parkas to dressy.

Remember to keep your wardrobe interesting by embracing different textures (very big this season) there’s leather, velvet, and lace often together on one garment.

Chunky knits and fur aplenty; which is great for keeping warm but can make you look big and bulky so team with slim, flattering lines.

You’ll find metallics and sparkly looks too; be careful where you wear these on your body as they reflect light ie makes things look bigger. Hmm - maybe not shiny silver skinny jeans then! Far better in fabulous accessories.

Animal patterns abound: mostly crocodile & snakeskin versions. Leave it to the young or really outrageous to wear from top to bottom; an item or two is all you need to show you’re up-to-date (perhaps in a top or simply an accessory).

Colour blocking (ref Mondrian style) continues in a cleverer, more flattering way eg a dress with princess seaming, and darker side panels. Tops and dresses that have a brighter colour across the shoulders which visually widens (making hips appear narrower), and geometric patterns - all part of the 60’s inspiration.

It really is a pick 'n' mix season - remember, not everything will work for you so select what will. Having a great core wardrobe (neutral basics) makes it easy to buy just a few items which will update your look.

Have fun! (and if you need some help, just ring me on 07 575 7415 or email me margaret@personal-style.co.nz)