The trouble with summer is ...

Regular readers know I love summer-time; I enjoy the heat and hardly notice the humidity. But swimsuit shopping is a pain! So here are some tips to make it a bit easier.

As taught in your Personal Style workshop, the basic principles apply; choose a flattering colour, match your style personality and scale, find the right design lines then highlight your assets and camouflage figure challenges.

Tummy issues

Tummy issues? Draping and ruching work well by preventing the fabric from clinging (photo on left). Or, distract away from the area by creating a focus elsewhere eg your bust (photo on right).

Pear shape

Pear shape? draw the eye upwards by using a print top with a plain & darker colour for the lower half. Both togs use horizontal lines at the top to highlight the bust, the halter neck shows off  slim shoulders while the wide-set straps help to widen narrow shoulders.

PS

I never tire of helping women discover their personal style; realise their figure assets and how easy it is to camouflage their figure challenges. I'll come home on a high, absolutely buzzing.

I particularly enjoy hearing how fabulous my clients felt at a special event. Being MOB or MOG (mother of the Bride or Groom) is an important day; if there are complications (break ups, new partners etc) then it's even more fraught with stress and anxiety.

Ladies, I can relate! Let's meet and talk it through; maybe we simply need to review what you already have and put it together in a new way. Or look at what's available in the local shops and find something fabulous for you. Perhaps you'll shop further afield once you know what you're seeking. I'd love to help ... there's nothing quite like feeling gorgeous and knowing you look your very best!

Wishing you a very merry Christmas and wonderful new year - M

Spring-time Fashions

One of the dominant trends this Spring is black and white; a timeless look, and relatively easy to create thanks to Kiwi women's fondness for black.

Be cautious with the design lines, as these are emphasised in monochrome. Remember that darker blocks camouflage, while lighter blocks highlight so ensure they accentuate your best features.

A touch of colour helps to soften the strong contrast, and you know how flattering the right colour is!

Black and white suits most Winters yet it can be adjusted to work for other palettes.

Summers: try navy and a softer white, or dial down the contrast eg smaller stripes/patterns for a more flattering grey (at a distance).

Autumns: hunt down black and cream options, wear one of your best colours near your face (earrings or scarf).

Spring: keep the combination lighter eg 70/30 rather than 50/50, and opt for ivory with navy.

 

Spring-time Fashions cont.

Of course there ARE fashion colours - something to please everyone this spring-time. Bright pinks, deep cobalt blues and teals (Winters), soft blues and greens (Summers), deep rich oranges, and olives (Autumns), clear bright oranges, leaf greens and warm reds (Springs).

Useful neutrals are easy to find too; light oatmeal, sand and khakis, blacks, greys and navies.

Ensure you have the essentials to make your wardrobe work; neutral jackets, bottoms, and footwear because they'll go with any of your colours. Once you have the basics, then splash out with some fun items so you'll look up-to-date.

Spring-time Fashion cont

Typical in spring-time are the floral prints; a little different this season is that they're worn in suits

(matching jackets and skirts/trousers). Print trousers continue to be popular.

Chambray - a light-weight denim but softer and faded - is very popular. It can work as a neutral with one of your seasonal colours, or as a soft colour for Summers and Springs. It's useful for NZ's laid-back living and worth investing in, as the fashion comes around every few years.

Also this year there's a huge Japanese influence eg cherry blossom, oriental style (obi belts, wide sleeves, collarless jackets). I love the look ... it can be timeless, and pretty, and relaxed, and ethnic - something to tick all the style personality boxes! Just remember to select an item that has your unique style personality mix ratios.

There's still some 20's influence; beautifully cut for gorgeous draping, feminine, applique detailing, and hats. Looks like we'll be seeing many more hats being worn from big floppy styles to smart little cloches.

PS

Lovely to see the sun, warmer weather and fab new fashions popping out.

I've had the pleasure of working with hundreds of women over the last eight years yet it's still the most exciting fun sharing a workshop and helping women discover their personal style. Not everyone wants to 'go public' but being privy to their stories and seeing the impact our time together has had is magic, and very precious.

We have a new little grandson to dote on! First-born to my son and his wife, Adam is - of course - absolutely gorgeous! He arrived a little sooner than expected; an early birthday present for his Dad, and ensuring a Father's Day celebration this year.

Enjoy this new season - M

Wardrobe Treasures

Most of us have them - wardrobe treasures. They're the items we wear again and again, our favourites. They may be clothes or accessories (jewellery, bags, belts, footwear, scarves).

So what is it that makes them work so well? Because if you know that, you can repeat the success. Here are the aspects I've identified:

Colour: treasures are often in your Season's neutrals as they go with any of your colours, often core pieces ie essentials. Other success stories will be in your Season's colours. Have you discovered your 'magic' ones? There are usually two or three colours within your Season that look particularly amazing.

Style: there are two aspects to style; the first one is about your style personality. A favourite item reflects your style personality mix, with similar percentages.

The other aspect is the style of the garment; treasures have a timelessness about them (they may need a bit of tailoring to update them). The design lines flatter your shape, camouflaging and highlighting the right bits. Also the scale of the item is appropriate to your personal scale.

Fit: treasures fit properly. Make the effort to have items altered (especially tailored pieces) as it's rare to find something that fits perfectly.

Condition: treasures are worth repairing, although eventually they'll wear out (which is why it pays to buy quality pieces as they last longer).

Treasures aren't always in fashion yet thanks to trend cycles, they'll come back.

Versatility

While I don't enjoy the winter temperatures, I do like creating new looks with some of my wardrobe treasures.

A simple Little Black Dress can be layered up with a slip, a net top, leggings/tights, shoes or boots (yay for warm socks inside knee boots) and a coloured cardigan, or a bright scarf and denim jacket or a thin coloured merino under the dress and a tailored jacket. Easily topped with a coat, scarf, hat and gloves at night or on unusually cold days.

TV Debut

I was invited to take part in the Bella Vi seasonal make-over programme recently. I met with Tracey Ruddock-Gudsell of Creative Tauranga for her Personal Style workshops one Monday. It was a beautiful day and we had great fun discovering Tracey's personal style.

Tracey was up early for the next day's filming; I caught up with her mid-afternoon in Mt Maunganui. My interview with Aimee and shopping with Tracey was filmed at Women. Within a week it was edited and broadcast.

to view the programme, click here

to see just my interview, click here

PS

Hello
The family wedding I mentioned in my last newsletter went well, and I squeezed in two shared Private Consultations (two friends on Friday, mother & daughter on Sunday). It made for a busy few days so I appreciated the time alone with my hubby as we drove down and back.

I bought the Dalston dress at Hula Fashions, and had it adjusted to fit (taken in at the back so it didn't fall off my narrow shoulders or gape at the bust).

Thank goodness I knew how to do some sneaky layering as Wellington was a bit chillier than we hoped. My extra layers included some shapewear, a slip, pantyhose (with open toes to wear with peep-toe shoes), and a turquoise pashmina. I swapped the pashmina for a lovely warm, bright blue cardigan at the reception.

The bride looked like a fairytale princess, her mum (my sister) looked fabulous and my grand-daughter Bella was a lovely flower girl (awww!). It was wonderful having most of the family there to celebrate together.

I'm looking forward to wearing my dress again next summer; let's hope we have another lovely hot one!

Meanwhile, enjoy the change of seasons and the opportunity to find some winter wardrobe treasures.

Margaret