Archive of ‘Style tips’ category

How to update your wardrobe when losing weight

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How to update your wardrobe when losing weight

My gorgeous Magdalene is 7 months old and sadly my weight has plateaued to a halt as I have been half-heartedly trying to lose my post baby weight. I have another 15kg I would like to lose. My dad tells me I’m kidding myself to lose that much weight and honestly, I’d be happy to lose 10kg because that would get me back to my pre baby baby weight – before I had my first daughter Esther.

But what do you wear in the meantime while you are trying to lose weight and your maternity clothes are too big and baggy and the rest of your clothes are too small because you’re a bit bigger all over? Or maybe you don’t have post pregnancy woes, but instead have the winter bulge?

I have had to invest in new clothes (and I’m still hunting for some dresses) because I don’t want to cry about not having anything to wear and I want to add some key trends to my existing wardrobe.  I’ve chosen not to spend too much money because who knows how long I will be in them.

So I have decided to run a series on how to update your wardrobe when losing weight.

Key Piece One: Print Leggings

One of the first pieces I added to my wardrobe was a pair of Paisley Print Leggings. I bought these at a local boutique (In Style Boutique) because the pattern caught my eye and I like to support local businesses where I live. The leggings are a Brisbane brand called Molly & Maude and are supplied by Posh Designs. If you want to purchase the ones I’m wearing, contact Posh Designs for a local stockiest in your area.

I wear the leggings as pants with a white shirt or an oversize tee or tunic. The leggings make me feel and look slimmer than I am and they will only look better as I lose weight. Trend-wise, I say they are like patterned pants which have made a second debut this season.

I wore my leggings to the first day of the Problogger Conference and teamed them with my favourite white shirt from Ollie & Max – an item I bought upon recommendation from reading the blog Styling You. I bought this white shirt when I had Magdalene because of the generous sizing around the cleavage area. White shirts are a staple for any wardrobe and are great when you’re breastfeeding because they camouflage spewed spilled milk.

Day One at the Problogger Conference wearing my print leggings

Day One at the Problogger Conference wearing my print leggings

I wore my Easy Steps Black Patent Wedges because they are so comfortable to walk in and gave me height to elongate my legs. I finished the outfit off by wearing a black bead and crystal necklace from Adorne and four resin bangles which I made myself and sell on my Styled by Bec Madeit store.  If I can’t find arm candy in the colours I need, I make them myself using resin.

If you want to give leggings a go for your Spring wardrobe update why not try these styles?

Print Leggings

 

1. ASOS Only Floral Legging

2. The Iconic 1&20 Blackbirds Quartz Leggings

3. Freez Clothing Silence & Noise Legging

4. The Iconic Kardashian Kollection Lace Print Leggings

You may only wear them on cooler days or at night during the summer months, but when Autumn arrives next year you will be wearing them again to get more cost per wear. If they become too big because you’ve lost weight, know that you can wear them in winter or when you’re having a fat day. I’m not a pessimist, just a realist. 🙂

Can a stylist lose their style?

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Can a stylist lose their style? I say yes because despite the fact that I can style other women with ease, I have felt in the last 18 months or so that I lost my style mojo. I couldn’t define what I liked anymore or what was ‘me’.

Life changing events can do that to you. Like pregnancy and becoming a mum to another child. It was almost like what was the point?

But I hate being miserable about what to wear. And even though I had been pregnant before, the weight seemed to settle in new areas on my body and I found that some of my maternity clothes didn’t fit properly and I yearned to buy clothes in current trends to redefine my style. But when you’re pregnant, sometimes just finding a dress that drapes in the right area and doesn’t cost the earth is all you become concerned with.

So in the last weeks of my pregnancy, I went through all of my magazines that I had kept from the last three years and cut out pictures of outfits that I liked. I pinned them to a cork board and they have been hanging on the wall in my office ever since. It’s like pinterest but done old school style.

When a stylist loses their style, they pin pictures that they like...

When a stylist loses their style, they pin pictures that they like…

When I look at my board I immediately think classic and sophisticated. Blouses with bows, draped cardigans, blazers with waist cinched belts, lady-like dresses and pencil skirts are the common themes in the outfits I have chosen.

And yet, I can’t wear these styles at present because they are impractical now that I’m a mum. Maybe that is why I have felt so lost – because the styles I like don’t work with the person I am at this present stage of my life.

So how did I redefine my style to suit my current circumstances?

I read fashion blogs like Styling You

I screen shopped ( window shopping but on the internet)

Dabbled on pinterest…

And I read magazines – old and new – to incorporate pieces into my wardrobe that would work not just during maternity, but beyond too.

It was all about finding the casual classics with the bows and frills that could be worn day in and day out to suit my new job – being a mum.

I also realized and made peace with the fact that my wardrobe would always be evolving (hallelujah!) and to not let my current circumstances stop me from wearing styles that I love to wear. The pencil skirt may not work right now, but a dress with an a-line will, and blazers may be suited for a night out, but a draped cardigan can make a boring jeans outfit look sophisticated during the day.

Have you ever had to redefine your style and what did you do about it?

‘Nothing to Wear’ Wardrobe Dilemna

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How many times do you say ‘I have nothing to wear!’ every time you look in your wardrobe? Women only wear 20% of their wardrobe because

a)    The items don’t fit because they are the wrong size or wrong shape

b)    The items are no longer in fashion

c)     The items sit in the  ‘One day I’ll wear it…’ pile

d)    The item needs fixing for example a new button, shorter hem etc

e)     The items are uninspiring

 

 

Wouldn’t it be great NOT to spend money on a new wardrobe and utilize everything in your current wardrobe and give it some life?

 

Some women find this really hard to do, so here are some tips to get your wardrobe de-cluttered and in 100% wearable order. (Alternatively you can give me a call and I can do this for you for a fee!)

 

  1. Go through your wardrobe and TRY everything on to find out what fits and suits your body shape. The items that don’t fit or suit your shape put them in a separate pile. These can either be donated to a charity, sold individually on ebay for cash to update your wardrobe OR sold in a bulk pile if the clothes aren’t the best labels. $10 is $10 and can go towards a new top or even accessories!
  2. Sort your ‘fitting’ wardrobe into tops, pants, skirts, dresses, jackets etc.
  3. If some items are no longer in fashion, look at magazines or online through Pinterest or fashion websites to get inspiration on how to wear it without looking dated.
  4. Any clothes that need mending – mend them or drop them to a friend or family member who can fix them for you. Alternatively if you are embarrassed to ask someone close to you to mend your clothes, find your local dry-cleaner as they will have a clothes altering service.
  5. Now that your wardrobe is sorted, start experimenting putting outfits together. If certain things are missing in your wardrobe, make a note to write them down and when you have the money from items you have sold on ebay, go shopping!

What to wear to the Theatre & Matinee Shows

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On the weekend my husband and I went to the Lyric Theatre in Brisbane to see the matinee session of Mary Poppins. The show was fantastic and we had a wonderful time, but preparing my outfit for the show wasn’t too fun.

 

We have gone to the theatre before, but have attended the night performances, not the day ones. My dilemma was ‘Is the dress code different if you attend the matinee show?’

 

In the end I decided to wear the black dress I recently bought from Target. (you can read that post here) I dressed it up with a black belt, Scarlett red heels and a Kate Hill handbag with jewellery to match. It had been a wet week in Brisbane and the weather on Saturday was dreary. I didn’t feel like wearing something bright or over the top.

 

My husband wore his grey pants fromCountry Road and a blue checked shirt from Rhodes & Beckett. We looked smart and stylish. I was surprised to see the attire of other attendees which included a tee, jeans and thongs for some or a simple day dress and sandals.

 

It raised the question about what is acceptable attire to the theatre and after some research into the matter I have concluded that the Theatre is a once in a blue moon function to attend… unless you are rich and can afford to go to every show that is shown at Qpac! So it requires our respect and we must dress accordingly.

 

Throughout history only the elite and prestigious townspeople went to the theatre and they wore their Sunday best. Hats and tail coats for the men and Victorian dresses for the ladies. History hasn’t changed much except that it isn’t the elite and rich that attend the show nowadays, it’s those that can afford such luxuries or wait for the opening sales to get the best seat at the cheapest price.

 

The theatre is an atmosphere and production show that requires the respect of our attire. For women a smart cocktail dress or pants suit would be correct choices. Choose an outfit that you would wear to a wedding or formal function. Not formal enough to wear to a black tie unless it is the premier or opening night. These same outfits should be worn to the matinee sessions. The theatre is the theatre whether it’s day or night. Also make sure you bring a bolero or a pashmina for your shoulders if you get cool from the air conditioning. For men a classy suit worn open with a long sleeve shirt. A tie should be worn on opening night.

 

What’s the big deal about dress code anyway? Well it’s a big deal when you attend a job interview or when you perform your job. What we wear leaves an impression on the people we meet. It’s also a reflection on you as a person. A neat and tidy appearance says you respect yourself and others enough to put the effort into making your self look good.  By dressing formally to the theatre you are giving respect to the many actors and actresses that have spent time practicing to give you a good show. It’s not often we get dressed up, so going to the Theatre is a good reason to wear that expensive dress you thought you’d only wear once to a wedding!

Be a Knock Out using Block Colours

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Don’t let colour block you out! Learn to wear colours that make you a knock out! Be a knock out using block colours.

 COLOUR BLOCKING IS THE NEW SEASON TREND FOR SUMMER 2011/2012 but which colours suit you?

 Colour Parties are an affordably great way for you to find out what colours suit you. Host a party for 2-10 friends and learn what colours you can wear well and which ones to avoid.

 The colour trends for this summer are watermelon, coral, tangerine, aqua, red, hot pink and vibrant purple.

 When colour blocking, only mix two to three colours max so that you don’t look like you’ve come out of the ensemble of Joseph and the Technicolour dream coat!!

 Pair unlikely colours together to make a fashion statement, for example tangerine and purple, yellow and blue, orange and red, aqua and red… the possibilities are endless!

 As well as the recent launch of “Colour Parties”, I have been very busy mastering the art of creating resin bangles.  I have made block colour bangles and palette bangles that contain ribbons relating to each season. I can post the bangles Australia wide. Feel free to order by email or fill out the online form.

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