2021 was a busy year, even though I spent a considerable time in lockdown (again), but it didn't stop me from aiming to dress with style most days of the week as I know there is a relationship between mental health and self-care, and what you wear is part of your self-care routine each day.
I thought I'd look through all the posts I wrote over the past year and share with you my favourite posts in case you missed them.
How do I Build a Cohesive Wardrobe and Avoid Buying Orphans - this is a topic I get frequent emails about and so I thought I'd share some tips and strategies with you as if you can build that cohesive wardrobe you'll find getting dressed each day a much easier and quicker thing to do!
Your Ultimate Guide to Planning a Colour Scheme for a Wardrobe Capsule - so many women feel lost about where to start when choosing clothes that go together to create that cohesive wardrobe that mixes and matches and also makes them look fantastic. This is why I was excited to share my colour tips to help you select the colours that will always make you look amazing and work together in your wardrobe easily. Which neutrals to choose and then how to select the best colours for you... discover How to Select Your Best Neutrals now!
As colours change with age, this post on how to move away from darker colours to lighter ones (which is something many of us need to do) was a topic that I have been asked about many times. Whether you've dyed your hair blonde or are just naturally lightening up your wardrobe (or have realised those dark colours are dragging you down) then this is the post for you.
Another hot topic this past year has been all about going grey, and I'm not the only person to have embraced my grey hair with so many lockdowns and now access to hairdressers. I figured after 5 months of not dying my hair that I'd done the hard-yards with growing out my roots, so may as well see what grey looked like on me and even though grey is a softer colour, you it won't necessarily make you fade away when you wear softer colours with it.
Now 2021 has also been another year of casual clothing - got nowhere to go, so nothing to dress up for ... which is why I wrote this post on 5 Tips for Looking Stylish in Casual Outfits.
Now some people want to Blend-in and others like to Stand Out - which is you? There is not one right answer - just the one that works for you. This led me onto sharing 5 Easy Ways to Become More Adventurous with Your Style, as I get asked how to do this frequently.
Shopping for clothes can be fraught for many and so many of you tell me that you are overwhelmed when shopping so I wanted to share 7 Essential Tips for Narrowing Down Your Options When Shopping for Clothes so you don't make poor purchasing decisions and end up with a cluttered wardrobe full of clothes you don't wear.
So often people tell me that they are not sure how to combine colours and how much of each colour they should wear when mixing colours in outfits which is why I thought it a useful topic to cover.
Which Patterns Mix With Anything? Do you treat some patterns like they are solids? If you want to become an expert in mixing patterns finding the patterns that easily mix with anything is the first step.
I loved sharing this post after doing a personal colour analysis for two women (sister's in-law) who ended up with the same palette, but how they wear this palette was so different from each other because of their colour and value contrasts. Understanding How to Individualise a Generic Colour Palette is such an important part of a personal colour analysis.
If your wardrobe is full to bursting it's likely that you hold onto clothes because of sentimental reasons, yet so often these clothes are not being worn and are just taking up space. If this is your wardrobe, full of Expensive or Sentimental clothing you don't wear discover the 4 Questions to ask yourself to help you let go of them.
Most of us who have had a personal colour analysis don't actually wear all the colours in our palettes - and there is good reason for this so I wanted to share them, as sometimes people think that if they don't like a colour or it doesn't really make them feel fantastic then the whole colour analysis doesn't work... but there are good reasons why you don't wear all the colours in your palette.
And how many bad hair days did you have during the past 2 years with all those lockdowns? I know I had a few - which is why I got together with a fabulous hairdresser and we recorded this Hair Masterclass to help you find ways to tame your frizz and have better hair more days of the week.
Pants or Trousers - depending on the part of the world you live in - are THE hardest garment for most women to buy, and there are many reasons from body shape to the way they are made - so rather than feel that there is something wrong with you (which is what most women feel when they can't find a pair of pants to fit) you need to know all the reasons why and what to look for to have more success.
Do you prefer a more simple outfit or a more complex one? It's important to figure this out as it will influence every wardrobe and accessory choice you make, from what you buy to how you put your outfits together. Neither is the right one - it's up to you and your personality!