A Nuffnang sponsored post… in which you can WIN a personal stylist, me and $1000 spending money!!!

When I tweeted the other day that I was heading into Westfield to experience a personal styling session, a great cry went up of “Oh no, you’re not going to loose your vintage styling are you?” Let me assure you that nothing could be further from the truth, but I was indeed off on an adventure.

As a part of their new Personal Styling services, Westfield invited me to spend the morning with one of their top stylists and experience what they have to offer. And what fun we had!

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When I met up with Jo my stylist, I’ll admit to feeling some trepidation about what awaited me. I knew that the khaki trend and I were not on friendly terms, and the leopard print body suits and I were experiencing some generation gap issues; but I was ready to put myself in her skilled hands and see what resulted.

Our first and most essential port of call was to stop for a much-needed coffee and a bit of a chat about my style.  I knew I wasn’t going to be the easiest client in the world, but that is surely one way to test out someone’s skills. Jo and I talked about my style, key elements that are important to me, my rules for ‘never’ (thigh high hems for instance), pieces that are missing from my wardrobe and trends I’d like to experiment with.  To my mind, the biggest benefit of using a personal stylist like Jo is the knowledge they can send you away with.  Not just a simple, “oh cute top!” but in teaching you about your body type, what works, what doesn’t and why.  And with that aim in mind we set out to find some cute ensembles that fit my personal style brief, but also to show you what didn’t work for me and why.

We started out at Forever New, which is full of leopard print, nudes and super soft knits this season. I always fall in love with their advertising images and the overall look of the store, but falter when I see the hemlines. Still, we decided to see what creative combinations we could come up with. And this was the winning Forever New ensemble.

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I’d found this lovely nude beaded dress with a strong 1920’s vibe, but it was cut a good 6 inches above my knee! It was also far too straight up and down for my figure, so we made a few key additions. Finding another ribbon trimmed skirt, we added that underneath, crinoline style, to give it length and volume. Then we used a wide beaded belt to give the dress more waist definition. Topped of with a cropped and beaded angora cardigan, it all came together to create a look that was more elegant princess than tall slender flapper (which I clearly am not). We liked the look, but knew it wasn’t quite on the money, so the adventure continued.

As we wandered around a few more stores, Jo and I decided we would show you just what it is a stylist does for you.  It isn’t just taking you to a random bunch of stores and finding pretty things, (you can do that yourself), but it is in finding out the science of shape, colour and finish that make pieces work for you; or not.   So I decided to be brave and take some shots of the Sad outfit as well as the Happy outfits and what the difference was.

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I’ve never worn a lace dress (being scared by Madonna in the 80’s), but wanted to try out this one in Cue.  But as you can see, some very small details make very big differences. The pic on the left has the sleeves sitting right on top of the shoulder, not at all flattering for my broad shoulders but the pic on the right has them spread out to make a little cap.  Although the difference is actually about 2cm in reality, the overall effect is very different.

But it wasn’t just the sleeves that made a huge difference; let’s see what happens when we add a belt to define the waist.

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I happen to have a long torso, as Jo quickly picked up seeing me in this dress. And as I love the hourglass shape I want to make sure my waist is always defined, but can you see what a difference is made by where I wore the belt?

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It isn’t just where you wear the belt, it’s the width as well.  This plaid dress came off the rack with the belt on the left.  It does nothing for me and nothing for the dress, but switch it out for a wider version and yes!  (Excuse the dishevelled hair, lots of change room shenanigans here..)

Thinking beyond the way something comes off the hanger opens up a world of possibilities. I really liked this plaid taffeta dress, but look what happened when we undid the zip a bit and pinned the neckline differently.

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Total win!

But what about colour? Most of us think we know what suits us and often won’t go near other colours. Sometimes we put something on and think it’s all wrong, but is it the shape that’s the problem or the colour?

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Both cute looks, but the punchy colour on the left is infinitely better on me. Jo knew we could make this even better by taking that same winning colour and picking another shape.

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This was my absolute favourite outfit of the day. The colour, the shape, the balance… and all still very much a ‘me’ look.

Having access to your very own personal style fairy godmother at Westfield, is something that you can use if you’re brand new to the fashion game or even if you have a strong personal sense of style. It isn’t about changing what you love to fit in with the crowd, but to find the secrets of unlocking the best versions of the looks you love- just for you.

You can get a taste of what a Westfield stylist can offer you right now with a complimentary 15 minute session in any of the Westfield fashion centres; but that’s just the beginning. Here’s the brilliant news…. You could win a Personal Styling Session with both your Westfield stylist and me! And not only that, but you’ll also win $1000 to spend on your big day out Could it possibly get any better than that?!

All you have to do is tell me Why you need a Westfield Personal Styling Session for your chance to win the lot!

The winner will be the best entry as chosen by me, so make sure you tell me your story.

Entries are open from Tuesday March 29 – Tuesday 12th April. The conest is open anywhere in Australia, but you must be in Melbourne or able to make your own way here to redeem your prze.

Full terms and conditions can be found here.

So don’t waste a second getting stylish and tell me why YOU need a Westfield Style Session now!!

Valentines Day is only really just starting to take off as a ‘holiday’ in Australia. For many years it has passed on my calendar with relative silence as Mr SKM and I like to try and do nice things for each other all through the year, without having to have a special day for it. But the project planner in me also loves any excuse for celebration, decorating and getting dressed up.  So with the upcoming Valentines Day in mind, I sat one evening with a glass of Strawberry wine and planned some Valentines Day outfit inspirations for you.  Just dreamy…

Outfit details here.

A bit of sparkle and frou frou never goes astray, and besides dressing in Diamond hues may just be a good way to provide a subliminal message. Sequins, lace and faux fur all come together in this ensemble to create a look that is all together feminine and fun, yet still sophisticated. A long frothy skirt to swish about as you walk and chuncky heeled boots to balance the lightness of the cropped lace jacket and sequined bustier.  Practical Princess style.

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Outfit details here.

Sleek, sophisticated and drop dead gorgeous. This is the outfit for a woman who wants to take things to the next level. Blush tones and gentle draping hint at a soft romantic nature, while the animal print bag and rose gold jewelled skull ring give a subtle clue to the wild woman inside. This look is less “you complete me” and much more, ” good choice buddy!”

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Outfit details here.

Here she is, our pretty princess. Gentle, smiling and always in good taste. Velvet bows, soft suede heels and ropes of pink pearls; all brought together with a sharp little blazer, impeccably tailored but not forgetting the importance of pink. She smells of orange blossom and brings a hint of sparkle to the evening with a few key accessories. She is our ingenue, our darling bud, our Disney Princess all grown up.

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Outfit details here.

Of course, Valentines Day isn’t all big dates and evenings on the town. Sometimes you just want to sit indoors and snuggle up your par amour. A little soft cashmere and lacy bustier, the cute and comfortable. Frothy tiered lacy skirt over cheeky boy shorts and lace stockings, feet shod in velvet ballet flats. A simple jewelled head band to keep the hair from your eyes, and an intricate sparkly ring that makes sure to catch the light each time you reach for the strawberries. She can curl up on the couch in her beloved’s arms, a stylish sleeping beauty.

What are your plans for Valentines Day? Going out, staying in or treating yourself to an indulgent night alone with all your favourite flicks? I’d love to know how you celebrate!

Sometimes I’m glad I move things to the back of my wardrobe for a while. Yes, some of those things should never ever see the light of day again, but this dress; well I had a feeling it might just come around again one day.

I first bought this dress about five years ago, back when the whole maxi / Grecian thing was going strong. When I wore it then, it was with a few layers of self tan and large beaded earrings, all very goddess style. During that summer however, I discovered that the reason I was feeling so queasy at a dinner party wasn’t the shrimp cocktail but rather the arrival of Miss 3 on the scene. With only a very little stretch in this chiffon number, it was hastily relegated to wardrobe storage and hasn’t seen an outing since. Until a hot summer night last week that is…

Outfit Details:

Dress – unlabelled and I have no idea where it came from..

Shoes – rope wedges with gold trim from Target about four years ago

Bangle – faux scrimshaw from Diva

Hair flowers – two separate flowers worn together from Something Else Clothing

My style hasn’t changed all that much in the past five years, but I have completely given up on even attempting the self tan look. I much prefer the pale and interesting variety. It didn’t take much to give this rather ‘on trend’ dress a more vintage vibe, just a large side sweep in the front of my hair, a side pony tail and a couple of oversized fabric flowers. I’m pretty darn pleased that I kept this dress after all these years now. It was cool, comfortable and perfect for dancing in the rain at midnight…

You could call my style eclectic, possibly a little eccentric, but I like to think of myself as a fashion tourist.

There are far too many rules in life and there are far too many rules in fashion. And yes, while some of those life rules might be there for our own good, there are plenty of fashion rules that will do us all the more better if only we have the courage to break them.

I’m not saying that you should go out and unleash yourself in leggings as pants, but just change the way you see your look and mix it up once in a while. For me by far the best recent experiment has been the addition of a great pair of cowboy boots to my wardrobe. Of course when these were on trend you couldn’t have gotten me near a pair for love nor money. But given the right moment, (cowgirl photo shoot) I had the opportunity to wear a pair and feel a vibe I hadn’t felt before.

Even though I did go out and get myself a few ruffled gingham  and plaid shirts to complete the look, that doesn’t mean that it should stop there.  Over the next month I kept the boots beside my mirror and every time I pulled something else out of the closet would think about how I might be able to work it back with those boots. Clearly it wasn’t going to work with a cocktail frock, but a cotton 50’s day dress and those plum boots soon became good friends.

I don’t go in for short shorts, but something with a similar length was next on my ‘things to find that will make love to my cowboy boots’ list. Then I found a little tea stained layered tulle skirt.  Add loads of chiffon in floaty floral prints, and the boots anchor the sweet girlyness of it to stop me coming off like a fourteen year old.

My boots have become good friends. They come to tea parties, markets, dances, they even made part of my Melbourne Cup outfit this year! (The one day on the calendar here that everyone wears frock and hats, it only stands to reason that that is the day I shouldn’t!)

I like the way they make me stand, the way they make you want to put your hands in your pockets and flick your thumbs out. The way they make me smile ever so slyly, and the way they look on the dance floor appearing underneath my big skirts and ruffled chiffon petticoats.

This is how I wore them this week.

Outfit Details:

Pink crochet top – GAP

Floral dress with tulle trim -Chicabooti

Plum cowboy boots – Vintage

Faux scrimshaw bangle – Diva

Pink hairbow- Hopeless Accessories

Purple Scotty dog clip – Art Box

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This is one fashion tour I’m so glad I took. I think I may just move in here.

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Image by The Dirty Story on Flickr

A good T.V series always hangs on not only a good plot but also the dynamism of its characters. We want to live vicariously through their adventures and indiscretions, to love one and hate another.  And just in the way writers build an unforgettable T.V Show, that is how you build a memorable wardrobe.

There is a temptation when creating a look relies on a strongly defined style, (vintage, rockabilly, punk, anything that has a name really) to fall into the trap of creating a ‘one size fit all’ costume for yourself. Yes, it is easy but not only does it not take much imagination, it also doesn’t allow you to showcase your personality, to wear your heart of your actual sleeve.  And this is where you can learn something from those clever script writers.

None of us are one dimensional. Our lives see us playing very different roles depending both on whom we are dealing with at any one time, the mood that we are in or what we do for a living. It is the ‘common ground’ area in these roles that has somehow become the dominate dressing style in most people’s personality. Hence the melange of mediocure business suits, the go to jeans and t shirts; it’s all just a bit too hard.

However, if you take a slight step back and think of each of your roles as having a personality all of their own, how you can begin to dress those characters for their roles, you’ll be one step closer to finding your own unique interpretation of the looks you love.

Maybe your day job sees you sitting behind a desk, making coffees and doing all sorts of admin. Is your secretary self more Maggie Gylenhall in Secretary or is she more of a Joan Holloway? Perhaps even a Peggy Olsen? Having a pre-created template like one of these characters is a great way to break the ice and ease yourself into developing the look that is right for you. For instance, you may start off all Maggie with pussy bow blouses and defined shoulders, but then find that it is the bows in the look that make you particularly happy.  You take this, build on the theme and them before you know it, you’ve created your very own work wear look that is truly your own.

One of the challenges for anyone wanting to dress differently is to do just that. To actually dress DIFFERENTLY. Differently to those within their social circle, within their family and to break the rules. And while this ‘devil may care’ attitude to your sartorial obligations may seem to be quite terrifying at first, your first successful attempt will be the most liberating thing in the world.

This is what makes us artists. To take a brush and paint the night sky the way we see it, just as it is to take a simple dress and put it into the situation we dream it can be.

Take a risk and colour outside the lines.