Getting ready to film with Michael from Always Wear Red. Wearing a Maje dress and Zara kids bomber.
An old manager of mine used to say "blowing your own trumpet plays a very bitter tune" then laugh and say "bollocks! If you've done something you're really proud of, you should tell people." I know people who are so good at sharing all the exciting things that are happening in their life but in a non-bragging sort of way. After you've left the conversation with them you think 'oh WOW. They are so talented.' (And you want to weep a little bit because you think you aren't as talented.)
Well, since Rich and I returned from our honeymoon 3 really exciting things happened:
I got my own radio show, was offered a TV show and was asked to contribute to a book about wardrobes.
Let's break this down. First, my radio show. On honeymoon I made 3 promises to myself, 1 of which was to trust my gut. I'd been aware of Phoenix Radio for a while and I've had their website open on my phone for months but it never felt like the right time to contact them. After 1 day back at my desk I rang them, told them what I wanted to do and headed down for a meeting. At the end of the meeting I was offered a slot on Tuesday mornings, a slot which had only become vacant the day before. HELLO SYNCHRONICITY! My show features awesome guests who are running their own businesses and doing awesome things.
Amazing headphone game, if I do say so myself!
Secondly, the TV show. I owe this to a man I have never met: Michael from Always Wear Red, a fantastic accessories brand. We've chatted on the phone, followed each other on Social Media but never met in person. He'd been approached to appear on a new TV show called Fashion House, a show which didn't have a presenter. He recommended me, they loved my YouTube videos and the rest is history; filming started last week. I get to chat to stylish people in their wardrobes and try on their clothes.
Thirdly, the book. It's being pulled together by a couple of fashion academics I know:
"The wardrobe is an under-investigated space within the fashion and clothing
system, below the radar of many traditional academic disciplines and also
popular culture."
I've wanted to be a successful broadcaster for as long as I can remember and the events that have transpired over the past 3 weeks are the seeds of years of hard work, making connections and having a true intention and trusting that it will happen. So, toot toot! This week I'm blowing my own trumpet.
So we are nearly half way through 2016!! Crikey - how time flies. This month sees the manifestation of a couple of long held dreams when it comes to my business, The Wardrobe Angel.
First up we have me landing a radio show! I did student radio when I was a first year at Nottingham University and loved it. Since then I've been invited to talk about all things wardrobes on BBC Radio Leeds, Manchester and Humberside. Now I have my own show on a Tuesday morning from 9-12 noon on Phoenix FM, talking to awesome people who are doing awesome things in awesome businesses. You can listen online, text in for shout outs and request songs. See you there - I'll be live every Tuesday from 7th June!
Secondly I've been asked to contribute to a book about wardrobes. Erm, hello? How perfect is that?! The book's purpose is to investigate the space of the wardrobe:
I bet she's warm. draped in all those yummy cashmere scarves!!
I just got off the phone with Michael Owen, the brains behind and founder of Always Wear Red, a luxury cashmere and silk accessories company launching on 14th Feb this year. We talked about how cashmere is a worthwhile investment for any wardrobe - soft, durable, and when it's made of superior quality cashmere, like the Always Wear Red cashmere scarves are, it won't pill because the longer the stand of cashmere when it's woven, the less the chance of bobbling. How's that for sustainability! (They are hiring by the way - check out the job opportunities byclicking here.)
We also reminisced about owning fewer items of clothing when we were teenagers but loving them more and an image of my favourite jumper from my teenage years popped into my mind - a funnel neck knitted jumper from Warehouse, pastel ice blue in colour with 2 darker blue lines running horizontally across the bust. I LOVED that jumper. After each wear and wash I would carefully fold it, wrap it in tissue paper and place it on the middle of the second shelf in my wardrobe (yes, my clothing memory is THAT GOOD!) I owned that jumper for about 4 years and when it gave up the ghost during my second year of uni I was distraught, convinced it would never be replaced. In fact, I did try and replace it with a camel roll neck from Miss Selfridge. Much to my disappointment, the "roll" bagged after every wash only compounding my grief for my much loved Warehouse number. That jumper was just...awesome. I felt so smart when I wore it, so cosy (a must if you live "up north"), and so stylish.
How often do you feel absolute love and joy for an item of clothing?
I tidied my own wardrobe this morning, re-ordered my shoes for the new season and re-folded the items in my draws - I call it "spending time with my clothes" - it helps me see what has given up the ghost, what is missing, what I need to buy next, what I'm loving, what I'm wearing and most importantly, what I'm not wearing. Today turned up a surprising item - a faux sherling coat purchased in early December last year. When I bought it I couldn't wait to wear it - I wore it out of the shop I thought I was so in love with it! I wore it with some white jeans and an awesome grey knit underneath a week later. But since then the love has waned: it just ain't ME. So, jacket, in the words of Carrie Bradshaw to Big, it's the end of the line:
"You and I are like that red wall. It's a good idea in theory but somehow it doesn't quite work."
You and I are like that red wall. It's a good idea in theory, but somehow it doesn't quite work.' Carrie Read more at http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/suzannah-ramsdale/542963/sex-and-the-city-the-best-carrie-bradshaw-quotes.html#pHJAdFc8UWTHZTKs.
You and I are like that red wall. It's a good idea in theory, but somehow it doesn't quite work. Read more at http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/suzannah-ramsdale/542963/sex-and-the-city-the-best-carrie-bradshaw-quotes.html#pHJAdFc8U
Here are the pictures and the measurements. If you want to make me an offer then please do. Just email me at info@wardrobeangel.co.uk or leave a comment below. I'll post it to you this week.
Size 10-12, faux sherling coat with 2 real pockets, spare buttons available, fully lined. Chest 36”
Length 28” (approx.)
There's been one story I've been drawn to this past week: Essena O'Neil, an Instagram "star" with around half a million followers, quitting social media due to the current status of social media, namely building your self-worth against the number of likes you receive for pictures. She edited some of her Instagram photos to highlight the truth behind each shot adding captions such as:
"This candid bikini shot? Totally staged. I just want younger girls to know this isn't candid. It's contrived perfection." You can watch the Buzzfeed video of Essena explaining her decision to come clean about the images she portrayed on Instagram below:
As The Wardrobe Angel I have seen many bodies and let me tell you - they are all individually unique and awesome. Where clients think they are 'fat' they usually aren't, where they think that dropping that magic 7lbs will make them happy it probably won't and when they compare themselves to another woman in their life and feel they don't measure up - let me tell you, they do. So much of our lives is lived in comparison which made the YouTube video (above) even harder to watch - if Essen's images were a sanitised and starved version of her self yet she built an empire on them and got paid for them - then cripes, isn't that sad?
I had the pleasure of working with a client a few weeks ago who wrote me the most awesome piece of body positive feedback I have ever had. It is LONG but keep reading - there is so much in it that we can relate to including how our body image and our relationship to our body is formed in our family unit.
There is an F-bomb and an S-bomb in here so be warned. Here we go...
Dear Stephanie
I would just like to give you a big THANK
YOU for the profound impact that you not only had on my wardrobe, but also on my
life. I always feel it is important to share these things with people, because
they need to know what impact they have on people’s lives and how important
their work is.
The shells have come off of my eyes and
every day, little by little, I love the way I look and dressing is now a
pleasure. I now KNOW what looks good and what looks shit. I have come to love
and appreciate parts of my body that before I hated and wanted to hide. I now
wear things I never thought I could and best of all, I feel good in it. And
because I feel good, I strut my stuff and I know that makes me look even
better!
The world of dresses
and midi skirts have opened up for me, and what a beautiful world it is! I feel
like The Little Mermaid as she finally set foot on solid soil. I feel feminine
and like a lady and through the way I dress,my true personality now finally
shines through. I grew up with a father who always resented effort put into
your appearance and 'girly' things and I always had it in my head that in a
man's world, you should repress that femininity because there is no place for
it. Now...fuck that! I am feminine, I like sexy and I like looking well put
together with minimal effort and how much simpler could you do that than with a
dress. You also introduced me to petticoats and I recently found the hottest
lacy (and racy) number I think Marks and Spencer has ever done – now I wish a
gusts of gale force winds would swoop through London to lift my skirts
daily!
When you came to my house it was like
talking to an old friend and at no moment did I feel uncomfortable with you.
You rummaged into a place that, for a woman, is sometimes a bit of a sanctuary
and private place, yet it felt like it was the most natural thing you could do.
You immediately told me my body shape and exactly what I could do to enhance
it. Not once did you make me feel ashamed for having larger hips and rounded
shoulders, nor did you tell me I could do with losing a few pounds (yes, that
has happened to me before); in fact, you made my body sound incredibly sexy and
like it was coveted by many! Your skill and knowledge of fabric is
fascinating. Your experience with fashion and know-how of different stores are
priceless. You are certainly fulfilling your calling!
It is amazing how somebody’s life could
change by knowing how to dress to look good. Before I hired you, I thought I’d
get a very detailed list of what I should wear and would have to go on a massive
shopping spree to find those items. But my wardrobe is actually much smaller
now and much simpler. When I shop now, I only focus on certain silhouettes and
styles, and only buy what I know works for me and what I love. Having that
knowledge takes the guess work away and saves me a lot of time and money! I am
now finally one of those people who buy ‘investment’ pieces.
You are, therefore, worth every penny and I
can’t recommend you enough. Feeling good because I know I look good
gives me an immense boost in my confidence, so much so that I feel I can now do
anything. I used to look in the mirror and see one big, ugly blob but now I can go for that job I want, I can go into that store I love, I can
go on the dates I long for and I can have the life I want. You changed the way
I dress, but because of that, I changed the way I see myself. And that is
something I will always be grateful for!
Thank you, Stephanie!
Before you head off check out this wonderful piece on Body Positivity featured on The Olive Foxearlier this month, written by my sister-in-law Janet from the blog, Words The Can Only be Your Own: "The human body is an incredible thing and it seems almost insulting to waste time focusing on your flabby arms when those arms sew or bake or draw beautifully."
I carry a small wheelie suitcase with me to each wardrobe sorting appointment and have to reassure the client that I'm not moving in, just bringing some kit with me to help their appointment go more smoothly. I thought I'd share what I use to help clients style and look after their clothes - I've been doing The Wardrobe Angel job for nearly 4 years now and these bad boys have stood the test of wardrobe time:
1. M&S Stain Remover Wipes - my Mum bought me these as a joke one Christmas. Well Cathy Roper the joke is on you: these wipes are immense at stain removal and a must if you look after young kids who wipe snot/food/paint on you as you attempt to leave for work. Buy them in the food section by the tills, 2 packets for £1.50.
2. A Bic razor - some knitwear bobbles. Even Brora cashmere has been known to bobble. A jumper will be more prone to bobbling the more fabrics that are included in it: say Cotton, Wool, Acrylic and Viscose. This is because as more fabrics are added to the mix the fabrics begin to lose their original properties thus weakening them and Hello Bobbles! A quick shave with a razor will remove the bobbles and relieve your jumper of its scruffy state. If the jumper in question isn't that bobbled try a velcro roller to remove fluff instead; it's a bit more gentle.
3. Bulldog clips - if you are thinking of getting a garment shortened or taken in but it is a delicate fabric like silk (and a pin mark will show through) or a really heavy fabric like gaberdine (so a pin won't stay in it) then clipping the fabric with a bulldog clip holds the fabric in place. You can also use hair grips if you don't have pins - they won't mark your garment either.
4. Scissors - there's nowt worse than those pesky loose threads and labels ruining the look of garments. I always cut the labels out of sheer garments.
5. Masking tape and sellotape - great for removing fluff and bits from clothing if you don't have a clothes brush to hand.
6. Ecover spray and a cloth - when cleaning out a wardrobe the last thing I want to do is damage clothes with a bleach spray. This is a gentle formula with no parabens which I have successfully cleaned the shelves, rails and corners of many-a-wardrobe.
7. Labels - a useful tool for labelling clothes that need to be altered, dry-cleaned or washed so that the client doesn't have to remember what all those clothes piled up on the chair are for after I've left the building. They are also great for labelling an outfit to give you a jolt of inspiration in a morning.
8. Spare buttons - I take a bag of these with me in case buttons need replacing or changing. I also take thread and heel replacements for shoes. What a well prepared Girl Guide I am!!
9. Bin Bags - an essential for any wardrobe clear out. The most I've ever removed from a client's wardrobe was 18 bin bags. A good day for the charity shop!
10. Calibri Anti-moth - All cashmere needs protecting with this stuff; it's an odd smelling insurance policy against moths!
11. Dylon Dye - if a client wears a lot of black clothing this stuff is essential. Black can wash out at varying degrees so you can end up with a grey/black top and black trousers which can cheapen your look. Cheaper than buying new clothes, I often recommend Dylon Dye instead.
12. And then there's my contacts. A client emailed today saying
"I have some amazing Citizens of Humanity flares, but they are too long. Is there a shop/way/person who can take them up without losing the flare?"
I sent her to The Denim Doctor in Manchester. Click here to see the website. Michael has repaired all of my jeans and turned a pair of heavily flared Diesel jeans into boyfriend jeans for me a couple of years ago. As jeans go, he is beyond talented at fixing, re-styling and patching up.
13. And finally a recommendation I leave with clients - to carry some extra jewellery, spray deodorant and foot spray with them. I have a make-up bag under the front seat of my car with all of the above packed away in it. Extra jewellery because sometimes you just need a little more ooomph, spray deodorant and foot spray to keep everything peachy fresh. A must with summer just around the corner!
Time to see what kind of things I buy to make my wardrobe work a little better....
Manchester was my shopping destination on Friday 2nd January. Rich was rolled up on the sofa watching TV with a nasty cold so I made my shopping list of items to buy and escaped from the germs. I'll leave it until as near New Year as I can to shop the sales. I LOVE sale shopping a few days after the sales have gone live; it's quieter, there are more staff to help you and you can get even bigger discounts. On the train to Manchester I plotted my route: Selfridges (I had vouchers to spend), Zara (ditto) and H&M (I just love H&M).
My shopping list:
1. Basic tops in grey, white and black.
2. Black 7/8 trousers.
3. Leather pencil skirt.
4. Gold chain necklace.
5. Jacket.
First up Selfridges. Heading to the top floor I made my way over to Sandro. I've been obsessed with buying a Sandro jacket for a while and with Selfridges vouchers in my pocket I was all "yeeeeaaahhh! Today is the day! Sandro get in my wardrobe!" Sandro did not want to get in my wardrobe - nothing left in my size. After a quick whizz around COS to look for basics (nada) I went downstairs to the designer floor and LO! A Helmut Lang Jacket! In my size! (Note - not many descriptive notes next to number 5 on the list - so Helmut fitted the bill! But seriously - I wanted a fitted jacket which would go with jeans, pencil skirts, you know the drill.) Price? £565. Just kidding. Reduced to £250. Reduced to £195. With vouchers £145. Winner.
My jacket for the next 100 years
Then off to Zara. With Zara comes patience. It was RAMMED. Kids, pushchairs, clothes on the floor and a queue at the fitting room. Nevermind. I did a couple of laps picking up trousers and the odd top then headed upstairs and walked into the fitting room straight away. Zara sizing has puzzled me in the past year or so; I've got dresses in M and jackets in XS so I always take 2 different sizes of the same item into the fitting room with me. On the 3rd attempt I found the perfect trousers: high waisted, pocketed, slouchy and slim fitting all rolled up in a buttery £15.99 reduced from £29.99. Grabbing a chunky gold chain necklace from the accessory stand £19.99 reduced to £12.99 I made it out of there alive.
Ooof H&M - you've done thy self proud
Then I headed to H&M. Loads of clients have told me they don't like H&M - too busy, clothes are always on the floor, don't understand the layout - and before I worked there I felt exactly the same. But after working for H&M for over 3 years I am eternally loyal to them. Now even more so since I found the perfect grey marl basic t-shirt. Again, I had to do a couple of laps and try about 15 tops on but BY JOVE! (who is jove anyway?) it was worth it. I'll go back for more next month when I've seen how it wears and washes.
So - I'm giving myself 3 and a bit out of 5 from the shopping list- not all basics purchased and not a whiff of a leather skirt since Helmut ate up most of, nay ALL, of my budget. Greedy Bugger. But since I'll be wearing it until the Year Dot, I forgive him.
The second Allium B dress I styled wasFlora. This was really testing my mettle - I don't 'do' florals - but as a stylist and Image Consultant I see a lot of clients who do. And I can't go shoving my dramatic style into all the wardrobes I see - we are all individual after all!
Flora got the same treatment as Sophia last week and got a makeover for Going Out, Casual and Wedding Guest:
Running Left - Right we have....
Wedding Guest - I wanted to give the guests behind me in the congregation something to look at so I used a Silence and Noise jacket with a cut away back. Then blocked all sights and sounds with a massive satellite hat and 80's patent clutch. Heels from Office. Casual - I paired Flora with my Safari jacket, Harry Hall riding boots and a massive scarf from Gap. Leaves supplied by the trees.
Going Out - Faux Fur for all! ASOS came up with the goods and the necklace is from Topshop. Leopard boots are Kurt Geiger's finest.
If you love the look of Allium Bbut love 20% off even more please use the exclusive code
I have a TK Maxx horror story I'd like to share with you. Picture the scene....
It's 2007 and my wardrobes, much like my life, are in a constant state of free falling chaos. It's the day before one of my best friend's weddings and I am in the Hammersmith TK Maxx in London town frantically searching for a dress. I return to the fitting rooms again and again with arm loads of dresses that don't fit, require adjusting, look hideous. And all because I wanted to look 'different', I don't end up with a dress, instead I end up with a scarlet red hat that wouldn't have looked out of place on Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman.
Fastforward 7 years and I'm still reticent to set inside the doors of TK Maxx due the cold sweat which breaks out every time I go near the place. I've managed to bag a Lucas Jack ring from the one in Leeds but believe me TK Maxx is a place of bad fashion memories as far as I'm concerned. Once bitten twice shy - the last time I was in the TK Maxx at Crown Point in Leeds I nearly had a panic attack because I couldn't find the exit!
It seems all taste goes out of the window when I'm in there - I can't seem to differentiate between what's awesome and what's s*%t. Lucky for you, one of my clients can. Everytime I send her a bespoke shopping list of bits and pieces she can buy to make her wardrobe work even harder after a Wardrobe Update she responds with - "thanks! I've found most of it in TK Maxx!" Whaaaaaat?
Take it away Moyra:
" Why do I love shopping at TK Maxx? Because it really, really is worth it. The things in my wardrobe that I love most and wear often are usually from… TK Maxx. And it didn’t cost me a fortune. You can bag yourself a bargain – and I don’t mean a “at this price, it’s a bargain” kind of item. I mean something that is good quality, something that is special, something you really like.
At this point, you may be thinking - “ I can’t be bothered – I haven’t got the time” or “It’s too confusing – it’s like a jumble sale in there.” So .. here are my top tips if you are short of time:
You don’t need to browse through the whole shop. If you are really in a hurry, look at the clothes in the aisle displays, or the ends of the racks. These are the “best in shop” items.
Or, you can just go and look for one particular thing – a cashmere jumper, or a branded leather handbag – and ignore the rest
The best sections are – day dresses, party dresses, tops, knitwear, coats, accessories, handbags.
Definitely try things on – American and European brands may size up differently to your usual UK size.
If you like the look of an item, but isn’t in your size, then quick! check on the website. Free and easy returns to the shop.
However, if you have time to spare, and enjoy the thrill of the chase, here are some more tips:
Allow yourself plenty of time to browse, preferably not on a Saturday afternoon
Don’t be afraid to look at labels and styles you wouldn’t otherwise consider –maybe you’ll find something unexpected that really suits you.
So, be prepared to try lots of things on, and reject most of them.
And also, some advice on how to get the best value from those famous low prices…it is easy to get carried away in this permanent “super sale”!
Don’t be pulled into “sale mentality” – “at that price, I would be crazy not to buy it” – do you really like it/need it?
Don’t be swayed by the price differential between the “original” price and the TK Maxx price. Is it worth the price on the ticket– full stop.
There are some “labels” that are really TK Maxx own brands so beware. Again, do you like it? Is it worth it?
A wool Paul Costello coat that Moyra picked up from TK Maxx in Manchester for £70. BARGAIN!!
Happy shopping and I hope you will become a TK Maxx convert like me."
We saw. We lusted. We...started saving up? The wonderous blanket coat from Burberry has turned many a head, and probably busted many a bank, already this season. A "must have" piece my friend so politely calls "the personalised car rug lookalike" is an easy one to replicate.
Image from The Telegraph
A few years ago I was visiting a friend in Barnard Castle and I had overwhelmingly under-packed, Being far far north of the Watford Gap, I was FREEZING. The only shop that was open was an Edinburgh Woollen Mill where, in my eyes, style came to rest its weary legs and fashion came knocking oh so rarely. Comfort, ease and gillets were the order of the day. As I poked around the rails for something that I would actually wear, I spied a rack of what looked like blankets. My spidey sense told me I was on to a winner and lo! a navy and green checked blanket crossed my back.
Good things DO happen over time - just wait 'til you see the next picture...
Such an inexpensive item is a great piece to have fun with this and get involved with this seasons blankety blanket coat trend. I've popped my Gap denim shirt underneath, rolled an Hermes scarf tight looping it around the collar and secured everything with a leather belt. You can see the length of the drape on the front of the blanket wrap hits the knee so this would be great with coated skinnies and ankle boots.
oooof that's tasty
And here we have the magic filters of Instagram at work!
THE Dress is the dress which you can pull out and it will do for most occasions: weddings, parties christenings. My DVF dress always stood up pretty well in the afore mentioned categories but then Zara came along and trumped DVF. I know - whodda thunk it? - but DVF is abitshort. So tights and boots it is for DVF. And all hail the all-rounder from Zara!
I've become more and more body confidant since starting The Wardrobe Angel and this Zara dress really highlights how far I've come. It's a gorgeous deep navy which doesn't really 'do' anything until you hit my mid thigh. Then along come the frills. I wore it to an engagement party a few weeks ago and styled it with a faux fur wrap, snakeskin clutch and black pointed stilettos.
When I started The Wardrobe Angel I knew I wanted to stand out in the sea of black and grey that engulfs you at most networking events so red lips and red nails it was, plus a healthy dose of vintage clothing, phat jewelz and leopard print. The only thing that put paid to my cunning plan was that I've never had the patience for nail maintenance; bit of clipping and filing here and there and the odd coat of colour before a 'special event'. Wardrobe styling sessions certainly took their toll on my hand painted nails. Chips Ahoy! I spent hours painting and re-painting my red nails before and after each appointment.
Then I discovered Shellac. Oh heaven! Oh joy! Chip free awesomeness. Recently, I discovered Rag Doll Nails in Leeds where you can have all manner of stuff glued on - foils, glitter - to achieve the heady status of Rock Star nails. Me? I just stick to plain ole red but it does the job and that's why I like it.
I'm in Wales this week seeing clients and this ever so arty shot was taken on a massive rock on the beach in Rhos-on-Sea.
On weeks where I am office based I like to give my nails a rest, however, and the Shellac comes off. I down tools - pairing back my make-up and my nails. On my hands I opt for the Nails Inc Basil Street which is the most wonderful nude, easy to apply, nice and thick and 1 coat does the trick. My toes get a slosh of Rimmel Pro which dries to the touch straight away. I also use a matt top coat when the mood takes me.
I can never get through summer without thinking 'what's next for Autumn/Winter?' Hell, it already feels like winter up here in't north - I'm sitting here watching the rain bounce down and I'm wearing a JUMPER. A JUMPER I tell you! It's AUGUST!!!! Weather rant aside it's the way my mind has always worked - I start preparing my wardrobe for winter right about now. Plus I've never been great at 'doing summer', I'm more comfortable wrapped up in scarves, coats and knits rather than wafting around in barely there cotton smocks.
Houndstooth check is always a 'go-to' pattern for the winter season; you'll see it on coats, blouses, skirts, trousers, bags and even jewellery. I picked this blouse up in a charity shop for the princely sum of £3! Yay for charity shops! Here I've styled it with a faux fur cape from Per Una Duo (the now defunct part of Per Una which was for teenagers! Ye Gods M&S what were you thinking???) which was bought as a gift over 10 years ago and still going strong. So now it's vintage, yeah?! Bottom half I'm going to style it with:
Black jeans.
Black midi pencil skirt
Cream wide legged trousers (which are in desperate need for a few inches being sawn off them as I am midget sized apparently and the trousers were clearly meant for Kate Moss-esque beings.)
Various fierce heels. I've got a cracking forest green pair of courts from Office that'll go mightily finely.
I'm also going to try throwing it over a few dresses to turn them into skirts. Then add massive thick black tights. Heaven! As well as starting to stock up on all items Autumn/Winter I do a few other bits and pieces with my wardrobe now so when the cold chills come I am ready:
Get my winter coat dry cleaned. I also need to get mine re-lined as it took a fair battering last winter. It is gorgeous and camel coloured and lovely and reminiscent of the 80's which is just me down to a tee.
Hand wash my cashmere to freshen it up post summer (not worn) for winter (wear it a lot)
I am a proper creative thinker - I live and think in colour, pattern and texture. I remember doing an exercise as a management trainee at M&S once where we were asked to picture the numbers 1-10 and describe then in detail. I pictured number 5 as pink and fluffy. One of the other graduate trainees was all "whaaaat?". It was then I realised how my mind worked: I'm certainly not about 'the numbers' and 'the logic.'
The outfit (above) which I wore for a family BBQ in London - it was in my mind about a week before. The Topshop top is sleeveless (awesome in the heat) and the trousers from Urban Outfitters, even though they crease like a b****** are really lightweight and have pockets which I love - somewhere to put your hands if you are feeling awkward. The block heeled sandals were an inspired Nine West sale choice at the end of last summer and they go with pretty much everything in my summer wardrobe.
Here's why I love it:
There is a slight pink tinge in the embellishment of the top which pulls it through to the trousers.
The bag is textured and stands out against the silky texture of the trousers.
Speaking of textures, each piece has a different texture so there is lots for the eye to take in and look at.
The top surrenders the waist and I wore the trousers on my hips so lots of room for BBQ food.
The shoes aren't 'matchy matchy' so they create a great focal piece
My phone
pinged with a message yesterday morning. As I looked at the screen I smiled an
ear to ear grin. This was the kind of message that makes my job as The Wardrobe
Angel feel AWESOME. It was a photo message from a client of her wearing one of
the dresses I had recommended to her on her follow up Shopping List. It was
early and she was dressed to give a presentation that day. She felt “AMAZING.”
This is what
makes me different from other image consultants and stylists, one of my USP’s
if you will (the other is eBay but we’ll cover that in another post). It’s all
very well saying to clients “this style of dress will really suit you” or “you
need some find some trousers in this style” when odds are the client has
neither time nor shopping fervour to go out and find them. A lot of my clients
are pushed for time and/or have never had much success with shopping and that’s
why they have called me in the first place. They want answers: how to organise their wardrobe and style
themselves, how to save time getting dressed and make money from the items they
no longer wear. What they don’t want are more futile shopping trips and wasted
money on ‘meh’ purchases.
After I have
sorted a wardrobe and ascertained the ‘gaps’, I put my knowledge and expertise
to work to fill them for the client. That’s why I included the Shopping List as
part of the Sort, Style and Sell service (click here for more information). I do all the leg work – checking
sizing, availability, seeing if I can get them a discount. Then I send them the
Shopping List via email. This is done in tandem alongside a Pinterest board so
they can see how their new wardrobe will fit together.
So back to
the dress which made my client feel “AMAZING.” Which one was it? The Baukjen Jersey Drape dress. It is double layered so it “holds
and contours the figure” which translates as YOU DON’T NEED SHAPEWEAR. My
client vouched for this, the rest of her message said “The material is thick
and wraps around, sucking me in. I have a presentation this morning and it
feels great!”
I had a client last week who was shifting gears in her career and needed her wardrobe to reflect a certain level of wealth. However, the wealth of the people she would be interacting with wasn't reflected in her new wage packet - whatever we bought on her Personal Shop had to earn its place in her wardrobe. BIG TIME. I love a challenge like this because it means taking items that the client already owns and combining them with new items to make them work harder. I call this service a Half & Half - half wardrobe clearing and sorting so I know what we have in the wardrobe to work with, then hitting the shops to fill the gaps.
The Autograph top is trans-seasonal and hugely versatile: my client can wear it with jeans at the weekend and with 7/8 trousers for work. The print doesn't tie it specifically to one season and the construction makes it look a lot more expensive than it is.
The Adrianne dress is £95 - not cheap - but this dress will double up as a summer dress out of work worn with flats, and works under a jacket for work as well. For my client I teamed it with a pair of block heels so she could run around all day but still get the benefit from a heel. I am a huge fan of Whistles. During my first year of self-employment as The Wardrobe Angel I had part-time job there and fell for the brand. Known as a "bridge brand" (a brand which sits between High Street and Designer brands - think top end High Street. Another example is Reiss), Whistles may seem expensive but their clothes last and last. Plus they have a high re-sale value on eBay! Get thee to Whistles!
Last week I had the immense pleasure of being a surprise birthday present for a client. The client was a carer who looked after her husband 24/7 and the last thing on her priority list was herself: she ended up wearing the same things all the time because she simply had no time for her. The order of the day was de-clutter, re-style and make her wardrobes more manageable.
Once the client was up out of bed she rarely had time to get changed once the dog had been walked - the day just ran away with itself. A refrain popped up again and again during the day "I'm only popping out to the shops", "I'm only walking the dog", "I'm only pottering around the house." All these activities were being completed in her husband's jumpers (far too oversized) and an old pair of jeans - items which swamped her petite frame and added pounds in excess material. What I wanted to impress upon her were the following:
A) She had great clothes which weren't getting worn. What a waste!! B) Just because she was "only walking the dog" didn't mean that she had to dress scruffily. C) Even though her lifestyle had changed and her clothes needed to be more casual, she could still look great: she was still her: her taste, her style, her own person.
With this in mind I selected a colour palette of clothes which she could mix and match at 5am when the dog needed walking and still wear the clothes for the rest of the day. I called it Dog Walking Bingo:
Dog Walking Bingo!
All she needed to do was pick a pair of trousers, a Nike top and a fleece or two (depending on the great British weather!) and head out. To make her outfit more errand-running friendly she just needed to change her shoes and add a scarf or a smarter jacket. Bingo!
A few weeks ago I was contacted by Amanda from Figgahugga asking if I would like to try one of their dresses. I usually wheel out the shape wear in January (ask me about the shape wear/Urbis lift story when you next see me) and the rest of the time just wing it with a mix of no VPL pants so the offer really interested me especially as the Figgahugga range is designed to be worn as part of your wardrobe, not just underneath in the manner of Bridget Jones's Big Pants (if you don't know what I'm on about watch the film clip here). In received my dress and a lovely note from Amanda who has the most beautiful handwriting, FYI.
On Saturday one of my closest friends got married and I chowed down on the buffet: ham, potato wedges, bread (and I don't usually eat bread due to a wheat intolerance but this was a special occasion) salad, numerous pieces of cake....now double that and add a few more pieces of cake. And chutney. And coleslaw. And third helpings of ham. By the time I exited the do my food baby looked like it was 6 months old. This, I decided, was the perfect time to try the Figgahugga and this was the result...
Not a food baby in sight.
So - they aren't the easiest thing to get on. There was a moment when the dress was mid thigh when I thought "it's too small." Then a rather panicked moment further up around my hips when I thought,
"I can't get it on! But I can't get it off!"
But I'd committed so inch by inch I pulled the dress on as instructed in the video on the Figgahugga website and my panic subsided.
Then I looked in the mirror. I was speechless:
(speechless) I am 33, I work out, don't smoke, don't drink so I am in pretty good nick but that tiny blue dress had worked its magic and there wasn't a food baby in sight (although there is a hideous carpet, for which I apologise). Plus the blue colour I had chosen looked immense with my red nail/lip combo.
Now the thing is - am I going to wear it? I always said that when I started The Wardrobe Angel I wouldn't recommend anything to clients I wouldn't use myself and I can hand-on-heart say that I will wear this again.
I set about styling the dress with the contents on my suitcase (I was staying in a hotel in Manchester post-wedding). Styling the dress with a top and shoes from Zara and a Luca Jack ring, turned said dress into a skirt. I'm not into the whole bodycon look so I love a bit of volume to balance out the silhouette and keep some of the goodies under wraps. My legs - I love my legs - come on summer so I can get them out! Plus the Figgahugga has silicone around the bottom hem to keep it in place so no flashing the cash incidents, and they are a British product.
And proof that you can walk in said Figgahugga....The Wardrobe Angel cocks her leg... (it was 1am - there was no way I was going outside to walk around the hotel car park!)
