Is looking good sometimes ok for you?...read on.....

Help! I want a whole new look!!

Can you learn to look elegant? Some women seem to be born that way. Put them in the proverbial black sack and they’d still look perfectly groomed. Think Audrey Hepburn, gorgeous!
Are you one of these or does it take huge amounts of time and effort to look half decent? Do you start your day looking pretty stylish but by evening your make up has worn off and your clothes are crumpled and stained? The minute I put on something white or cream then I can guarantee that I will spill something on it before the day is out.
While you may never achieve the Hepburn look you most certainly can achieve something authentically yours. The key to looking stylish is consistency, no point in appearing like a fashion plate one day and a dogs dinner the next. You need to pay attention to detail at all times.
To get you started I recommend keeping a Style Journal, make a note of what you are wearing each day, how you accessorise, what shoes you are wearing, and where you wore it. Be aware of the responses you get, compliments etc. Have people commented on the colour? Asked perhaps if you lost weight? Note how you felt wearing it, was it comfortable, any gaping bits? Were the shoes comfortable? As the day went on did you feel as good as you did that morning? This may all seem a bit tedious at first but believe me it’s well worth the bit of effort.

How does ‘Stylish’ look?
Have you ever seen a truly stylish lady dripping with brand names? I don’t think so, she has no need to, she’s self confident and knows her body well enough to drape it in clothes that she feels wonderful in. She wears her clothes with confidence. Her style is timeless, not for her the fickle vagaries of ‘must have’ trends.

Know your body.
Whether she’s size 10 or size 20 the truly stylish woman dresses to suit her particular shape, she dresses for the body she has now not the one she had 20 years ago. She will only ever buy clothes that flatter her shape. Not for her the shapeless sacks that most women who are over size 16 think does them huge favours. She discovered long ago that drawing attention to your good parts and taking attention away from the not so good ones works far better. Sure sizing is so off the wall nowadays you could be a 12 in one shop and a 16 in the next. Fit matters!

Study different price ranges.
Go to different stores and feel fabrics, study line, stitching, and see if you can tell the difference between well made and cheap. Not always terribly obvious. We mistakenly believe that because we pay a fortune for something it must be well made. Not necessarily so, same goes for something that cost very little, it doesn’t always follow that it’s rubbish. Do your research before you purchase.

Getting started
Here are a few tips to get you started on your journey:

*Treat yourself to a new hairdo: This really is one of the best things to revamp your image. Make sure you discuss it with your hairdresser though, don’t go when he/she is too busy, and get something that’s easy to manage.

*Sort out your make up: Are you stuck in a time warp, using the same old stuff for years. Time to get rid girl and take yourself into one of the department stores for some good advice. There’s loads of fab stuff to be had. Get yourself a free facial and ask the make up artist about the products she’s using.

Accessorise: The stylish woman know the secret of accessorizing, a necklace, earrings, scarf, bangles, any of these will enhance an outfit, just don’t overdo it. Look through magazines and pull out looks you love. It may be a colour here, a shape there, or even a luxurious scarf. Start a Style Board for yourself and study it to see what it’s telling you. If you were getting a new kitchen you’d be buying every magazine you could get your hands on, and going to showrooms until you were perfectly satisfied with the choice you were making. From now on think of yourself as your new project. Now you surely deserve more time and care that an old kitchen??
Have fun

Yours in Style
Maggie