Get inspired by your style icons!

For the Style I.R.L. Guide, our focus for January is creating your personal brand. Last week we created your inspiration board. It’s the first step I do with all my clients. Once you’ve got your inspiration board, whether it’s a collage you can hang in your closet or a virtual board on Pinterest, it’s time to go deeper. We want to use this visual expression of your taste to determine your personal style. 

If you are like me, your board probably includes several public figures and celebrities whose style you admire. I’ve been posting my style icons on Instagram all week. Some of my favorites include Reese Witherspoon, Katie Holmes, Jackie O, Tory Burch and my list actually keeps going on. Let’s dive deeper into the celebrity style and I’m going to use myself as an example. I’ve been an admirer of Jennifer Aniston since the 90’s. Jen’s is a good example of a woman who has a strong personal style, and although it has evolved over the years, she’s always got an easy, bohemian beach style. For award shows she will dress it up. At the airport she always goes for relaxed layers and jeans. Her makeup is generally fresh and natural. She rarely strays from her brand, which says to the world that she is naturally beautiful and doesn’t try too hard. Guess what? Jen has a stylist. Jen tries. Jen wears makeup. This “easy” look doesn’t come easy, but it also doesn’t have to be hard. Jen sticks to styles that fit her personal brand and that makes getting dressed uncomplicated. She is able to dress it up or down depending on her needs. So I like to incorporate those things into my personal style too. For me, I mix and match comfy, distressed denim with blazers and loafers. And I’m totally on board with her natural makeup look, including dewy skin and a nude lip. For more on my every day easy makeup look, check out this week’s facebook video. I’m sharing my favorite products to do a polished but natural makeup look. WATCH HERE

Take a look at the style icons you put on your inspiration board. What do you admire about them and how can you incorporate those traits into your own wardrobe? 

If  you missed last week’s blog post or you haven’t had a chance to create your inspiration board GO BACK NOW and build your board. It’s easy, fun and really gives you insight into what you like, who you admire and what your taste is. Don't miss any of my Style I.R.L. Guide by signing up for my weekly newsletter and become a part of my style community. 

The building blocks of your personal brand.

It’s time for more of my Style I.R.L. Guide! January’s focus is creating your personal brand. Last week we talked about how much better your life can be when you know your personal style. Together we created your inspiration board. It’s step one in determining your personal brand and it’s a step I do with all my clients. This week we are going even deeper and figuring out how to implement your personal preferences into your wardrobe. So if you missed last week’s blog post or you haven’t had a chance to create your inspiration board yet, GO BACK NOW and build your board. It’s easy, fun and really gives you insight into what you like, who you admire and what your taste is.

Once you’ve got your inspiration board, whether it’s a collage you can hang in your closet or a virtual board on Pinterest, it’s time to go deeper. We want to use this visual expression of your taste to determine your personal style. 

Is there a lot of one color expressed on your board? THEN CONSIDER ADDING MORE OF THIS COLOR TO YOUR WARDROBE.

Do most of your pictures reflect a more casual style or many most are of classic, preppy looks? IF IT WORKS WITH YOUR LIFESTYLE, PUT MORE OUTFITS TOGETHER IN THIS STYLE.

Maybe you wear mostly skirts to work but have a lot of pictures of outfits with pants and trousers? THINK ABOUT WHY YOU DON’T HAVE MORE PANTS IN YOUR CLOSET. THEN TRY TO CREATE A PANT LOOK THAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE IN.

Don’t forget hair and makeup. WAIT, DID YOU FORGET HAIR AND MAKEUP? That’s an important part of your personal brand, even if you prefer a natural looking face. Don’t really wear makeup or not sure where to start? I got you. For more on my every day easy makeup look, check out this week’s facebook video. I’m sharing my favorite products to do a polished but natural makeup look. WATCH HERE

This week I want you to look at your inspiration board and make a list of words that describes the styles you see there. For me, words that describe my board are classic, pulled together, crisp, tailored, neutral, stylish, balanced, natural, and polished. What are yours? These are the building blocks of your personal brand.

Don't miss any of my Style I.R.L. Guide by signing up for my weekly newsletter and becoming a part of my style community. 

Breaking all the fashion rules!

The summer is over. I’m sorry. It’s true. It’s Labor Day weekend, the official end of summer. Put away those strappy sandals, darken up your sun kissed locks and definitely stop wearing white pants. 

NOT! DON’T YOU DARE DO THAT. What you should put away are those silly rules! This is 2017 and the only rule in fashion is to be true to your own style. 

OK, maybe that’s not exactly true, but those old fashioned rules don’t really apply anymore. I’d consider them more like guidelines. If you want to play it safe, or it’s just notyour style, then by all means, stick to the “rules”. That’s cool too. But the older I get the more I become a fashion rule breaker, a FASHION REBEL if you will.

My clients hear me say it all the time: the trick is to pay attention to the details. And it’s the same for getting away with breaking these rules. After a long search this spring, I finally found the most awesome pair of distressed cropped white denim jeans and I am just not ready to part with them for the season. Here’s how I will mix them up for fall:

Layer a heavy cable knit cardigan over the top. (Detail: make it hits me below the hip.)

Pair them with cropped boots in suede. (Detail: about an inch of skin between the top of the bootie and the hem of the pants.)

Denim button down top and cute mens-style loafers. (Detail: pick a bright color shoe, like red!)

Tone on tone and mix up the textures! (Detail: white, off-white, peach and taupe- mix up different shades on top of each other for a monochrome look with some edge.)

Check out this article with 19 reasons why you really shouldn't wear white after Labor Day and see if you agree. Will I see you rocking out your white pants this fall? Yes, you CAN pull it off! Try it, girl. You got this. Want more tips on how to wear white? Subscribe to my newsletter here. Want me to show you how? Book a Wardrobe Evaluation service with me here. 

*Photos above from Liverpool Denim Instagram & The Small Town Stylist.