Why Mary Poppins is not my role model

So. I’m not going to talk about parenting here (sighs of relief, all around) – if that’s what you’ve tuned in for, you are definitely in the wrong place.

The actual reason I’m not on board with Ms Poppins is because she claims to be: ‘practically perfect in every way’.

In theory, it sounds good doesn’t it? But, between you and me, even though I DO care about how I look and behave, perfectionism is – genuinely – not something I strive for. This is in part because it’s (in my view) impossible to achieve, but also because attempting to be perfect all the time is BLOODY HARD WORK!

I think human beings in general would be a lot happier if we were to give ourselves a break as often as possible. How about back slapping each other for more mediocre achievements?

Got up today? Well done you!

Remembered to brush your teeth? You go, girl!

These are my mantras.

However. I am a BIG believer in quick and easy shortcuts which give the illusion (NOTE: ILLUSION) of perfection.

Today I’m spreading the love by revealing solutions for three common style mistakes.

So here we are.

These are my top three, absolute no-nos when it comes to dressing. A lot of these come from BAD style advice in magazines – and this terrible advice is more common than you’d imagine. The problem with style is that what works for one almost certainly won’t work for the next. We are all beautifully different and when you get to grips with the best way of dressing for you, as an individual, you look fabulous and you feel confident. Even better – shopping for clothes and choosing what to wear become quick, easy and FUN!

1. White underwear under white clothes.

Eek! We’ve all walked down the street behind someone wearing white trousers, tactfully trying not to notice their prominent knickers on display. Don’t fall foul of this common error. White is clearly visible under white clothing and can stand out a mile so if you prefer to keep your ‘privates’ private, wear underwear that matches your skin tone.

I recommend pootling over to www.figleaves.com where you can find a wide range of underwear from nude to beige to dark brown that work well under white clothing.

2. Trying to create a waist using a belt.

This one makes me really mad. Before I became an Image Consultant I spent (literally) years feeling inadequate because I kept trying and failing to wear a belt around my waist as per the advice in TV and magazine makeovers.

The truth is that unless you have a waist that is considerably smaller than your hips, you will struggle to flatter your figure by wearing a belt there. Remember: wherever you wear accessories (including belts) you will attract the eye of the observer. If you have a tiny waist you might enjoy drawing attention to it, so go for it, but if, like me, you don’t go in at the waist, don’t highlight it. Instead get them all admiring your slim hips by positioning a low slung belt or bottom of a hemline there.

What I’ve now realised, is that just because I can’t cinch my waist like hour-glass shape women it doesn’t mean that there’s ‘something wrong with me’, as I previously assumed. Instead of putting energy into fighting this by trying all sorts of different belts I found a better way to wear a belt which accentuates my good bits.

3. Wearing a print that makes you look bigger.

Your ‘scale’ determines the size of print that suits you. When I work with clients I identify their scale based on their size and their clothing style – the more dramatic your style, the bigger the scale of print you look good in.

If you wear a print that is too small for your scale you will make yourself look bigger. If you wear a print that is too large for your scale you will be swamped.  Experiment with different prints to get this right, you’ll know when it’s working because you’ll see your face looking back at you in the mirror instead of the print on your dress and you won’t feel like the back of a bus.

I’d love to hear your Spring wardrobe conundrums and please do let me know how you get on with these tips by leaving me a comment.