Guin's Everyday Style

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Making the decision to keep going…..(DI Post 5.6.2014)

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6-5-14
I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to do this post today, or tonight (Thursday) as it really is. You see I have had one of the saddest and emotionally draining weeks, and was consequently slumped in bed, feeling very sorry for myself with makeup smudged all over my face, and puffy eyes from all the tears. My clothes wrinkled from wearing them all day and my hair sticking out at the oddest angles, having not being washed since Sunday.
I was just about to make the decision not to do the post, when my husband came in and reminded me of all that we did have, and how lucky we actually are, and yes this week has been hard, but it will get better.
He then gave me the warmest and most comforting hugs and with each squeeze I felt a little more strength, until I felt strong enough to get up, re do my makeup, straighten my hair and clothes and stand here before you explaining:
1.) How awesome charcoal opaques are, as they go with so much more than black ones will!;
2.) That chambray is so versatile it can definitely be a corporate staple; and
3.) How much I love my new Foley and Agamo  ‘Denise’ leopard print bag!
G xx

Balancing outfits…. (DI Post 2.6.2014)

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6-2-14
I spoiled myself with these delicious new Nine West leopard print, pointed toe heels with ankle strap, which I have been eyeing off for weeks.
Because the colours in these are so warm, I needed to balance them out with something cool, you too can learn how to balance an outfit in Nat’s (Defined Image) eBook ‘How to Balance Every Outfit’. In this instance I went for my Country Road chambray utility pant.
For a casual meal with friends or a movie, you can’t go past the double denim combo of a chambray shirt, which looks great balanced with a gold necklace!

Or if you want to dress this outfit up a little to wear to work (like I did) or out in the evening, switch out the chambray for a chic black top!

G xx

How to wear an unflattering dress….(DI Post 31.5.2014)

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5-31-14
This outfit is 100% inspired by Nat from Defined Image and her tips from Friday night’s workshop.

Nat told us all how puffer vests (this seasons must have item) love to be worn with a print shirt or dress, and when Nat found out I didn’t own a print dress she lent me this one! 

This dress has a fair bit of volume and not a lot of shape, the puffer vest really helps to break up the dress.

She also told us to try charcoal opaque tights instead of black, as they are much softer and support the dress rather than compete with it. I didn’t have charcoal opaques so I went with some dusty blue patterned stockings instead.
I am wearing two necklaces, the beads in the collar compliment the dress and also raise the neckline of the dress. The pendant (a gift from Nat x) gives me a waist to an otherwise shapeless dress.
Now this look may not be to everyone’s taste, my hubby was definitely not a fan, so I would love to know what you all think, do you like it, or do you think it makes me look pregnant?

G xx

Winter staple – jeans, shirt, booties and a knit. (DI Post 29.5.2014)

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5-29-14

Both myself and my little angel were at home sick yesterday, and my outfit for the day was to say the least….uninspiring, luckily I took some shots of what Sophie and I wore on Mother’s Day, which I thought you all might enjoy.

Jeans, shirt, booties and a knit have become a staple in our family, with Ben, Sophie and myself all embracing the look. The key to making it work is to cuff the jeans above the booties and making sure the shirt pokes out under the knit!
The great thing about this combination is the diversity in options available at the moment!
Try this look with a print, chambray or plaid shirt; print or embelleshed knits, there are some great animal print ones out there too! Black, denim, white, print and leather look jeans, jeggings and ponte pants; and so many styles of booties, I’d struggle to name them all!
Oh and don’t forget to wear a cute print sock (try Country Road or Gorman) so that when you sit down, or cross your legs, the person next to you will catch a glimpse of your unique, quirky and stylish persona!
G xx

Winter wardrobe must haves…. (DI Post 26.5.2014)

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5-26-14
Winter wardrobe, have you got yours sorted yet? For those of you who follow Make It Look Easy, Nat and Tatum have listed their fave winter must haves in their new eBook.
This is my list, I haven’t got them all yet, but I’m getting there!
  • White jeans or jeggings (wearing);
  • Puffer vest (wearing) and fur gillet;
  • Ponte pants (black);
  • Shirt (slightly oversized) in chambray (wearing) or plaid;
  • Booties (in a hair colour) (wearing);
  • Print scarf (that has a skin colour and other colours repeated within your wardrobe);
  • Print knit;
  • Cape / poncho;
  • Print socks (wearing);
  • Boyfriend jeans;
  • Pointed toe heel or flat;
  • Something in leopard print, (e.g. belt, bag, shoe, scarf); and
  • A layering dress.
What would you have on your winter ‘must have’ list?
G xx

Harem pants love a cropped jacket! (DI Post 24.5.2014)

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5-24-14
Last night was one of my closest friends 40th Birthday, and we helped her celebrate by joining her for a delicious meal at Chloe’s on the Parade! Yum!
I wanted to wear something special, however most of my existing (winter appropriate) cocktail dresses have been worn recently.
Normally I would dash off to North Adelaide, Town or the Parade to find another dress, I tend to do this for a few reasons, it is often cheaper to buy one dress, than pants/skirt and a top, and as a shorty, dresses tend to fit me well and don’t need alterations!
Consequently I have a large collection of dresses, and not very many dress pants, skirts or tops. These items would be a lot more useful in my wardrobe then cocktail dresses, as they can easily be mixed and matched, dressed up and down, for the evening, the office and the weekend!
So instead I had a bit of a think about what I already had in my wardrobe and with this mental list in my head, I went shopping.  Whilst looking around French Connection I spied my leopard print drop crotch harems that I purchased there a few weeks earlier, these would be a great start, and would definitely take out the guess work as I could try the tops on with the pants. I decided on a simple black tank, not only did this look great, but I had been on the look out for a good quality dark tank, it had been on my ‘want list’ for a while.
FCUK also had this fab statement necklace (25%off too) which dressed up the top and I knew I would get loads of wear out of.  The best thing was a tank and a necklace are pretty inexpensive items.
I knew I had these Nine West tan heels with buckle detail at home and plenty of clutches, so all I needed was a jacket.
Harem Pants like this suit a cropped jacket, not wanting to spend too much money I popped over to Zara. Sure enough they had this cropped jacket for $100! Another item I will get loads of wear out of, especially for work! Perfect!
Not only did I look and feel great last night, but now I have some more great staples in my wardrobe, that I will get loads of wear out of, all for the price of one cocktail dress!
Oh and if you are wondering why I am holding up ‘#ihaveembraced’?  It’s because I have backed ‘Embrace’ the positive body image movement documentary.  You can find out more over at Body Image Movement.

G xx

Olive green and bright gold are best mates! (DI Post 21.5.2014)

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5-21-14
This outfit was a bit of a no brainer, black (tights and blazer), charcoal (skirt) and dark brown (boots) are all neutral colours, and consequently go with most things. The fact that they are all on the dark side means they blend together pretty harmoniously.
It also means if I had left them on their own I would have been left looking pretty dull and drab. To lift the look I have worn an olive green knit, and a couple of gold necklaces.  For those of you who have read Nat’s (Defined Image) first eBook, ‘Colour and Print’, you will know that olive green and bright gold are best mates! Together they take this outfit from hump day blah to something a little more interesting.
The Foley and Agamo leopard print ‘Freda’ tote also lifts the look, but as I don’t walk around the office with my hand bag, I need a permanent feature as well.
G xx

 

Double Denim (DI Post 19.5.2014)

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5-19-14

Let’s talk about double denim, do you do double denim? I must admit when I first saw it coming back in over a year ago, I was a little hesitant. However, I decided if it was good enough for Nat at Defined Image, it was good enough for me!

If you are not completely comfortable with the look, you don’t need to go as far as I have in the RHS pic (wearing both pieces in the same shade). Instead you can wear two pieces in different shades, like I have in the LHS pic. 

Don’t forget to divide up the double denim with a belt and necklace. You can never go wrong with a skinny belt in a hair colour, then repeating this colour in your shoes.
Oh by the way do you like my sailor jeans? These are also making a comeback, just make sure you wear them with heels, definitely no canvas trainers!
G xx

Leggings are not pants……but (DI Post 17.5. 2014)

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5-17-14

After a rough couple of days, I was lucky enough to escape to the movies with a girlfriend last night.

It’s the first movie I have been to in 2.5 years (since having Sophie) and Ihad been thinking about the yummy dinner and choc top I was going to have all day. It wasapparent I was going to need to dress for comfort and my pants were going to need an elastic waist!

So when I stumbled on these leather look leggings from the Kardashian range at Priceline I had a light bulb moment……these looked comfy and there was definitely an elastic waist!
Now normally I have a very strong leggings are not pants rule, but in this case I thought I may get away with it. The leggings do look like leather, (as long as you don’t get too close lol) and my chambray shirt completely covers my but.
I dressed the look up with double necklace bling and a faux fur collar, and book-ended my hair with my blonde booties.
My Foley and Agamo ‘Freda’ Leopard Print pony hair bag completed the luxe look!
I felt comfortable and warm, yet still dressed up and stylish. The best bit was I didn’t have to sit through the movies with my pants digging into my tummy! Win!

Ps we saw ‘The Other Woman’ it was awesome, I laughed the whole way through!

G xx

Lessons learnt (DI Post 15.5.2014)

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5-15-14
Prologue…….
Those of you who were following my wardrobe cull posts will know I was a little undecided about keeping this dress. I decided in the end to keep it as I think I can make it work for me.
Not every style is the best style for your body shape, nor will every colour make you glow and your eyes glisten, but if we only wore what suited us to a tea, we would find style and fashion a bit restrictive and boring.
What  Nat from Defined Image teaches, what she is so brilliant at doing, what I love about her and what I am learning, is that you can make things that are not your perfect fit still work for you. Don’t get me wrong she will tell you what your best shapes, lengths and colours are, and those items should make up 85% of your wardrobe, but there is a little room for eccentricity in everyone’s wardrobe.
I didn’t particularly enjoy doing the wardrobe cull posts, not only did they take me hours (like litterally 3-4 hours) but at the end of them I wasn’t standing their in my cutest combo, I was standing there in the absolute worst things in my wardrobe, with no make up, poor lighting (because it had gotten so late), thinking ‘Oh God I have just ruined my image I have worked hard over the past 6 months.’
Some of my cull was successful, I got rid of a heap of bags and shoes (pats back)!
Other things like my dresses, were not so easy. I knew these items weren’t ideal, that is why I was showcasing them as examples. I knew I should let them go as they were taking up valuable real estate but I had an attachment. Unfortunately  a lot of this commentry was lost, many people only saw the images, only saw me in an awefull dress, and instead of laughing with me at my hopeless ability to let things go, decided to give me a lesson in how to dress.
So with that and a little reflection, I feel I have a lot to give in everyday style insperation, perhaps not so much in how to declutter your wardrobe, I’ll leave those top tips to the Define Miss N! x
So……….
Blue loves orange, tan is pretty much a version of orange. I imagine a blue and charcoal print scarf or blue statement necklace would have looked amazing with this outfit. I had neither 🙁
I also thought a leopard print scarf comprised of tan, blonde and black/dark brown would have also looked amazing…..I’ll put one of them on my list too.
What I did have was a lot of other black and tan items, which is fine they work well too, they are just not as exciting. I have paired my black and tan dress with black opaque tights and tan boots. Both items calmly work with the outfit as they are repeating the colours in the dress.
The tan jacket, divides the stripes and elongates my torso making me look thinner.
The thing that stands out the most is my necklace, while the black (curved) horizontal stripes tie in with the black (curved) horizontal stripes in the dress the white on the other hand stands out and makes this necklace the star of the show. The necklace also lowers the neckline of my outfit as the neckline of the dress is too high.
G xx