I’ll admit – I love heading into London, and while most of the time I am there at my studio helping clients, I sometimes get the opportunity to have some time for inspiration.

One of the more recent examples of these is visiting the V&A Museum and their Gabrielle Chanel exhibition. It focused on the influence this world-renowned fashion designer had on the fashion world.

1. The Little Black Dress (LBD): A Timeless Classic

Coco Chanel's revolutionary impact on fashion is perhaps most evident in her popularization of the Little Black Dress (LBD). Witnessing the 1926 design showcased in Vogue, I couldn't help but marvel at how this simple yet elegant garment became a symbol of sophistication and versatility. Chanel's LBD challenged prevailing norms, offering a more accessible and functional option for women. As a stylist, I understand the power of a well-chosen LBD – a wardrobe essential that effortlessly transitions from day to night, epitomizing timeless style.

2. Chanel Suit: Redefining Elegance and Comfort

The iconic Chanel suit, a two-piece ensemble consisting of a collarless jacket and a straight-line skirt, showcased Chanel's commitment to redefining women's fashion. The suit provided a comfortable and stylish alternative to the corseted and restrictive clothing of the time. Chanel's emphasis on elegance without sacrificing comfort resonates in my work as a personal stylist, reminding me to prioritize both style and ease in every client's wardrobe.

3. Innovative Use of Jersey Fabric: Practicality Meets Style

Chanel's groundbreaking use of jersey fabric in women's clothing was another revelation at the exhibition. Prior to her influence, jersey was primarily reserved for men's underwear. Chanel's visionary use of this fabric allowed for comfortable, unstructured designs that appealed to modern, working women. This emphasis on practicality and comfort echoes in my stylistic choices, emphasizing the importance of clothing that not only looks good but feels good too.

4. Costume Jewellery: Making a Statement

Chanel's bold incorporation of costume jewellery was a testament to her innovative spirit. Faux pearls, oversized brooches, and long necklaces became staples of her collections, transforming accessories into statement pieces. As a stylist, I draw inspiration from Chanel's fearless approach to accessorizing, encouraging clients to embrace bold jewellery as a means of personal expression.

5. The Quilted Handbag: Timeless Luxury

The Chanel 2.55 handbag, with its quilted pattern, chain strap, and signature CC logo, represents timeless design and luxury. Introduced in 1955, this iconic accessory set the standard for handbags and remains a coveted item. Chanel's emphasis on quality and enduring style serves as a reminder to prioritize investment pieces that stand the test of time.

6. Empowerment of Women: Beyond Fashion

Chanel's impact extends beyond aesthetics. Her designs liberated women from the constraints of corsets and extravagant clothing, providing a sense of independence and self-expression. As a personal stylist, I find inspiration in Chanel's commitment to empowering women through fashion, influencing my approach to styling as a means of enhancing individual confidence and identity.

There are few designers that make such a mark on the world of fashion, and Chanel is among the top tier. What are the top designers you find inspire your wardrobe?

*Image Credit - Canva Dec 23 & Original photography

As accessories go, you can’t get more diverse than the handbag. From clutches to briefcases, backpacks to crossover body bags, you can discover a huge array of styles, colours, patterns, and designs to add to your outfit. But how can you find the perfect handbag for your style?

In this article I’ll share with you my top tips to finding the right handbags to suit your needs, personal style, and lifestyle.

Matching your handbag to your lifestyle

The first important part about shopping for your perfect handbag is to match it to your lifestyle, and how differently the handbag will support your needs throughout the day, week, or month.

Let’s think about being a working mother – your working bag will require space for your laptop, folders, documents and needs to look professional; while when you are picking up the kids, or having family-time over the weekend, your bag needs to hold snacks, drinks, nappies, games and a lot more – without damaging your shoulders!

I understand that lifestyles are hugely varied, but in this article I will share insights from a variety of clients I have worked with in the past, and the handbags I recommended to them based on their needs. You can mix and match the ideas below based on how your lifestyle looks.

Handbags for work

If you are a professional working person, and tend to commute to the office, your bag needs to reflect your needs. I like to recommend to the clients I work with who have to go to work, with commuting to and from the office being a big part of their lives, a large enough shoulder bag to carry their essentials.

The Briefcase

While you can find a classic black leather briefcase style bag with plenty of zip up space for your purse, make-up when you need to do touch ups, as well as large enough for your laptop, stationery, and so on. In the mid-range price, this Aspen Leather Shoulder Workbag by Osprey is perfect, or a designer option could be this Mulberry City briefcase (in black or charcoal). 

But if you want to add a little flair to your outfit for work, you can do this through a colourful and enticing briefcase – with all the bells and whistles you need, but a touch of fun. This vegan leather Luca Laptop Bag by Flanella Smith is available in lemon yellow, sage green or navy and is a fab way to bring that colour pop to your classic corporate outfit. 

Day bags

If you prefer something a little more casual that will fit all of your work essentials within it, then you could invest in a “day bag”. These bags have more pockets than the briefcase, and perhaps have the hand held and over the shoulder option for a little change up to the outfit. I love this Chloe Medium Edith day bag which feels very 70’s in the styling, whereas this Michael Kors day bag in cream works beautifully for a chic look, with the added bonus of two sections within the bag.

Bags for Mums

Mums need a little more robust, larger bags than those for the work place as we need to be able to bring quite a variety of things with us to locations we are visiting! From snacks to nappies, the bags need to make sure we’re able to quickly take care of our little ones, without losing our personal style along the way.

Large satchels

Satchels are a great option for Mums on the go, as they remain stylish and offer a large amount of pockets, zips, and variety. When you place the satchel as a cross body option, this also helps make sure you’re not leaving all of the weight to your side, and you can easily run after children or pick them up without worrying about your bag falling off your shoulder. The 15 inch Batchel by Cambridge Satchel is available not only in the classic brown leather colour, but also red, black, navy, green, blue and many more – so the world is your oyster when choosing the colours that match your personal style.

This large DKNY satchel with three compartments is a dream for Mums with more than one child, or for going out with kids and the whole family for an event. Pop the snacks in one area, your purse, phone and personal items in another, and then toys in the middle! 

Backpacks for Mums

If you need to have both hands free or prefer to have the weight of your bag over both shoulders, you can’t go wrong with a backpack – it’s a classic for a reason. This Aurore backpack by Aruku has a beautiful tiger pattern inside and is a fun, good-sized bag for a Mum – and has the extra bonus  of a safe zip section by your back. 

However, if you prefer more compartments and organisation in your backpack, look for an option that has multiple zip areas or even separators. This Tiba + Marl Elwood woven backpack not only has 2 front zip-up pockets, but it also comes with a batching purse and internal padded laptop sleeve, two large internal elasticated pockets and a smart phone pocket – the organisation options are endless!

Handbags for special occasions

Now, I’ve talked about the day to day lifestyles we lead, but what about the one-off special occasions or date nights? This is where you can reduce the size of your bag, and up the level of personality!

Clutch bags

Clutch bags are great for evening events and events that you are attending that need minimal extras to take with you. These bags are often just big enough for a phone, your small purse, and maybe a lipstick for when you go to powder your nose. However, what they don’t have in size, they have in a huge array of patterns, fabrics and colours! From animal print zip up clutch bags to pastel clutches with metal accents, or even a glitter rainbow clutch – you’re in for a treat when looking for a clutch bag – but remember, check that it will be the right size for your essentials before investing! 

Small crossbody bags

If you need a little more space, and  a way to pull in your outer wear as you travel to your event, a crossover body bag is a great option, and also comes in a large range of patterns and colours. While I love my classic black – because it goes with everything, I also occasionally bring a little fun through the colourful collections I have. You can add a little flair to your crossover body bag with changing up the straps – some designers, such as Elie Beaumont – offer this as an addition to your bag, so you transform your outfit in a snap.

You can also play with the way you style your crossover bag and flip it – to just one shoulder! The great thing about the size of most of the crossover body bags in fashion is that they don’t take over the outfit, like this small yet stylish chain mini crossover bag in dusky pink by Tommy Hilfiger, as it has the chain styling for a bit of an edgy look. 

Do you love your handbags, or are you just beginning to take an interest in them? I hope some of these options inspire you to invest in this diverse and fun accessory.

If you’re unsure on the best pieces for your lifestyle, whether it’s accessories or your wardrobe, I’d love to help – I offer clients a completely bespoke personal service including personal shopping and style coaching, and I’d love to help you! 

Colour analysis: the 18 seasons method and how to discover your colours

As a personal stylist, colour is one of the most important parts of my work with my clients. Colour can completely transform how our skin looks in dramatic ways, and I use my colour analysis service to do this for my clients. We work together to discover their seasons, and the colours that they can gravitate towards to help them feel their best whenever they next go shopping.

Now, when I talk about the “seasons” you may be thinking – well there are just 4, right? Well, there are 4 main seasons and then their underlying notes which in fact makes it 18!

Don’t worry – you don’t have to know all of them, for you, you just need to know which one is the best aligned to your skin tones and therefore the colours that match you best.

I wanted to share a few insights into the colour analysis method, and help you dip your toe into discovering the colours that best suit you, but of course, if you’d like to have the knowledge of the colours that help you feel most confident, I’d be delighted to help.

Let’s dive in!

The four main seasons in a colour analysis

Before we dive deeper into the palette that work best with you, we need to find out the general features that characterize every season, and that you can find in yourself, and your natural colours:

Spring

Springs have a warmer undertone, with bright and light features. They are actually just like spring – bright, varied, and with strong colours working well for them. However, they need to stay clear of muted, dark and colours with cool undertones, as these will take away from their features.

Best metals: yellow gold and rose gold

Summer

Summers have a cool undertone with soft, and once again light features. Think soft brown or blonde hair, your classic beachy boho tones with cooler features. Colours that work beautifully on summers are pastels, softer tones, and mother-of-pearl shades. Nothing too vivid, harsh, or strong in terms of colours should be worn by Summers as it can wash them out.

Best metals: silver (possible antique) and platinum/white gold

Autumn

Autumns have deep and warm undertones, and soft contrasts.Think of all the beautiful colours you see in Autumn and these are the tones that work best on this type. Whether it’s deep greens, oranges, or the reds you see as the leaves turn – these colours should be welcomed in your wardrobe, while brighter and cooler colours should be passed by.

Best metals: gold (possibly antique) and copper

Winter 

Winters have the cooler undertones with deep and bright tones. Winters do not just have lighter skin and bright eyes, they are often with olive skin and dark hair, but the contrasting features are the most obvious to spot when it comes to winters. Colours that work beautifully on winters are bright icy greens, blues, blacks and even many shades of pink, from fuchsia to sorbet pink. You can also step towards the wintery colours of deep purple and emerald green.

Best metals: silver and white gold 

The 16 subgroups of a colour analysis

Now we know the 4 main seasons we use for a colour analysis we can jump even deeper into the undertones we have.

Let’s be honest – we all have a range of skin tones, hair and eye colours, and therefore, putting us into just 4 options is restrictive. That’s why we have more options to help me discover the truly perfect matches for my clients.

The way I do this is through using the subgroups of each season:

• Spring: Light, Warm or True, Bright
• Summer: Light, Cool or True, Soft
• Autumn: Deep, Warm or True, Soft
• Winter: Deep, Cool or True, Bright

So while three different people may all belong to the same season, they might have different colourings, different level of contrasts and hue. Think of Cate Blanchett, Emily Blunt and Kate Winslet, all summers but with different palettes. And this happens with all the 4 seasons, and these sub groups help us discover the specific palettes that will be the most appropriate for your skin tones, which is not just clothes, it includes accessories, make up, hair colour (should you wish to change it!), and jewellery.

Now this way we have 12 main groups of colours. Then why I say I work with 18 seasons? Now things get really complicated, I know. the thing is, while (based on my experience) the majority of people fit in one specific group/subgroup, others can have a mix of features (ie. Warm skin undertone but cool eyes and hair, or warm hair but cool eyes and skin undertone) or a predominance of one particular characteristic (i.e “warm”) that place them in between two seasons. These are so-called “neutrals”, and they can be:

Spring/Summer (or Summer/Spring)

Summer/Autumn (or Autumn/Summer)

Autumn/Winter (or Winter/Autumn)

Winter/Spring (or Spring/Winter)

Autumn/Spring (or Spring/Autumn)

Winter/Summer (or Summer/Winter)

Why is that? There can be varied reasons: some people can inherit a mix of features from parents/family members and have in them a balanced mix of those, which provide them with a wider range of opportunities in terms of which colours suit them; others can experience a transitional phase due to ageing, when hair naturally change, as well as the skin and the eye colours (getting softer), and this make them shift from a brighter season (for instance) to a softer one.

It truly is transformative – and while I would say that because I love my job – it is always so wonderful to hear from my clients when they see the transformations in front of them, saving themselves wasted money on shopping trips with clothes they just don’t suit, and make-up that they love to put on.

Colour can bring us joy, change our mood, and as you can see, transform how we shine! I hope this insight into what goes into a colour analysis and the depth we go to so you can discover your best colours was beneficial! If you’d like to know more or book your own colour clinic, I’d love to help.