Weekly Newsletter #10: There's Power in Getting Dressed

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Author

Kerryn Rutherford
September 15, 2023

Personal Stylist sitting on an arm chairr

SPRING TIME STYLE PACKAGE

Get your wardrobe Spring/Summer ready with our Spring Time Style package ($260 (incl GST)).

Running for September only! 

Hello Style Lovers!

The common theme in my fashion chats this week was the power of personal style.

Personal style is so much more than a superficial, “dress better” message.

Many women turn to clothes and style when they feel disconnected from themselves because dressing well unlocks a new level of confidence.

This was certainly the case for me. I tied all my worth into what I did for a living. When I stopped being a lawyer, I thought I was a complete failure. I felt like a lost a part of myself. Whilst grieving my past career, I rebuilt my confidence by determining my personal style and doing something that brought me joy. I started dressing the way I wanted to feel - strong, powerful, composed - and, eventually, through effort and consistency, my internal thoughts began to match my external presentation.

Finding my personal style helped me come back to myself and reminded me of the powerful woman I am.

There is something special about getting dressed for no-one but yourself.

Style Principle #10: Get Dressed

Getting dressed is an instant mood booster.

It can help take you from feeling downbeat and dishevelled to refreshed and ready to “take-on-the-day”.

Regardless of whether you are doing nothing more than grabbing a take-way coffee and heading straight back home (or not leaving your house at all), trade that oversized shirt and leggings, for a matching set or a pair of linen trousers and a cotton shirt. The latter outfits are equal parts comfort and style.

Simple, stylish, comfortable. Swap the sneakers for bare-feet if you’re WFH.

Comfortable, casual perfection. Swap the sandals for wedged espadrilles and you’ve taken this from coffee run to lunch.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a pyjama day and my activewear, but wearing it everyday can make you feel flat and like you’re in a fashion rut.

Sophie Pearce, a popular style influence for my clients, completed a 7 day challenge this week to get herself out of a style rut. She felt more upbeat by Day 3! We felt similarly at the end of our own 7 Day Outfit Challenge.

Simple and chic!

A half tuck and a crossbody bag and you are GTG.

If life is what happens when you’re making other plans then you should be dressing up for your everyday chores and mundane days. Those days are your life.

Why wait for a special occasion or until you are seeing someone to put on an outfit? Put on an outfit for you.

We say: be risqué.

Wear white jeans to the park. Any marks will wash out. If it makes you feel a little more like you, the marks are worth it.

Wear your favourite dress to the grocery store with sneakers or slides to dress it down.

Take inspiration from one of my clients and have a style uniform for those “desk days”.

Life is too short to leave your clothes unworn waiting for the perfect event.

And, it’s definitely too short for you to go about each day not feeling like the fabulous woman you are.

If you feel like you’re in a fashion rut, our Spring Time Style special is the perfect way to get your style back on track. You deserve to feel like your best dress self.

Book a free 15 minute call here and we can have a chat or send us an email to [email protected]. 

IN THE KNOW

CONTENT WE’RE LOVING THIS WEEK

#1 WE’RE READING - Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang

We started Yellowface a couple of nights a go. It is an “it“ book of 2023. A satirical comedy, Yellowface see’s its protagonist, Jane, steal her brilliantly successful friend, Athena’s novel after Athena’s tragic death. Jane publishes the novel in her own name and it becomes a literary sensation. Strange, considering Jane was, at the time, a mediocre, struggling novelist with one flop of a book under her belt. Yellowface is written in the first person from Jane’s perspective, and Jane’s behaviour beggars belief. A scathing, tongue-and-cheek commentary on the publishing industry and how it treats writers of colour, so far, Yellowface is living up to the hype.

This episode actually made us quite emotional. Those of you who have been here since day dot will know that we love Trinny. She’s fabulous. Her honest, direct, kind and savvy approach to business and style is something we admire. We didn’t know her past struggles with addition, or the reason her ex-husband died. In this honest, vulnerable and enlightening episode Steven (another brilliant mind and extremely successful entrepreneur) and Trinny discuss age being “just a fucking number”, Trinny’s definition of imposter syndrome, overcoming addiction, business, grief, success and even skincare. It’s a brilliant conversation filled with many “a-ha” moments.

#3 WE’RE WATCHING - The Bear on Disney +

Carmy (Jeremy Allen-White), a talented, well-respected, fine-dining chef, moves back to Chicago to takeover his twin brother’s sandwich shop after his brother’s death. The “restaurant“ is bankrupt and definitely not somewhere we’d feel comfortable eating in it’s current state. Carmy works to revive the family business, whilst navigating running his own kitchen with a staff who are averse to change. Exploring restaurant culture, relationships, mental health, loyalty and the power of delicious food, The Bear is a must watch!

On the Blog, we’ve written our thoughts on why fashion isn’t frivolous.

“Fashion, and the personal style that comes from it, allows me to feel confident, express myself to the world and have control over the assumptions and narratives others may make in an initial interaction with me.

Fashion isn't frivolous. It is a powerful tool in your toolbox to keep you moving forward, in life, in your career, or when you feel like you've lost yourself. It can bring you back to you…“

Vestiaire Collective is a an online collective of pre-love luxury goods.

With authenticity guarantees and buyer protection you can sell and shop luxury fashion brands via Vestiaire’s website or app from all over the world. You’ll need to be careful of shipping and import duties if you shop abroad.

There are a variety of brands and items sold via Vestiaire, from Reformation, to Addidas, Ganni and Scanlan Theodore to Dior and Fendi.

Vestiaire is a good brand to keep on your radar if you like shopping pre-loved.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU 

Hit reply and let us know your thoughts on this week's newsletter. Send through any style questions and we'll include them in our next newsletter (anonymously of course!).