Style me interesting! (Please!)

[Twittwhoo]

I will shortly be getting some professional photographs taken to support what will (hopefully!) be a new creative career.

It feels like a nice opportunity to invest in some new clothes/ jewellery/ makeup and rediscover a bit of a sense of style after spending the best part of the last three years either in maternity clothes or covered in baby sick…I’d love ideas for places to shop and/ or clothes and accessories that will look suitably stylish and interesting, and form a bit of a basis for a new wardrobe.

I’m 35, 5 foot 5 and a size 10/12. I don’t really know what colours suit me apart from people tend to tell me I look well when I’m wearing blue…..I’m Caucasian, with blue eyes and mousey (and now streaked with grey!) hair which is usually highlighted blonde. Have thought about ‘getting my colours done’, ha.

I default to jeans and a button down shirt too often I think…..I do like quite classic, simple looks but then I also often really admire people wearing interestingly shaped or cut clothes, or amazing colour blocking and things like that….I think probably I’d like to be a bit braver? I don’t like anything too flouncy or frouffy though, and find prints quite tricky.

Budget-wise I’m thinking high street but with the capacity to invest a few hundred pounds in things that will really last and/ or have impact.

Any ideas?!

Maybe watch some Trinny videos on YT as she has several videos on all sorts of fashion related things and see if you can pick any ideas up from there. I’d suggest COS as a label to look at for interesting and high street.

Go to John Lewis and get an appointment with a personal shopper. That should give you a good idea of what works and what doesn't.

For headshots a really good plain shirt in reasonably weighty fabric works well. But hair, skin (make up or not), lighting and context probably matter more.

If you’re aiming to persuade potential clients / collaborators of your brilliant, zeitgeisty mind then it does no harm to adopt quite a directional look for a full length photo. (Once you’re well established you can just wear an old raincoat as you stride imposingly across fields or beach!) I seem to mention Cecilie Bahnsen quite a lot at the moment - possibly because I’m surprised at the wide variety of women who are photographed (to their advantage) in her clothes.

Unfortunately, imagining perfect outfits to be photographed in is much more enjoyable than doing any any actual work …

I’m inclined to think that if extravagance might enamour you to your client base - hiring something might be more sensible than buying. And if I were to follow my own advice - these are the kind of things I might choose. (Even if ‘starving artist’ is more your thing - you want to look as if you win the odd award …)

Ahhh renting is a great shout actually @CountryCousin - and love those pics/ suggestions!

And @Niftythrifter COS definitely a good shout for shopping - thank you.