Personal stylist - autumn, winter and Xmas edition

[frillseeking]

I thought I'd do a Xmas edition of the styling threads I've done before for anyone who is interested 🎄👠

Thank you for all the posts so far. I was wondering if you could help me with a new winter coat please. I’m looking for wool, ideally under £200, and in an a line shape as I think this is most flattering for me as I’m top heavy. Size 16. I have a Hobbs coat in a style similar to Catilin and it’s great but I’ve put on weight and it doesn’t do up! Colour would be navy preferably, but would consider anything! Thank you

Yes, that's the one. Amazing, thank you.
I'll get one of those because it's a classic which I will wear time and again but think I'll need something else for the three parties I mentioned this year. Have you seen anything amazing that you have your eye on ?

Hello, thank you for the thread.
I'm looking for a smart winter work day to night outfit, but not the pre-covid tight shift dress type look, something a bit more current and maybe less structured.

I'm in my 30s, an hourglass size 14 and a J cup (makes it all trickier). 5'3. Generally prefer dresses and skirts to trousers.

Hi @frillseeking thank you for the thread.

I was wondering whether as a light spring I could wear a camel ‘wool’ coat. Or if not what colour would you buy? Looking for one to wear to feel smarter bit also with thicker leggings and a hoody?

I am a strawberry but like dressing more casually.

Hi @frillseeking this is an amazing thread, thank you so much for your time! I wondered if you could recommend a few pieces/outfits for casual day time wear? I’m 33 and on Mat leave and just feel like I don’t know what to wear anymore other than leggings/sports wear! I am 5 ft 6 hourglass and whenever I search for hourglass casual outfits it comes up with quite dated outfits which is not really want I want to go for, but feel so out of touch!

@juicy0 these are my current faves. I'm trying to find something myself for a Christmas party so have a lot of styles pinned. The dress on the first board is Self portrait and a similar style to the one you mentioned before. (I have that dress myself and it's such a lovely dress on.)

@juicy0 I also like this mint velvet style for the Bugsy Malone party without being too literal

Where's the third dress on the second pic from? The black velvet dress with the bow? It's beautiful!

@Casimira it's from Rixo https://rixolondon.com/products/celia-dress-black?variant=41676388696109&gadsource=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIseSer4CmggMV18XtCh1Z4geKEAQYASABEgL9mfDD_BwE. That's the one I've really got my eye on too!

@Coffeesnob11 quite a tricky one as I'm guessing you don't want to go too dressy and need to be comfortable to join in with the fun and games but Xmas party suggests something a little bit more festive. I was thinking perhaps a nice dressy blouse paired back with jeans or leather trousers or a skirt and boots. This style has interest in the frill detail which draws the eye upwards if you're conscious of your bottom half. I also love this burgundy Albaray skirt which would skim the hips and draw attention to the waist and would pair with silver boots, perhaps a slogan tshirt and black blazer for a smart/ casual look with a bit of metallic to jazz it up.

Lots of beautiful options here, however will you choose? Any idea where the right hand photo on pic 1 is from please?

Great suggestion, thank you so much. Do you have any other social media we can find you on, if you don't have an Instagram style account already you def should!

I’ve bought a Christmas jumper from Boden to wear for a Christmas Eve meal out. But I don’t know what to wear it with. Would a satin bias long skirt work?

Thank you! Ordered 😳

Ahhh so pleased to see you back!! Love your posts. My wool coat that you recommended for Paris last year is still my most favourite coat!!

@TheGirlInTheGreenDress slightly over at £240 but this navy Karen Millen coat could be a contender. The shaping at the back is really lovely and flattering and the belted waist is good for emphasising the waist area while the slim lapel is good for minimising the bust area. Anything double breasted or with a big collar will add bulk to the top half so good to avoid if you want to balance out proportions. Also the pocket detail draws the eye downwards. Avoid anything with fussy details such as buttons on the top area as again this draws the eye upwards

@BlowingAway finding workwear to accommodate a bigger bust can be really tricky as like you say, the typical shape is a structured shift dress which is difficult to wear for your shape. I do think workwear is getting a lot better and there are some really good options out there now that a bit more current and allows you to bring the fashion element into a workwear wardrobe. Below are some looks that I love. (There were also some lovely dress styles on Reiss which were out of stock but worth checking if you ever go in to store.) I love the Mango dress which has the looser silhouette you mentioned but still has shape and the smart buckle detail. I love the Reiss dogtooth skirt and you can see paired with smart boots and a blazer this can work for the office. For your proportions I'd go for a shorter blazer but I love the overall look. Lastly, I love the Chanel style jackets and cardigans that are really popular at the moment. With a smart pair of trousers or skirt, this look is really nice for day to night. This style is a cardigan but it's a really thick knitted style which makes it smart without being boxy and dated

@KarateSchnitzel this is great to hear! Thanks for the feedback 😀

@juicy0 I don't at the moment, I have clients that I work with regularly or new clients through word of mouth but I am thinking about doing this! I just need to take the plunge I think!

@juicy0 yes that's Self Portrait www.self-portrait.com/products/black-rhinestone-mesh-sweetheart-midi-dress

@Softpebbles I'd go for beige or a very light camel as light spring colours are soft so a true camel may be too heavy for you. Something a little lighter also goes well paired back with grey so would work well with a grey hoodie. I really like the combination of a smart coat with a more casual base layer

This coat is a true camel but I wanted to post to show the mix of smart with casual for inspo. Think a few shades lighter or even more of a 'mole' colour and you're on the right track

Hi, @frillseeking!

I know I've already had your advice on this thread, so no worries if I'm being a CF here and you want to get back to your day job...

I wondered if you had an opinion on a vintage Burberry wool skirt I bought, and want to wear for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners this year. The pic doesn't really do it justice - the background is a deep navy and the other colours are very vibrant.

It sits just below the knee on me, which looks nice, but I'm worried about it being a bit frumpy. Probably only because my MIL wears a lot of knee-length skirts!

Any thoughts on styling it to avoid looking granny-ish?

Thank you so much, I love both these ideas an I wear that style skirt all the time!

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer, I really appreciate that you are getting so many questions and you are doing this for free. Sorry I dont know much about you, is this your day job too?

@TheLeadbetterLife hello! I literally just saw something that captured exactly what I had in mind. Obviously the skirt pattern is different but I think your skirt would look great paired back with burgundy which is very on trend so will help to make it on trend