MY YEAR IN REVIEW...LESSONS LEARNT!

So 2018 has been quite the year, and didn’t it seem to just vanish in an instant. It has been my first full calendar year of operating The Other F Word, and it has seen me meet and work with a whole bunch of new and awesome clients and other businesses.

 

It totally blows my mind that my little online instagram presence, and sharing my passion for styling and chatting all things fashion has attracted so many awesome women and men who have trusted me to be apart of their styling journey. 

 

I take the responsibility of working with my clients very seriously and want nothing more than for them to feel good about themselves, the fact that I have been able to share so many laughs along the way is really incredible and I feel really lucky.

 

I have learnt so much in the past 12 months, from my clients, about my clients, from myself and about myself and I wanted to share some of that with you all here.

 

We are all too hard on ourselves.

We really are. We all aren’t “something” enough. Pretty enough, smart enough, organised enough, social enough, fit enough…there list is endless.

It breaks my heart a little bit any time I hear a client speak negatively about themselves, even if it’s in jest. We all need to be kinder to ourselves.

 

Comparison really is the thief of joy.

That other woman you are comparing yourself to, she’s no better than you, no worse than you, she’s your equal.

We all compare, its human nature. Rarely though is it helpful to do so.

Maybe rather than compare and rate ourselves as better or worse than someone we see on the street or even know personally, we should think about what it is in that person we admire and would like to emulate?

  

Confidence is key!

 One of the things I’ve heard from many of my clients this year is the statement “I could never pull that look off”

Not true! You absolutely can, you just have to try.

The only difference between yourself and the woman you see on the street carrying off something you’re convinced that you can’t, is that she tried!

 

It feels so amazing to help people.

It really truly does. I knew before I started styling that I would enjoy meeting new people, chatting with them, sharing my knowledge and empowering them.

What I didn’t know is just how amazing it would feel to be able to do so.

I don’t take for granted that people trust me enough to invite me into their lives and homes, share their insecurities with me, trust me to help spend their money and then at the end of it all, send ME messages of thanks because they are feeling better about themselves.

Thanks to all of you who have followed, commented, liked or engaged with The Other F Word over the last year.  

Im looking forward to more style chats in 2019!!

Nat x

MY STYLE INSPIRATIONS

One of the questions I ask my clients during their style consultation is who their style inspirations are and why, and I am always fascinated by the answer (especially the “why” part)!

I thought I would share mine with you today. There was no way I was ever going to be able to narrow it down to just one, so here are the three women who are currently influencing my fashion choices.

The “Unexpected Everyday” Inspiration – Princess Diana

Feminine, classic, and not too revealing is probably how I try to dress on a daily basis (particularly at my corporate day job) and I feel like Princess Diana hit the nail on head in those areas and I have been looking more and more to her for fashion inspiration.

I love in particular the way she mixed feminine and masculine, accessorised her looks (especially with those royal jewels) and always kept it classy.

A timeless beauty and style icon.

The “Who I Want to Be When I Grow Up” Inspiration – Elle Ferguson

I’ve said more than once, that one day I am going to throw out everything in my wardrobe and start again, with only pieces that have a boho vibe. In my opinion, no one quite does boho blended with a healthy dose of denim like Australia’s Elle Ferguson.

She is the ultimate tall, blonde beach goddess who does effortlessness so well, I truly admire her for it.

Her looks never look too considered (even though you know full well they are) and I also love that she knows her body well. She clearly knows her assets and does an amazing job playing up to her strength.

A lesson for us all there.

The “Red Carpet” Inspiration – Elizabeth Banks

Granted, my life does not involve walking on red carpets, but if it did, I would want to do it as this woman does!

Why you ask? Well she is without fail always interesting.

She experiments…not only with the colours and silhouettes she wears but with her overall styling. Hair up, hair down, bold make up, softer make up, it seems there literally is no look she is afraid to try and I admire her for it.

It’s something I wish I was braver to do more of myself. I tend to stick with hair make up looks I’m more comfortable with, but next time I’m getting glam I am going to take a leaf our of Elizabeth’s book and try something new.

Bravo to Elizabeth and her stylist, I am your number one fan!

I would love to know, who are your style inspirations and why?

 

Nat x

TO SALE OR NOT TO SALE

SALE. It’s most girl’s favourite four letter word, but should it be? Are sales really as great as we think they are, or are they really just a money wasting trap?

At this time of year with the lead up to the end of financial year, almost all retailers are getting in on the sale action. I woke up this morning to emails from no less than four of my favourite retailers declaring major discounts, and as the month goes on I think that is only going to get worse.

Good luck to me and my “No Buy June” – I’m going to need it.

I don’t think there is a black and white answer to “are sales bad?” but I do think there are definitely some instances in which it’s a better idea to get in on the sale action than others.

When to sale:

  • When you have been eyeing something off for a long time and you have already decided is going to be in your life. It’s sitting in an online wish list at your favourite retailer and then it goes on sale. Bam. Money saved. Perfect.

If you have the nerve to play the waiting game, good on you. Just be prepared to accept the fact that the item you wanted, might sell out in the meantime, which could lead to reckless spending. (See point a) in “When not to sale”)

 

  • When you are purchasing things on sale which are on your “list”. You know, the list of items that are currently gaps in your wardrobe that you need to fill to make your wardrobe more cohesive. If it’s on the list, and you know you need it and have multiple ways in which to wear it, happy days. If it’s not on the list, I caution, do not add to cart. (See point b) in “When not to sale”)

When not to sale;

  • When the perfect, amazing item you have been eyeing off for ages sells out and you see something vaguely similar that will fill the missing void of the item you love, but missed out on.

This one is really hard to avoid. Feelings are involved. You are suffering a loss of something you missed out on, and now you have seen something sort of ok that will fill the gap…but will it? Likely no. Don’t “settle”, you will regret it.

 

  • If it’s not on the list. If you’ve seen something really cute, that you just love/have to have/cant live without, but have no use for it, no idea how to wear it, and it doesn’t suit your lifestyle, void at all costs. This is going to be a straight out waste of money. The same applies for the items not being your size. If its too big or too small, but you tell yourself it will be ok once you get it altered, you’re kidding yourself. Step away from the item.

 

  • When you’re bored / hormonal / hungry. Do we ever make good decisions at these times? Usually not. Go for a run / read a book / have a snack instead.

 

Other tips to avoiding the madness of sale time;

  • Unsubscribe from all those store newsletters you are opted into. Out of sight out of mind right? Maybe not entirely, but it’s a start right.

  • Set a budget. If you don’t think you will be able to avoid the sales all together, set yourself a dollar value that you’re allowed to spend during this time, and accept once its spent, it’s game over on the spending. I dare say you will make more careful decisions if you only have a set amount of money you’re allowing yourself to spend in the sales.

 

What are you guys hoping will go on sale soon?

Nat x

 

THE ROYAL WEDDING ROUND UP

I love weddings. A few years ago I attended 10 weddings in a 12 month period and even though it was a lot, it didn’t burn me out…in fact it made me love them even more.

The main reason I love weddings so much (besides the love in the air, the food & the free flowing wine) is the opportunity to frock up for a special occasion.  

The dress, the hair, the makeup, the shoes, the jewellery, the bag…so many important decisions. The pressure is on.

Now, imagine you are attending the most ogled wedding of the decade….The Royal Wedding of Harry and Meghan.

Talk about pressure.

Granted, most of the attention was going to be on the happy couple, but even so it’s a big deal to be invited, and certainly a chance to shine…and in my opinion, many of the guests at the recent royal nuptials did just that!

I noticed a few trends emerge amongst the guests that I am predicting (and hoping) we see on our own shores come warmer weather and spring racing season.

Ladylike Elegance

The necklines might have been high, and the hemlines might have been long, but these women proved you can be covered up, and still look incredibly beautiful.

Bold Colour

Not for the faint of heart, dressing head to toe in a bold colour is a sure fire way to stand out in a crowd. These women found a colour that suited them and nailed their looks.

Point of Focus

A bold shoe? A statement sleeve? These women injected personality into their looks by choosing one element and have it do the talking for them. Bravo ladies.

My top pic for Best on Ground for the day was Lady Kitty Spencer. Princess Diana’s niece wore an incredible dress and hat in an amazing colour, with a beautiful contrasting shoes and bag – her look was flawless.

What look was your favourite?

Thanks for reading, Nat x

THE FINE ART OF ONLINE SHOPPING

If the concept is new to you, the prospect of online shopping for clothing can be overwhelming, stressful and intimidating.

Questions like; where do I buy from, what is the sizing like, what happens if I don’t like the item and can I trust the store with my credit card details are all very real and valid concerns.

As a stylist, and owner of my own online jewellery store, (my jewellery line is ilyas honey jewellery) and all around fashion loving girl, I would like to think I know a fair bit about online shopping.

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