This post is the last of my SHOP YOUR WARDROBE series and is your final chance to get 25% off your subscription (FOREVER!). The deal runs out Saturday evening and will be the last time I run a discount until I do my annual birthday one in September, so if you’re on the fence, now’s the time. Along with all the content I posted this month, you’ll unlock over 400+ posts, stacked with styling ideas, tips and formulas…
It’s time for the final instalment of my styling session series, and it wouldn’t be a series in collaboration with my favourite Stylists and Substack writers without the one and only, Allison Bornstein. You can find all the previous posts here:
‘The Styling Session That Added Serious *Range* To My Wardrobe’ with Angie Uh.
‘The Seven Styling Tweaks You’ll Want To Commit To Memory’ with Kelly Klein.
‘The Styling Session That Altered My Brain Chemistry’ with Reva Luft.
‘A Stylist’s Guide to Playing With Colour in a Neutral Wardrobe’ with Anna Baldwin.
Allison is an undisputed Personal Stylist PRO, who has years of experience under her belt, has worked with hundreds of women on refining their everyday style and has even written a book on the subject - ‘Wear It Well’, and let me tell you, my copy is dog-eared. The whole ‘three words’ concept? That’s her brainchild. ‘Wrong Shoe Theory’? Allison’s too! ‘Inventing The Wheel’? GENIUS. She has a unique grasp on everyday style thanks to her literally living (virtually) in other women’s wardrobes, and her true skill is in her ability to distil her learnings into key takeaways and catchy concepts that you can actually remember when you’re standing in front of your wardrobe.
We first met back in July 2023 (you can find the video of that here), and I’ve been lucky enough to work with her a handful of times since (there’s another video here, a write-up from our last summer season session and a Substack from our last meet in Feb last year). This recording from our Zoom earlier in the week shows the benefits of working with someone on a longer-term basis. There’s a shorthand to it in a way; Allison has a very good memory!! She said herself, ‘I never forget a good piece!!!’. I see it as part of my annual wardrobe investment, as I quoted in my recap from our last session:
All I know is that it’s part of my annual wardrobe hygiene routine. Two one-hour sessions, twice a year; once in the winter when I’m feeling a bit fatigued, and the same in summer, tend to work best for me. Via video chat, she works her magic on my wardrobe, finding new ways to make old pieces feel fresh again, imparting her wisdom, and just leaving me feeling BUZZED to get dressed.
To me, a chat with Allison helps me recenter on my style. We work out any kinks, identify any gaps and work through pieces I’m struggling to fit into my wardrobe. It’s just a good sense check in a way. I genuinely look forward to catching up! This time, I thought I’d record the call so you can see what it’s really like to work with a stylist in this way. It’s fun! There’s such good energy! You can fit A LOT into an hour (this part is cut from the 40 minutes that we worked on outfits, because we spent 20 minutes on a motherhood/Substack/work chat!!). I booked the FaceTime Styling Session, $330 for 1 hour, available to book here - book ahead as she’s busy!
So have a watch to see the master at work. Isn’t Allison just GREAT? She also gives us the exclusive scoop on the collab she’s working on!!! I KNOW! And I dish a little on one I’ve got cooking too. It’s juicy stuff!
KEY LEARNINGS FROM ALLISON
Jewellery is the key factor in how you can make your white T-shirt and jeans look different from someone else’s T-shirt and jeans.
If an outfit feels ‘off’, colour symmetry is a fun tool to play with. A black vintage necklace with a black belt and black loafers, or a white T-shirt layered underneath with a white pair of socks, are both examples I tried in our session together.
If you’re struggling with what socks to wear, stick to this rule: Have your socks be tonal with either the trousers or the shoes. This way, it won’t take up too much visual weight and will add length to the look.
Your bag is a low-stakes way to add a bit of funk to your outfits - you put it down half the time anyway! Essentially, it’s ‘Wrong Shoe Theory’ but the bag version. There should be one ‘wrong’ contrasting element in your outfit.
When you have a lot of neutrals happening - more is the right way to go; don’t worry about everything needing to match. Black, brown, grey, cream, white, taupes - go all in. This reminded me of Rachel’s ‘Kitchen Sink’ idea.
A grey sweater is a good way to dress something down (the one I was wearing was this in a medium*); it’s as versatile as a white T-shirt. A little sporty, athletic and casual, it can dial down the polish if needed.
Flannels and denim shirts make for a good middle layer, sandwiched between a trench and your base outfit. The lengths not matching doesn’t matter as there’s such a difference between them, and the trench creates a long elongated line.
If you feel like your outfit is skewing a little light - especially true once trench weather kicks in - ground it with something black, like a black bag, a black jumper around the shoulders, or black sunglasses, to give it some punch.
When you’re wearing a jumper, and you get hot, you take it off and wrap it around your shoulders. The flannel version of that is to take it off and tie it around your waist. Handy for spring layering.
You don’t have to do the millennial tuck - there can be something interesting about leaving it untucked and having that boxier shape on top. Leave a few buttons at the bottom open and wear a belt. It creates depth, and it’s nice to see that detail as you move about your day.
If you’re contemplating another denim purchase, perhaps consider adding a white, cream, brown, or taupe pair? No matter the shape of blue denim, it’s still going to have a similar outcome. Coloured denim can bring a completely different vibe.
A pendant can help draw the eye to different parts of an outfit. They are especially handy if you’re not wearing a belt, again adding that depth.
If you couldn’t already tell, it was truly a JOY to put this series together. Not only do I feel connected to my wardrobe in a way that I haven’t felt in years, but I hope that I’ve been able to pass some styling nuggets onto you, too, and shine a light on some UTTERLY TALENTED women in the field. It’s been a pleasure. And to say I’ve got ideas, outfits and formulas by the bucketload is an understatement. Mission accomplished.
Thanks for being part of The Wardrobe Edit. If you like what you read, I’d truly appreciate it if you liked, shared, or left a comment - it makes all the difference.
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