We're Fiona & Kristi. Welcome to Style Liberation where you will find tips and tools to increase your confidence and enhance your image.
This season there really is something for everyone. Remember, you’re looking for the trend that reflects your style personality, lifestyle, colour palette and body shape. If it ticks all of these boxes, then you’re on a winner.
Which one is right for you?
I love being someone’s birthday present! Even better when it’s a surprise. Ms H had no idea when she woke up on her significant birthday that she’d be spending the day with me. Thanks again to her fab husband for organising.
I’d been shopping with Ms H before, so she had the basics and workwear covered. The focus for our shopping trip was for versatile tops that could be worn for work/play, a travel outfit (must be plane friendly, smart but super comfy) and a dress to wear out for her birthday dinner. The aim was to create a casual wardrobe that is smart but effortless. A look that doesn’t just revolve around jeans.
The essentials:
Style Personality: Elegant
Colour palette: Cool & Clear
Body Shape: Triangle
Size: 8 – 10
Our favourite purchase was the leather skirt from Portmans. It was a toss up between the one above and the longer pencil version (check it out online – gorgeous!!!!). We decided on the mini, as it was more versatile for casual wear but still smart enough for work. The pencil skirt for weekend wear would be a little restrictive if you were planning to cycle to the shops and pick up a coffee. Another favourite was the Country Road legging pants. I would describe them as a cross between a ponte and a jegging. They definitely don’t look like your wearing a legging – much smarter. However, you would still need to wear a top that finishes no higher than your hip. Team it with a pair of boots, ballet or pointed flats and you’re rocking it. Word on the street is that they’re plane friendly. Tick!
Ms H, it was a pleasure to celebrate your birthday with you. Many happy returns. xx
Ms V’s Shopping Bag by styleliberation featuring block heel pumps
Blue dress / Silk blouse / Layered top / Blue top / Embroidered top / Blue jacket / Slim pants / Pencil skirt / Pencil skirt / Block heel pumps / Genuine leather handbag
I had the pleasure of shopping with Ms V a couple of weeks ago. The brief was to create a capsule work wardrobe based on an alternative colour to black. We focussed on the finding the base pieces that could be easily mixed and matched with future purchases. As you can see she has enough blue now! From now on the focus is on adding other complementary colours to the mix such as purple, pinks, blush etc. We’ve worked out that the items above create at least 25 outfits – not bad for 12 pieces. Add a cream jacket and you have another 13 outfits!
The essentials:
Style Personality: Natural/Classic/Elegant
Colour palette: Possibly Cool, Muted & Light
Body Shape: Rectangle
Size: 10 -12
Our favourite purchase was the navy suit from Jigsaw (especially as there are two jacket options). The suit pant is structured and taped which gives it a really modern look. It also means that you can wear them without the suit jacket (for a more casual look) and they don’t look like suit pants. The other fantastic bonus with this suit is that it also comes with another more traditional looking matching jacket option. So versatile. Navy is a great alternative to black and a neutral to boot – so there are lots of colour combinations that you can experiment with.
We’ve all had girl’s weekends away (Lord knows, not enough). Generally speaking though, we tend to venture no further afield than a short car or plane ride. Not this time!! With three friend’s celebrating milestone birthdays, we decided to step it up a notch. With newly-introduced direct flights from Canberra Airport to Changi International (with Singapore Airlines), before we knew it, we’d booked flights to Singapore for five glorious days! Here’s the wrap-up.
Fashion: The Style Liberation team could not go on such a trip without completing a thorough exploration of the retail offerings. We considered it our duty. While the currency and prices are quite comparable to Australia, what Singapore offers over Australia is brand options from all over the world. We spotted UK, American and Australian names, as well as unknown (to us) Asian designers, and department stores, such as Tangs and the quite unique Mustafa (open 24 hours and packed to the rafters with every possible thing you have never imagined but think you need when you see it). Both of us picked up a few little wins, mainly from Warehouse and Marks and Spencer, both UK brands.
Food: Hands-down, the highlight of the trip. Singapore is such a ‘salad bowl’ of cultures so the culinary options were endless and amazing. Even the nosh from shopping centre food courts was restaurant-quality and so CHEAP! We discovered a few local delicacies, and ate our way through China Town and Little India, but topping the best meal list was the chilli crab and beer dinner at Jumbos Seafood, bibs and all. Bit of a schlep, located out near the airport, but well worth it.
Fun: For many years, Singapore was considered just a stop-over. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard “I’ve only ever been to the airport”, I’d be rich. We’re here to tell you, it’s totally worth a dedicated trip, with or without kids. There is so much to do! Even child-free we didn’t manage to get around to all the sites. The highlight though (if you don’t count the food) was definitely Gardens by the Bay! Singapore is safe, friendly and so easy to get around. Transport is so organised with bus, train, monorail and taxi options. Taxis were surprisingly cheap too!
Fish: Worth a mention purely due to the hilarity that ensued when we tried the old fish-nibble foot treatment. Fiona loved it……not!
Friendships: There’s a comfort….. a ‘knowing’, that comes with spending quality time with close friends, especially ones that share your humour, beliefs, values and even politics. We had five uninterrupted days of this bliss! No time limits and many, many chats and laughs (lots of laughs) about life, work, kids and even global politics. And we walked SLOW!
Future: I’m sure you’ve picked up from this that we LOVED ‘The Singas’. So it got us thinking, “Why shouldn’t we share this amazing place with our awesome Style Liberation clients?” While we’re yet to work out the detail, we’re interested to hear from you: would YOU join us for a Style Liberation Ladies Trip abroad? If so, let us know here.
SAGE PENCIL DRESS – Navy / David Lawrence | Pants – KATHI TAPERED TEXTURED PANTS / David Lawrence | Jackets & Coats – MORGAN CROPPED LINEN BLEND JACKET / LYON BATWING SLEEVE TOP / Side Pocket Sateen Jean | Jeans / Bi Stretch Cotton Skirt | Skirts / Carmen V-Neck Swing Tank, Sportscraft Online / LUXE HI RISE SKINNY JEAN / Lucia Pointed Espadrille | Flats / VIVIEN COURT SHOE – Shoes – SABA Online Clothing / CALIA CULOTTE – Pants – SABA Online Clothing / Bamboo Print Flared Sleeve Top by Veronika Maine
I had the pleasure of shopping with Ms M a couple of weeks ago. The brief was to find some base pieces that could mix and match. Some for work and some for play. As she already had a number of tops that she loved, we focussed on those tricky items – pants!
The essentials:
Style Personality: Natural/Classic/Elegant
Colour palette: Warm & Muted
Body Shape: Rectangle
Size: 12-14
Our favourite purchase were the culottes from Saba. They were an unexpected win! They drape beautifully and are perfect with a semi fitted top (try cream or blush) and the block heels (also Saba). Next on the list would be the David Lawrence jacket. For those ladies who find it hard to find a jacket that is flattering for your bust – this one is for you. It’s streamlined and buttons beautifully under the bust and creates a gorgeous hourglass silhouette. Not many left, so get in quick.
One of favourite things is to go shopping! Lucky I get to do it on a regular basis. Check out this week’s bag.
Colour palette: Cool & Clear
Body shape: Rectangle
Style personality: Classic/Natural
Size: 14 – 16
The Brief
Ms L wanted to update her work wardrobe and invest in a suit. She also wanted to pick up some separates to mix and match, plus dress down with jeans on the weekend. It was important that the fit was comfortable and that the pieces could be layered as the air-conditioning in the office could mean that it was quite chilly in summer.
The Shopping Bag
Here’s what we bought:
Click on the picture to find out where to get each item.
Buying the right combination of colours and pieces means that you’ll be able to put together lots of different outfits with less. For example, we’ve used the Diana Ferrari Emma pant as our base and with the tops and jackets in this shopping bag you can create at least 9 outfits.
Investing in a suit, especially one that also comes with a skirt (this one does, however it wasn’t quite right for Ms L), can double the number of outfits that you can create. Add a pair of jeans (like we have above) and you’ve also got your smart casual weekend sorted too.
It’s that magical time of year! The blossoms are starting to reveal themselves and we all begin to worry about donning summer gear and showing more skin……do not despair! There’s something for everyone amongst the 2016 Spring/Summer trends. As a self-professed lover of winter and its fashion, even I’m excited about what this season’s trends have to offer.
You’ve probably noticed already but the dress, in every shape, pattern, print, length and style is here in a big way. If you’ve got good pins (aka. Legs) the mini will be your pic. If, like me, you prefer to detract attention away from this area, there are plenty of midi and maxi options too.
Showing off your shoulders is another biggy in 2016, with off-the-shoulder and the ‘cold shoulder’ look gracing the spring/summer lines of most retailers.
Check out our Polyvore sets below for ideas and inspiration. Click to get all the details.
Get amongst it people! Even better, book a spot in one of our Melbourne Ladies Weekend sessions, and we’ll help you find and incorporate pieces that are ‘on-trend’ but still suit your style personality.
It’s true! The verdict’s out! Research has proved a weekend away is so good for the soul. With your girlfriends it’s ‘bees-knees,’ ‘heart-sing’ material!
We’re lucky to get away once or twice a year with some of our closest girlfriends, including one-another, some local, others interstate. It gives us the opportunity to connect without the distractions of everyday life, and yes, we admit, indulge in a little food, wine and shopping). For those we don’t see on a regular basis, it’s like we’ve never been apart. Even though we may not have spoken for months (we keep up to date via text and social media), we pick up from where we left off. We’re truly grateful for these connections, particularly for the joy and sanity they bring.
It’s not just about catching up with friends. It’s also the opportunity to recharge from day to day life. That doesn’t mean that we need to lie down for a whole weekend. Although, let’s be honest, sometimes the idea of booking into a hotel and not talking to anyone for 48 hours is rather appealing – has anyone tried that? Just getting away, doing something different, having a looooooong, leisurely breakfast and being inspired by new and creative things, means we can come back rejuvenated and ready for the next installment (even though sometimes this feeling only lasts about 24 hours – but hey it’s a great 24 hours).
That’s our 2 cents worth. If you still need convincing you deserve a weekend away with your girlfriends, check out these clips and articles:
If you’re feeling the need to get away, you’re in luck! Style Liberation is hosting another Ladies Weekend in Melbourne Friday 21st October to Sunday 23rd October. We’ll be running 4 shopping sessions, each based on a different theme, plus hosting a cocktail event on the Saturday evening. You can join us for 1, 2, 3 or all 5 sessions, depending on what works for you. Places are strictly limited. We’d love to take everyone, however, there’s only two of us and we want to make sure that each of you receives the special attention you deserve.
You can find all the details here.
If you can’t make the Style Liberation Ladies Weekend, can we ask you a favour? Can you check your calendar, send a text and lock in that well deserved break with your ‘bees-knees’ besties?
For me, the blouse is the winner (I’m a huge fan).
The pros being it’s soft, drapes in all the right places (you know – right over those things called breasts), comfortable against the skin and gives you freedom to move. There’s none of that button popping gaping that can happen with a shirt. The other benefit is if you wash it on a delicate cycle and hang it straight away you don’t need to iron. Not many shirts can claim such a feat. Last but not least, it’s great for all style personalities.
The cons, well sometimes they can become static (highly recommend carrying a compact bottle of anti static spray).
Ok, so blouses can be tricky too, in particular for those with an hourglass body shape, as they may feel it hides their shape. Unless the blouse is semi-fitted, for hourglasses it’s best to tuck it in.
For everyone else here’s how to wear the blouse.
If you’re wearing the blouse with pants you can tuck it in or wear it out. However, if you’re wearing it out, you should wear it with pants that are skinny to straight, otherwise the volume will drown you. The same goes for skirts, but generally if you wear a blouse with a skirt, it’s best to tuck it in.
