11. Doesn't everyone want just one great rail?
Greetings from the Douro Valley in Portugal.
It’s 8am.
I am up…writing, which just reminds me of the things I love most in the world (even when on holidays). Early morning energy. Time alone before the world wakes, and my work.
The weather hasn’t been great but that’s ok - we go south next week and I’m bracing my Irish skin for the 35 degrees.This week, my thoughts are around the power of having ONE great rail of clothes. And I have one to share.
Sharon’s rail.
I have known Sharon for quite a long time.
She was a lovely volunteer for me when I was training stylists in Dublin and they were doing styling practice in Marks & Spencer or House of Fraser (when it was in Dublin), Sharon would let them do their best and worst to learn all the in’s and out’s of styling real bodies and real women.
I was honoured when she decided to go on her own full-style design journey with me this year.
For many of life’s big changes, it is very true that the time has to be right. This was Sharon’s.
Enjoy this week’s thoughts.
Julie x
One rail, so many outfits.
I believe there are so many little things that make up what feels good in an outfit.
The exploration of who we are and what we love is key. We are each different.
But figuring that out builds in us the ability to buy items that fit not just for our body but fit who we are and what we love to wear. A mix of identifiable brands that create mix-and-match looks that just go together.
Sharon’s rail consists of a mixture of brands, styling ideas and ways of wearing her clothes that she has worked on and built over the last 8 months alongside the best items from her existing wardrobe interwoven.
She does have a home in her wardrobe but for our last session, Sharon’s created this rail for us to see together -
Thoughts on the Rail
Your rail doesn’t have to make sense to anybody else. It just has to feel good to you. Sharon’s style has shifted from girlie and colourful to much more pared-back. This (lovely) printed dress (below) was a go-to item for her prior to her Style Design Journey. She has passed this dress to her Mum, who is very much enjoying it but Sharon would say it never felt good to her.
Building a rail starts with building your style values, which are made up of words that help you identify brands to shop from and how you want items you buy to look and feel when you put them on. Having worked on this, Sharon’s wanted her style to feel Natural, Elevated and Effortless.
Creating change and building a great rail takes time, patience and focus.
Each time you shop, you are leaning into your new approach, your style words, and the feeling you are building in an outfit. Having explored different styling ideas and shapes together, here was the moment (below) in Massimo Dutti when she found what has turned out to be one of her favourite purchases, an oversized navy wool coat (she would have bought only fitted coats prior).
Each piece can be styled in a number of ways from your rail.
Here is Sharon’s Aligne ‘Greta’ Denim Midi bought from the styling boards we created. This one denim skirt shows the magic of great pieces. She is now having fun creating lots of different looks from one core piece that feels great to her.
Sharon’s Colour Palette
Your rail will tell you what colour direction you are buying in and how it feels. Sharon’s colour palette from our design was full of both cool and warm neutrals but when we saw all her items together, it was clear what felt slightly better (and what she was more drawn too) was what actually worked best for her skin tone - cool deep and cool light neutrals over warmer tones but she knows she feels good in both.
To Finish..
There is magic in feeling focused on what you love.
In learning who you are and letting go of who you are not.
It creates space to stop buying for a while to explore this.
It creates space to just start to try new things with a fresh perspective.
It creates space to understand how to wear the same thing in different ways and know how good it feels to get more wear from less.
It creates space to lean into your words, and your style design and see all the ways it can unfold in an outfit.
It creates space to tune out of what others wear and feel you have a style you are building that feels easy and exciting for your everyday life.
A pretty magical rail after all :-)
Thank you for being here and sharing in my thoughts. It means the world. I feel like I’ve finally found a home to share authentically the depth of the work that it takes to truly create something special for your wardrobe. I am excited to see how it unfolds here and how we can connect even more here.
If you like this post and are enjoying this little space - please do feel free to share it with friends.
Talk soon,
Julie x