Notes on Styling | 38 | 3 Recent Styling Things
Real things that happen slowly, helping us to build a better wardrobe.
Hello Lovely Reader,
There are months I don’t think about my wardrobe at all. Then there are months I feel in the mood to do some things, fill some gaps, look after what I have. I might even feel ready for a little tidy.
Our style is not built on the big things happening all the time but on little things that come together slowly. It is built in the patience we have to have to try things out, to send things back without a feeling of defeat, to understand our bodies enough to know the little lines where things need to hit and with a light-heartedness and openness to sit with what something feels like in order to make a good decision.
I had a call recently with a lovely new Founding Member subscriber here (for Founding Members I do a 1 hour style chat with a couple of looks included to freshen up your thinking). This lovely lady had been a Personal Shopping client of mine 15 years ago (ouch!) and we were reminiscing over time we spent in Arnotts and how I had introduced her to a particular colour that’s stuck with her ever since (raspberry pink as it happens). Anyhow, on our call, she showed me some beautiful pieces she has gathered over the years from a brand called HIGH that feels really true to her style. She loves what she owns is beginning to feel everything is Navy.
Sometimes, what we need isn’t new things or big purchases but just a little help to reimagine what you already own. I put together a couple of looks with a focus on some lighter cool colour tones for Spring to reopen her mind to some fresh colour combinations again. It’s funny really that what I love about Styling Boards much more than the new clothes is the new ideas they bring to help you see what you already own with fresh eyes.
One of the looks created with lilac for Spring, combined with her beloved Navy.

The magic we all want is that feeling of excitement to play at the doors of our wardrobe, maybe by adding one new piece, or maybe just seeing little things you can do to make things better. Little thinking or doing tweaks can make a big difference to the number of outfits you have to choose from but can also help you to feel rooted in what’s going on in your wardrobe right now. This is where your style is built from. At home and with Little Things.
So, I thought it would be helpful to share some little moments that I have had for my own wardrobe recently, with some thoughts.
Recent Styling Things
Taking my time to get the size right in The Mango Ballet Flats I love.
Getting better on Vinted (and hence finding a pair of jeans I’ve had on my shopping list since last year).
Beginning to catalogue my Clothes.
Deciding to let down my favourite pair of blue denim that was feeling a little short.
Getting the Size Right
One of my style goals this year is to focus on finding everyday shoes that still feel stylish and elevated to me. I bought these Mango Navy Velvet Ballet Flats in a size 6 a couple of weeks ago and loved them but wasn’t sure of the size. I thought I’d like to try the 5. Is there anything as bad as a pair of flats that slip at the heel ;-)
Now, this is where we have to accept the reality of shopping online. Things take time and patience (and more money when you have to buy 2 x sizes) to see which feels better. But I just know I will get so much wear from these little flats. The time, money and thinking was worth it.
I won’t win any awards from my physio who will tell me they are wholly impractical and not good for my foot injury but there we have it, on balance, I love them and will wear them and they fit so beautifully with what I like to feel in my clothes - natural, effortless with a dollop of elegance. A little styling moment that took 2 weeks of patience to get right.
Other Ballet Flats To Share
From what I can see so far, Spring will be awash with lovely ballet flats to choose from. Including some of these - Sam Edelman Metallic Pumps, The Audrey Pumps (I love in the Beige) from Mantra Official, The Delia Flats from Vegabond, which are a dead ringer for the Ayede Uma Leather Mary Jane Flats. Oliver Bonas have a lovely Gold Metallic Leather Pair or these cuties with the navy velvet AND a strap.
Finding Frame Jeans I had Tried On Last Year - on Vinted
For as long as I can remember I have loved a mooch in a vintage or second-hand shop. One person’s trash is another’s treasure and all that. But it’s not for the faint hearted, I know. I think second-hand shopping takes having a really strong sense of your own look, enough, that when you see something you like, you can picture how it might fit with other items in your wardrobe.
What will it add to my wardrobe? How will I wear it? Does it feel like me?
I found one of my favourite long black oversized wool coats in a vintage shop in the States many years ago and it’s still going strong (albeit it feels little tighter these days). But definitely, my most successful find has been a Burberry Trench for £70 in my local charity shop in Topsham. That was a good day. It fits me like a glove. I mean who gets rid of a Burberry Trench in a charity shop?? You could sell it for hundreds online but here we are - the very reason this type of shopping can be so bloody rewarding!
I have two favourite second-hand online shops - Vestiaire Collective and Vinted.
Anna from the Wardrobe Edit in fact has a really great piece on her Substack this week on second-hand shopping including how to get the most from Vinted.
On Vinted this month I came across these Frame Long Barrel Denim in my size for £70. At full price they would be £250-270. But the real story here (because let’s face it buying denim online is not an easy thing), is that I had tried this exact denim on last year in Selfridges and like I do, I kept the name and size in the Styling Notes on my phone thinking one day; maybe, just maybe this would happen!

Having fun with them when they arrived.

Beginning to Catalogue my wardrobe
Ok. This might be what defines the whole season for me because the thing we all have trouble with is knowing exactly what we have when we need that inspiration to pull an outfit together (like, every day). I’ve tried all the apps over the years and Indyx is the best I have found. So much so I am going to incorporate it into my Style Design with clients from this Spring.
My plan is to have my own wardrobe fully up here in the next week or two and I am seeing so many benefits already. I am not putting EVERYTHING up but more, all the items that feel part of the style I want to build more of so in this way, it is something that you can add to slowly over time, rather than uploading things that a) you never really wear just because they are in your wardrobe or b) you don’t really feel that good in or wear that often.
Cataloguing will help you to really hone in on what you love in what you have.
I know the ‘picturing’ part puts everyone off but what I love about Indyx is you can use an image of the item you find online too. I have liked doing this more than taking the actual picture on my bed because it tends to look better. But Indyx also make the process really easy as they actually remove the background so you don’t even need to have the perfect backdrop.
So far, my thoughts:
I only catalogue items I own that feel really true to the style I want more of so it’s easier than you think to catalogue when you use it as a tool that’s forward-looking rather than needing to catalogue everything.
I prefer finding a picture of the item I own online and it doesn’t have to be the exact item but the same style. I couldn’t find a picture of my high-waisted COS trousers but used a very similar image, which feels fine to me.
Once I started creating outfits, I could see already how it helps to think about what’s missing to elevate an outfit.
It’s impossible NOT to feel more creative with what you already own.
I love that you can create ‘collections’, which is a folder where you can file outfit ideas for different things in your life - ‘school run’; ‘weekends’ etc.
Letting Down My Blue Jeans
Finally, it’s so hard to get the lengths right on trousers and jeans. What feels right one season, might feel off the next. You also need to consider how you mostly wear them - with a heel versus no heel.
These are my favourite blue jeans - the Albaray Dark Wash Relaxed Jeans. I love them. Love the relaxed shape and they love my Pear hips. Win win ◡̈ But I’ve been really mulling over the length and last week I bit the bullet and got them let down. They still hit around the ankle but JUST FEEL BETTER when I put them on, proving little adjustments can make all the difference.

I’m excited about the things I will be sharing in the next few weeks.
I will be introducing the 5 Personal Style Elements I use with clients to help define their style values as well as talking about the ways that Style Design can completely change our thinking and our confidence. I’ve also been saving outfit pictures I’ve worn and loved recently to share with you. Thanks so much for your lovely emails on last week’s post on creating the journey of Style Design with you. I love to hear from you guys and appreciate all the messages and feedback.
Speak next week,
Julie x