An “Ask Al” Question from Rachael

Following on from my recent post “How To Get Big Hair” I thought it timely to answer another reader’s question about thinning hair. I mean let’s face it, getting big hair is – in some ways – also a solution to fine or thinning hair.

So, I’m sharing with you my best tips for specifically addressing the problem of thinning hair.

Without seeing the actual person (in this case, Rachael) it’s hard to give personalised style advice, but I’m hoping these tips and the photos of hairstyles will help a little and at the very least provide some style-inspiration for many – thinning hair or not!

Highlights Help

Peroxide doubles the thickness of each strand because it swells the actual hair shaft. This of course makes your hair look and feel a whole lot fuller. Another reason highlights help is that a mix of shades  helps to give your hair colour more dimension and creates the illusion of texture and density.

TIP: If your part is widening (i.e. your hair is thinning and the part is looking more and more obvious) you should match the colour of your hair to that of your scalp as closely as possible (i.e. don’t go darker, go lighter).

Get A Fringe

If your hair is thin at the crown but still thick at the front, try a fringe. Go a step further and even colour a slice of hair underneath the fringe two shades darker than the rest of your hair. When you bring the top layer of fringe down over the darker section, your fringe looks thicker because of the deeper colour creating dimension underneath.

Get Layers

Layers can be tricky if not done correctly. Ask your hairdresser to cut the under-layer of your hair half an inch shorter than the top layer. This will add extra fullness. Using a razor because for this job can often create frayed-looking ends that may make your hair look even finer and wispier, so be careful. To give more depth to fine or thin hair, it’s often best to keep the ends blunt. Like this…

More Styles to Try

If you have thinning or fine hair, a shorter style  often is the best way of adding more volume.  If your hair is thinning at the end of the strands go for a blunt bob or short layers. Choppier styles like the ones below can really help add a look of height and volume with little effort. Like these….

Side-Sweep It

Side swept bangs and a fuller fringe will give the illusion of more volume at the front so the  attention is diverted from rest of the thinner or fine hair. Like this…

Get Extensions

If your hair is full at the crown, but wispy from the mid-length to ends, clip-in hair extensions can give you added fullness in minutes. Today’s synthetic versions really look very natural and many of them are style-able now too (i.e you can curl or straighten them as they’ll withstand the temperatures, unlike older versions). Make sure it says that on the label before you touch them with your GHD though please!

Be Careful

Be kind to your hair. You need to hang on to every strand as long as you can. Let it air-dry 80% then use a round brush to lift the roots and smooth the ends. Or use the Vidal Sassoon Big Hair Styler (see my previous post on How To Get Big Hair). And don’t part your hair where you normally do before you blow-dry or it will wind up flat along the part, which is exactly where you want some extra height. Instead, part your hair on the opposite side. When you’re done blow-drying, flip it back and you’ll have extra volume, instantly.

Mirror mirror on the wall….

When Style Counsel launched (way back in 2004) I had a reason for choosing that name. I was never really interested in helping women follow fashion. I was always more keen on teaching them the two other things which I’ve always felt were  far more important:

1. Style.

2. Confidence.

Why? Because dressing in fashion is easy, but to be/feel/be considered by others as stylish is a whole other thing entirely.

And just because you’re dressed “in fashion” doesn’t mean you will always look, or indeed feel, great.

When people say “You have such great style” they are generally talking about something very different to being dressed in the height of fashion. It’s something more intangible. A certain “it-factor”. A feeling they get when they see/think about you. It’s something that generally always comes from the inside and works its way to your outer covering.

In order to work the way I wanted to work as a Personal Stylist,  one of the first things I did was develop my Client Profiling. So that I could really get to know my clients from the inside and out before I ever even started working with their wardrobe or hair or makeup to create or enhance their own signature style.

Love Your Body As It Is Right Now

From the get-go, Style Counsel has always been about helping people learn to love the body they’ve been given and how to dress it well, so that the image THEY SEE staring back at them from a mirror or photograph is in sync with who they are on the inside. My goal was (and still is) to give them renewed confidence and acceptance of their body JUST AS IT IS RIGHT NOW. For them to stop wishing and wanting it to be different and to accept it and see themselves as I see them as their stylist – as one who isn’t hung up on the size of their bum, or their knobbly knees or their big hips or small boobs.  To see their good bits and accentuate them. Not the bad bits which is all most of us only see in ourselves.

With this goal in mind, over the years my client profiling has formed Style Counsel’s signature. My own personal research into what women love/hate about their bodies. Key questions such as: “Name three favourite physical features”, and “List your three least favourite features”  have indeed provided a great insight into how women view their bodies. So much so, I’ve even formed my own theory of women’s body image based on this (that’s for another post altogether).

But do you want to know the question I get the most value out of as Stylist? As one who is about to meet a new client for the first time?  It’s this one:

“Describe to me in as much detail as possible, your physical appearance. Pretend I am picking you up from the airport. We’ve never met. I only have your personal description of yourself in order to find you.”

WOW is all I can say to the answers I’ve invariably received over the years. And it saddens me. If you could read what I read, and then meet the women (and men) I meet, you’d see why it blows me away so much. I can honestly say there is probably only 10% (if that) of all of my client base who’ve answered this question as accurately as I’d really need  it to be, in order to be able to find them at the airport – sight unseen – and pick up or approach the right person!

Struggling to See the Positive Parts of Ourselves

Most women either struggle to describe themselves at all, seemingly feeling very uncomfortable even writing about themselves or their appearance in the first place. And certainly, when it comes to “Name three favourite features” that is even more than clear. Some leave it blank; some try one, maybe two. Or list safe or obvious things that they probably hope to be less likely to be considered vain. Things such as “nice nails” or a “nice eyes” or “friendly personality” (conveniently ignoring that I’ve only asked for “physical features”!). But when it comes to answering “Name your LEAST favourite physical features” most will happily list way more than three! And just try stopping them adding to that when you meet them in person!

Well, the other day, I stumbled across this Dove Real Beauty Ad. I’ve used Dove’s clips many times when I’ve spoken to high-school students over the years – speaking about the smoke and mirrors of the beauty/advertising industry. I’ve worked in it most of my life and I really do want girls to understand the beauty myth. I want them to stop being so hard on themselves and to stop seeing only their (perceived) imperfections. And THIS clip is the best I’ve seen – because it’s the most accurate description of what I’m living – what I’m witnessing – with so many of my clients every day!

Please watch. Please take it on board. It’s powerful. It’s real. It’s true. It’s me. It’s you…I’ll bet my bottom dollar on it.

Someone commented on my hair the other day. And no, that lovely girl on the left is not me – sadly. She asked what I’d been doing with it lately? I said “If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you. There’s a blog coming. You’ll have to wait.”  You see, over the years I’ve tried many methods to add volume to my little pin-head. Without it, I just don’t feel dress/finished! I’ve tried all number of styling products to appliances, but at the moment I’m onto something that you will surely give you a laugh when you scroll down to the bad photo of me in all my velcro  glory!  (But  more on that shortly).

Now, let me say this before we begin. There is good big-hair and bad big-hair. The big hair I speak of has volume and movement. Not the helmet-style newsreader-hair of old that sits on the head and clearly wouldn’t move, even in a hurricane. And not the teased spiral perms of the 80′s. What I’m talking about is simply smooth, healthy hair full of the V-word. Volume.

Here’s a review of what I’ve tried  and has/hasn’t, does/doesn’t work for me. Oh, and by the way, this is NOT a sponsored post. All opinions are my own, based on my own product trials and testing.

Just Teasing

Also called back-combing, this tried and true method of creating volume is and always has been my go-to method. I will probably never stop teasing!

My Top Tips:

1. Always finishing off with a spray (underneath at the roots, not on top – save that for the smoothing down of the outer layer when you’re done) of good strong hair spray like  Silhouette Super Hold Lacquer. Teasing without spray won’t last for long.
2. Always bring along a tiny comb and a baby spray in your bag for touch-ups during the day.
3. Use a mirror to check the back and sides of your head when you’re done. Nothing worse than a visible hole of birdsnest-teasing that you didn’t smooth over properly.

Volumising Root Products

I’ve tried a number of formulas over the years, but thus far I’ve not found one I can say I’ve fallen in love with. I’ve tried everything from mousses to sprays to the latest root powders. Many of them did give the hair a slight lift at the roots, but in the main, they did more to weigh the hair down, and by the second day,  most only succeeded in making my hair feel either stiff or sticky.

I really did think/hope that these new generation hair powders (pictured above) were going to be the answer to my big-hair prayers. But alas, while they did give my hair a lift initially, I still had to rely on my trusty teasing to get the volume to stay. And then I had this gritty feeling all over my scalp which felt just plain dirty!

I’m thinking the powders  might work better  on short, choppy styles rather than long hair? And there are many formulas around, so perhaps I just haven’t found the right one for me?  If you have, please let me know and I’ll be sure to give it a go!

Vidal Sassoon Big Hair Styler

What a nifty product this is! I’ve had two of them. One died just a few days before the 12 month warranty expired (how lucky was that?). Even though this short shelf-life worried me, I loved the product too much to be without it, so I had it replaced and still use it all the time.

My Top Tips:

1. Blast your hair upside down with a hair dryer until it’s 80% dry.
2. Then section the hair and dry each section completely using the Big Hair styler. The Brush does all the moving for you, you just hold the section (or move it up and down) until dry. Release the button and “voila”! I lovely smooth wave.

Vidal Sassoon Root Crimper

Yes girls! It looks like a crimper, and it IS a crimper! BUT, it’s a super-slim one that only crimps the roots of your hair to make it stand off your scalp and give the illusion of…yes, you guessed it…BODY!

Stylist Tip:

1. Be sure to use it only at the roots and not at the hairline (that would look really creepy and sheep-like).
2. Be careful not to hold it at the roots for too long or you’ll burn your hair – or worse, your scalp!

Clip-In Hair Extensions

Oh these little babies are FUN with a capital F! Without having to go through the expense of hair-dresser applied human hair extensions (which can cost up to $1000!) you can get these in a range of widths, colours and lengths and clip in just where you feel you need a bit of extra volume.

When I first trialled these, they didn’t have styleable ones (i.e. you couldn’t curl them or heat-style) but now you can! Jessica Simpson has a range of these and her Bump It Up hair piece looks pretty cool too *I haven’t tried this one myself, so can’t say for sure). Try Price Attack if you want to check out a great range. The girls there are great and will point you in the right direction when it comes to choosing the type that’s right for you.

So what’s my top pick for root-lift and bouncy natural waves now?

Good Old-Fashioned Velcro Rollers

OK, OK, when you finally stop laughing at this bad shot of me in my rollers, you just might learn something. Which ones I love and why I love them. And if you’re really nice to me, I just might even share a few tips on how to get the best out of them! But you have to stop laughing first. OK? Right then…let’s get on with it.

I’ve tried hot rollers, but you know what? The ones I tried had grip-clips to held them in which gave me a line (or kink-mark). I then had to use my GHD straightener to  smooth it out which also knocked out some of the bounce out of the curl. I was impatient waiting for them to heat up. I burned my fingers when I took the first one out, and because of their weight I couldn’t wait for them to cool down so I could just take them out!. It all seemed like too much like hard work. If you’ve had better success with yours, please let me know. I’d love to try them.

Actually, the ones pictured here are Sleep-In Velcro Rollers. I ordered mine from the UK (via eBay) as I couldn’t find a stockist here (if you know of one, let me know!). They are foam-filled velcro and because of the softness you are supposed to be able to put them in at night and wake up in the morning with wonderfully wavy hair. But I just can’t sleep in them, even as soft as they are.

Instead, I pop them in when I get out of bed in the morning. Seriously it only takes about 5 mins to do. Then I have my breakky, sweep the floors, have my shower, do my face, feed the animals and whatever else my morning entails. By then, these little babies have been working their magic quietly in the background. I then pull them out gently, tease as normal (hehe…told you I won’t stop teasing!) and voila!

If I’ve washed my hair, I do my normal thing using my Vidal Sassoon Big Hair Styler (see above) and while my hair is still warm, I pop in my rollers and go about the rest of my morning routine. I’ve been known to put my hair in rollers then come downstairs to the office for a few hours or even more. (That’s how I’ve been sprung looking like I do above!)

Stylist Top Tips:

1. The longer you can leave them in the better the curl.
2. Try putting them in with hair just slightly damp. Then point your hair-dryer at them on low heat to set the curl. OR buy the Hood Dryer (pictured below) and attach your hair dryer to the hose at the end and give them a really good blast of warmth. Hilarious, I know. It reminds me of my mum’s old vintage hair dryer, but everything old is new again at some point, and I reckon it would work a treat! I’m waiting for mine to arrive, but I promise I’ll let you know how it goes!
3. Don’t brush out the curls – instead just tease the roots to blend in the sections and lightly spray with hairspray.

Do you have any favourite products or tips for achieving the elusive V-Word? If so, please please please share it with me here! You’ll be making the world a more beautiful place, and making Big Al very happy –  and that’s got to be a good thing,  right?

Here’s a copy of the article I wrote for  www.happychild.com. In it, I actually admit to styling my children when they were babies. The use of a helicopter hat may or may not have been included in said styling, and my son may quite possibly have been scarred for life. For this I can only apologise and hope to be forgiven…

For more great resources on parenting, and raising happy children (clearly the site was not around when MY kids were little!) head on over to www.happychild.com.

Publisher, Yvette Vignando is a mum of three boys (there’s a special place in heaven for mums of three boys) who wants Emotional Intelligence taught in schools, and I am SO with her!  You can hear Yvette in all her wisdom and good sense on Channel Nine’s Morning Show or follow @yvettevignando on Twitter.

Honestly, if you learn nothing else from reading any of the content on this site, I really do hope that one pearl of styling wisdom is what you will heed…

Just because it’s IN doesn’t mean you have to be IN IT!

There are many fashionistas who gain confidence buying all the latest designer labels in the hottest new styles and colours. They think that because they are “bang on trend” they are ticking all the boxes. Pardon the cliche stylist-speak there.  I used those terms mainly as an example of how even using certain phrases doesn’t make it cool or stylish.

All of the items below are truly “bang on trend”! Yet I have really struggled to find even one photograph of anyone wearing said items and looking stylish! Sure the look is “in”, but for me that’s where it stops. 

DISCLAIMER: Now before you decide to egg my house or trip me over in the streets, please let me explain to anyone out there who has just bought themselves a floral jacket, floral leggings or wedge trainers.  I really don’t mean to offend. Please remember, opinions are like bums – everyone has one. And this is just one stylist’s humble opinion on “what not to wear” used only for the purpose of training your eye for style – as opposed to fashion.

My goal is to teach you all to become stylists. Not fashion critics, not fashion police, not fashionistas, not fashion victims. Stylists. Of yourself.

It really is easy to follow fashion. But it’s a very different story when it comes to being discerning about which trends to follow and which to run away from, screaming “I’m in a safe place. I’m in a safe place”! Fashion and style do NOT always go hand in hand. I’ve written about this many times before here and here and also here.

“What Not To Wear”

It’s a fact. Most of us know what we DON’T LIKE.  The trick is finding what we DO LIKE, let alone then being able to put it all together to create a stylish outfit combination. In general, the old “less is more” adage applies. The more you tweak and add and overthink an outfit, generally the worse it becomes.

So why don’t I think any of the items above are even remotely stylish?  Two words. Fashion. Fad. Think Joseph’s techni-colour dream-coat. Think busy, busy, busy. Think way too many focal points.  The clothes wear you instead of you wearing them.  Think of the worst 80′s fad you fell victim to once wore with confidence,  and now cannot believe you ever let yourself be seen wearing it in public.  Ask yourself: “Are any of these items even remotely classic?” And “Could you really call them stylish?” That’s how I reached my conclusion that these were three current season trends I would not be following. What about you? How do you decide?

This post isn’t meant to sound bitchy or judgemental – it’s simply a critique of a few of the latest trends, and more about learning how to style. It’s about casting an eye over an outfit and working out what you think does/doesn’t work. How to improve every outfit you see. There’ll be more to follow in future posts when I see a trend that I feel needs further discussion.

So there you go… Please feel free to comment and share you opinions on how you’d improve the following outfits. Because remember: Opinions are like bums. Everyone has one! 

I always tell my clients to pick their best feature and play it up. But even if you don’t have lips like Angelina Jolie’s (seriously? Who does?!) we ALL really DO all look more polished and feel prettier with the help of a girl’s best friend – lippy!

By far, the best advice I can give is to “touch up” throughout the day. NO lippy – no matter how perfectly applied or how it’s marketed – will last all day and look fabulous unless it’s re-applied! And often!

Here are some of my tried and true tips for prettier than pretty lips!

1. Don’t play up the eyes and the mouth:    If you wear heavy  eye  makeup  and dark lipstick you risk looking like a clown. If  you want  to wear  red lipstick, keep the rest of your makeup light. If you’re playing up the eyes, keep your mouth light with a gloss or nude colour.
2. To give the illusion of “plump” lips dab gloss in the middle of your bottom lip.
3. How should you apply lipstick?  No rules apply! Some women prefer a lipstick brush. Others hate them. Some use their middle finger. Most apply straight from the tube. Choose what’s right for you. As long as the colour goes on your lips and not your chin, you’re doing just fine!
4. Use liner as a base. Lipstick will last longer if you fill in your lips with the liner first. If you’re using light lipstick, use a nude liner. Lip gloss always tends to wear off fast, but if you fill in lips first with liner, the gloss has something to stick to. 
My favourite is to use a lip concealer to cancel out the natural colour of the lip and get a truer match to the colour in the tube.
5.  You can line before or after you apply lipstick or gloss. Some women prefer to apply liner first, arguing that you won’t be able to see the natural line if you apply lipstick first. But I find lips look more natural when I line lips after I apply lipstick.
6. Never EVER use a dark liner with light lipstick. Defined lips are great, but make sure the liner matches the lipstick or gloss. Dark liner and light lips is tacky ++
7. Don’t throw out a bad colour lipstick. Instead, create a great lip colour by blending lipsticks you don’t like. You can also colour in lips with a darker colour before applying a lipstick that’s too bright or light.
8. Keep lipstick off glass. Discreetly lick your lips before taking a sip from a glass. It really works!
9. Keep lipstick off your teeth with this trick. After applying lipstick, take your index finger and pop it in your mouth, then pull it out. The excess lipstick will come off on your finger and not your teeth.
10. Lipstick can act as a blush but it is rare that you’d find a blush you can also use as lipstick.
11. The older you are, the “creamier” your lips should look. If your lips are thinned out and wrinkled, avoid matte. Stick with a creamy lipstick. A little gloss is good, but not too much.
12. Not all lipstick shades look good on everyone.  You may like a lipstick on your friend, but it may not look good on you. We’re often told that orange or brown shades, including corals, only look good on very few people as these shades tend to make teeth appear yellow. HOWEVER, it all depends on the base colour of your lips to begin with. I usually turn most lipsticks blue if they don’t start with a hint of coral. This makes me look like I was just rescued from the freezer! Know your tones & try on lots! Adapt a too-coral lippy with a hint of blue-based gloss. Customise! It’s not what you wear, it’s how you wear it!
13. Camouflage yellowed teeth. To downplay a yellow tinge on teeth, try lipsticks with a bluish undertone. Shades that work include plums, pinks, wines and violets – but as mentioned in the point above,  know whether too blue a shade will make you look a little on the “deceased” side too!
14. Fix – don’t throw out – a broken lipstick. If your lipstick breaks off, simply take off the broken portion with a tissue, then slowly wave a lit match under the broken piece of lipstick. When it’s melted a bit, put it back on the base, swivel it down and put it in the fridge – uncovered – for 30 minutes. Voila!
15. Lipstick All Gone?  – You might notice there’s still a bit of lipstick down in the tube. Scrape out the last bits with a cotton bud  and mix it with Vaseline or lip-gloss in a lipstick palette. Use a lip brush to apply.

And finally, one last tip for the lips! Scoop out the lipstick remnants from the bottom of the tubes and put them in a pill case (you know…the ones with the days of the week individually capped?). Put it in the microwave until the lipstick melts. Use a lip brush and enjoy seven new lipsticks – one for every day of the week or seven different outfits!

Autumn is here, and even if the weather is still slightly moody, the stores are telling us Winter has arrived! I must admit I do feel a little down when I see the shift from colour and lightness to black, plum, greys and a bit more black in nearly every shop window

But, there are few must-have items I do look forward to each winter, and those are boots and jackets. Jeans are my year-round staple fave so I’m glad to see that coloured jeans are remaining a strong trend this season as they could just be the pop of colour that we all need to avoid those winter blues!

Speaking of blue, at least it’s the one colour you can easily pull off at any time of the year to ensure you don’t look like you’re in total mourning during winter. Find a few colours that you love, and learn how to wear them well so that your wardrobe favourites can be worn all year round.

Ankle Boots

Why: They’ve been around forever, but have had a huge resurgence over the last couple of winters. A versatile style, that works perfectly with skinny jeans.

What: Look for booties that aren’t too chunky or gaping at the ankle – perfect for wearing under a looser cut pant (i.e. boot cut) or with skinnies tucked in or cuffed above the top of the boot. Look for the stacked (almost cuban heel) as it adds length to the legs, but is also easy to walk in. Brands like Diana Ferarri, Country Road, EOS and Nude are my pick of the bunch this season.

Where: I’ve found many a suitable option for my clients (and myself!) from The Iconic and Style Tread – both have an amazing array of styles to choose from and it’s totally risk-free with free shipping and free returns from The Iconic!

Jackets

Jackets are a passion of mine. I have a wardrobe full of various colours and styles.

Why: Because a good jacket wardrobe enables you to wear your summer pieces all year round, layered under a particular colour and style of jacket; Cropped jackets create structure and the illusion of a waist when worn over floaty, longer-line tops (my Style Counsel signature look); A beautifully cut blazer can dress up – or even “corporatise” (if there is such a word) – any outfit to take it from being dressy to more suitable for work; An anorak or trench can quickly “casualise” (again, not a real word, I know!) an outfit…and on it goes.

What: I have many faves, from a slightly cropped, fitted blazer, to a cropped trench, peacoat. The key is that the jacket isn’t used as a cover-up for your perceived flaws (this only adds bulk), but instead is used to highlight your assets, frame your face or the neckline of a top, and add definition or structure to an outfit. If you are conscious of your hips, make sure the jacket doesn’t finish at or on your widest point. Instead, aim for just above your widest point. And a rounded edge instead of straight-across does wonders for shaving inches off your hips too. Watch out for Julia Gillard style jackets with bulky ties at the tummy or splits at the buttocks that only draw attention to the areas you’re trying to downplay (see below)…

Where: Oh where do I start? Classic jackets can be found almost anywhere – from The Iconic, Country Road, David Lawrence, Sportscraft right through to Cue, Witchery, Portmans, Forever New, and Dotti. Don’t discount places like Target and even K-mart for savvy little cropped numbers in seasonal colours which won’t break the bank and will give your wardrobe a quick update.

So what are you waiting for ladies?  Start building that jacket wardrobe now!

Oh. And a quick note to Julia Gillard on her jackets. I’m here whenever you need me. Just say when!

Over the past 20 years Rebecca Sparrow has earned a living selling touch lamps, working as a nanny, a travel writer, a television publicist, a marketing executive, a magazine editor, a TV scriptwriter, a newspaper columnist and a secret shopper (once).

Rebecca Sparrow is the author of a handful of novels (The Girl Most Likely, The Year Nick McGowan Came To Stay and Joel & Cat Set The Story Straight) and the non-fiction guide to surviving high school “Find Your Tribe (and 9 other things I wish I’d known in high school)”. 

Bec is a columnist at Mamamia (www.mamamia.com.au) and is an Ambassador for Givit.org.au and The Pyjama Foundation.

She also spends much of her time running writing workshops – if you want to know more about her next Brisbane Writers Workshop  click here -  and giving motivational talks in high schools across the country.

When she’s not writing books, columns, tv scripts and illegible grocery lists Bec’s acting as a personal assistant to her two kids Ava and Fin and trying to convince her husband Brad to watch Offspring.

But where do I start? As self-appointed leader of the Bec Sparrow Fan Club? How do I sum up the beautiful person that is Bec and why to this day, she is still my favourite author, mentor, friend, a woman of incredible strength and natural style? A woman I am proud to include in “my tribe”?

I guess the beginning is as good a place as any…

It was 2003. I was working at Channel Seven and quite unexpectedly scored a last-minute spare ticket to attend a book launch/lunch at the Hilton.  The launch of “The Girl Most Likely”. I heard Bec speak. I read her book. And what can I say? I fell in love! My first and only ‘girl crush’ I guess!  There’s just something about her. The way she writes. The characters in her books. Her uncanny ability to quite simply connect with the “real” person. The dag in all of us. She has that certain “it” factor without even trying. It’s just her!

SO, being a big believer and proponent of my own style counsel motto “If you’re thinking something nice about someone, say it! To them!” I did just that. I wrote her an email! I’d never done anything quite so bold in all my life. I was sure she’d think I was some creepy stalker. But, being the woman of style that she is, she didn’t! Instead, she replied! We chatted this way for quite some time, sharing stories and getting to know eachother better. Until, after leaving Channel Seven sometime later, I shared with her my dream of being able to help women using my styling skills with my plan for my own little business (Style Counsel). In fact, I think it’s because of her social conscience and our shared interest in helping girls/women believe in themselves and develop a healthy self-esteem, that we truly connected all those years ago.

Fast forward many years later – I’ve since attended many more of her book launches, the stage play of her book, and even her wedding to Brad! But you know what? Aside from being a huge Sparrow fan, I personally owe Bec. I really do owe her big time. You see, she played a huge part in the creation of Style Counsel! How? She not only believed in me enough to mentor me when I was grappling with the idea of starting my own business – she actually was the catalyst that pushed me to do more with it than even I thought I was ready for!

Out of the blue one day, she asked if she could use my story as part of an article she was writing for her Courier Mail Column. She compared three ways women could choose from to find their personal style. One was attend a grooming and deportment class, the other was to buy a book on style, and the other was to have a Stylist (me!) take you shopping. From that day forward, I grew in confidence with confirmation that there was indeed a market for what I was offering my clients. Remember, back then, Personal Styling was not really commonplace. It was considered by most to be a luxury service that only celebrities or the media could afford – let alone everyday people living in Brisbane!  I had no idea that over 8 years later, my little business would still be flourishing, and I have Bec to thank for it. For believing in me from day one.  To this day, she is still the friend I call upon for advice when I’m filled with self-doubt or even just not sure which direction to move in.

I don’t know if I’ve ever really thanked her properly. So I hope when she reads this, she will understand just how much she has (and continues to) help me – and so many others – through her books and her own mission to keep it real and to connect/help others.

So, now, lets get even more up-close and personal with the woman herself.  You’ll quickly see why she really is a woman of such great style. Because for me personally she really is and always will be “The Girl Most Likely”

The Girl Most Likely. In her words…

A well dressed person… Ruins their outfit with a mean-spirited or sour personality!

A man should always… Offer to pay on the first date. And a woman should always offer to split the bill instead.

I would describe my style as…. Disastrous. I don’t ‘speak fashion’ but I like classic outfits with a quirky or interesting accessory thrown in.

My favourite wardrobe item at the moment is…. A polka dot scarf from Jigsaw

My favourite shops… ones that are online, who offer free or fast delivery and whose quality and sizing match what their website claims!

My tips for looking great…  A fabulous necklace can transform a boring t-shirt!  (I have no clue .. nobody should ever take style advice from me!)

If I wasn’t doing what I’m doing today, I’d be… doing something else I love.  Teaching kids, performing in local theatre, studying interior design … there are so many things I’m interested in.

If I had but one wish it would be… that my children have long happy, healthy lives. And that they understand the power and importance of giving back to the community.

Happiness is…. In the every day small things. It’s rarely found in ticking off the big goals.

Love is…  conditional. I’m big on teaching teenage girls in particular that if a partner suddenly starts hitting you or being verbally abusive, if they cheat or start behaving in a way that goes against your values — you walk away.

I’m really proud of… the mother I was still able to be to Ava following the death of my daughter Georgie in 2010.

I received another Ask Al question the other day…

“Good question”, I thought. “There’s a blog in that”, I thought.

So here it is Donna! Following on from my response via my Facebook page…  

Al’s Answer:

“I believe  it’s all to do with occasion, location & climate. So, a couple of things to consider when deciding whether it’s the right time for tran-seasonal changes like boots…

Yes, it’s boot-time, if…. it’s quite cool outside – dull, grey, damp, blowy. If it’s still not truly “cold” and maybe even only just out of Summer/in the early stages of Autumn, boots and a light jacket or just a short-sleeve top are fine.

Yes, it’s boot-time if... the sun is shining, it’s really warm outside, but it’s smack in the middle of Autumn/early winter. The question is though, are they absolutely necessary for either?  

It’s really a personal choice, in that everyone feels the change of seasons differently…but the key is that that you don’t look like you’re all mixed up/confused – wearing two different seasons/extremes all at once. By that I mean, for example …ugg boots, shorts & a singlet (as in the picture above). Or a beanie/scarf with jeans a singlet & thongs. Does that make sense? 

Personally, when the seasons start to change I like to gently ease myself into a new seasonal style: Sleeves instead of sleeveless; Ballet flats or loafers instead of sandals; Lightweight jackets over sleeveless or short-sleeves. Then moving slowly into jumpers/cardies and then boots & heavier-weight jackets as the temp drops even further. BUT that doesn’t mean you can’t try varying combinations of all of the above depending on how you feel as the climate changes. We all have different barometers so there’s no one-size-fits all! 

One other thing. Is it just me, or have others noticed how the Brisbane temps seem to drop substantially once we hit Anzac Day?  For me, it often marks the true shift from summer to “winter” in terms of fashion. After Anzac Day – apart from one or two odd random hot days – it generally signals “Winter” to me, and because of that sudden shift in temperatures and shorter days, I feel it’s more than appropriate to indulge in my boot fetish – for what that’s worth!

One last thing. My pet hate with QLD’ers has always been the old “thongs in winter” thing! I just don’t get it. I know we don’t have the bitterly cold temps they get down south, BUT. If it’s cold enough to cover up on top, it’s cold enough to wear closed-in shoes at the very least.”

SO…to add to my response to Donna’s question above, I thought I’d share some boots with you – the good, the bad and the “please no’s”!

Fashion is fickle and what’s considered hot will change in the blink of an eye. Fashion fads are gone before you know it and only a select few remain on the scene long enough to become fashion trends which may last a few seasons or even longer.

Classics are perennial favourites. They never really date. While they may get tweaked and updated slightly over the years, the basic style remains. 

So how do you know if it’s a fad or a trend? How do you know which to follow and which to run away from?

Well, if you can clearly remember wearing a certain trend when you were a teenager (how many of us can remember copying Madonna back in the 80′s?) perhaps you shouldn’t try to emulate too much of that same look in your 30′s or 40′s – whether it’s the latest look or not!  While you may be able to replicate a small part of a trend (i.e. lace, or boxy jackets) you should generally steer clear of anything that obviously marks you/your outfit into a particular era.

The Three Phases of The Fashion Cycle

1.    Fad Becoming Trend - is highly sought after, usually only seen on the runway, red carpet or music video.

2.    The Emulation Phase - Everyone wants a piece of it; Seen in fashion mags, papers, internet and TV.

3.   Saturation - items become available at very low prices. This is when that “must-have” or “it” designer bag becomes widely available as a knock-off.

Most of us buy somewhere between phase two and three – only the celebs and fashion industry insiders have access fresh off the runway when items aren’t yet available in stores. By the time a fashion fad has made it to “phase three” it’s available to the masses and becomes affordable to most. Once upon a time, it may have taken a few years to make it from red-carpet to mass market but today it happens much faster. Sometimes it can take as little as a few months for the hot trend to make it into the lower priced retail outlets and high-street stores.

The higher the profile (for example fluro 80′s) the more likely it is to look dated by the same time next year. While there’s no hard and fast rule about how long a fashion trend will stick around you can be pretty sure that the more difficult to pull-off looks are fads that will quickly fade. Still have fun buying them, but understand that they won’t be very fresh this time next year, so don’t invest to much $$ on them.

Do’s and Don’ts

DO compliment someone when they look great. DON’T hate them because they look good, or god-forbid, nicer than you?!

DO quietly notice and make a mental note to learn from it, when someone is dressed inappropriately. DON’T act like you are superior to them – we all make mistakes and no one is perfect.

DO share your fashion tips or bargain finds from time to time.   DON’T give away ALL your fashion secrets.

DO feel free to ask someone what they’re wearing and where they bought it.   DON’T ask them every time you see them.

DO make a fashion statement when you’re feeling in the mood.   DON’T have a diva attitude to go with that statement though!

DO politely alert a man if his fly is undone.  DON’T laugh and stare.

DO gently guide or teach a man how to dress.      DON’T make him feel like a fashion failure – it only makes you a fashion fascist!