We all have our own style, whether we know it or not. But we all can get stuck in a style rut without knowing it too. So why not use the change of seasons to tweak your look? You don’t have to totally reinvent yourself or follow the latest fashion fads to the letter (we all know how tragic those results usually are, don’t we?) but you can find quick, easy and inexpensive ways to freshen up and give your style a boost.
Here are my top 5 tips for tweaking your ’14 Summer style.
1. Pick an accent colour
Any colour – and incorporate touches of it into your new season Summer palette. Love coral? Go a shade brighter than you might normally feel comfortable in. Maybe even with a neon singlet (Kmart have them for $5!). If neon is a little too high-vis for you, tone it down by wearing it underneath a sheer white smock-style top, or another top with a low neckline so all you see is the pop of colour framing your face. Or try to incorporate your new signature colour with a new bright scarf, bag, strappy sandal or jewellery. Even just a jolt of colour on your toenails will give you a summery glow and help you bring that new colour into your outfit. Stylist TIP: Remember my golden rule. Pick a colour. Repeat it twice. Belts, bags and shoes DON’T have to match.
2. Wear White
Wear it all year round, and especially up against your face – but this summer why not invest in some white sandals? No longer considered too “GC” (Gold Coast) white shoes are a great way to freshen up any outfit. They are so easy to incorporate into any outfit as all you have to do is wear a touch of white somewhere else and they will pull the whole look together with ease. Try white on white to elongate the leg, or white and nude. You can’t go wrong!
3. Invest in self-tanning mitt NOW
It’s the best investment in getting that summer-glow you’ll ever make! I’ve been a self-tan promoter for years. You won’t find me baking myself on the beach. All that achieves is uneven skin-tone, pigmentation, wrinkles and skin cancer. But enough on that lecture for now. I still DO love a tan and I’ve tried many over the years. I can’t afford a professional spray tan every week, so most of the year I just use a daily self-tanning moisturiser like Palmer’s or Dove. But in summer when bearing more flesh, the self-tanners do get more of a workout. Until very recently, I thought I liked the sray-on ones best because they weren’t greasy and gave me instant colour while they developed. They also smelled less fake-tan-like. But they also meant I was staining towels and tiles and it was also hard to get the colour even. Enter, my new must have! Self-tanning mousse applied with this mitt! No more brown hands, and seriously, colour just glides on in an instant, it’s even, and it’s over in a couple of minutes. I tell no lies. You’ve just got to try it! And NO, this is not a sponsored post!
4. Give your home a revamp with a jolt of your new summer colour
This has long been a bit of styling tradition for me. I base my wardrobe around light neutrals all year round, and my home is also a reflection of that same styling philosophy. The reason I do it is because it allows me to revamp things by changing the colour palette with an injection of a new signature colour depending on the season, the trends or my mood. And without blowing the budget. This year, my colour is neon citrus. Last year it was a take on Tiffany’s. Whatever your colour mood, you can achieve it for your home with a few new cushions, placemats, vases or photo frames, doona covers, or even just new tea-towels in the kitchen!
5. Lift Your Lips
Perhaps try a colour you may never have considered before. Or if you’re not a lippy-lover maybe even just make a commitment to try to wear at least something on your lips. It may take some getting used to, but you’ll find it makes all the difference between looking finished/polished and aaah, not! Did you know that nothing ages you more than too-dark lips? When it comes to finding that perfect shade for your lips, the only way to get it right is to try before you buy. And often the only way to get THE perfect shade for you is to combine two colours. As we age, our natural lip darkens and this will always change the colour of the lipstick you try on your hand or see in the tube. Top Tip: Try concealing your lips first, or try a light neutral matte underneath that rosy red gloss or bright coral. It makes the lippy last much longer, gives a cleaner/more true shade and often tones down the colour to “just right”. 
