Guest contributor Bridie shares her valuable lessons learnt after her experience with shopping with a stylist.


There I was - flabby, fractious and frustrated.  Ready to burn down my entire wardrobe and start again. A thought popped into my head . . . why don't I hire a stylist?

I've long dreamt of the 'guerilla-style makeover' where a van would pull up beside me, bundle me in, work their magic and deposit me back looking fresh as a daisy . . . sadly, my life is not a TV show. If, however, you're a TV exec reading this and you like the sound of The Makeover Van™, call me, let's talk. In the absence of my own paramilitary glam squad, I decided to hire a stylist.

While many people think a stylist is out of their price range, it can work out to save you money in the long run.  I had been on a long tear of buying things that weren't quite right for me.  Either because I didn't have time to try on properly, resulting in the "this is lower cut than I'd hoped!" phenomenon or simply falling victim to trends and clothes that neither suited nor fit properly. Since my session with a stylist, I've only purchased items that fit the brief and work together with things I already own, ultimately saving me money and time (and bewilderment - I'm looking at you, SATIN PANTS!)

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Anyway, after meeting my stylist at Adelaide's only meeting place, The Mall's Balls, we were off and my shopping trip was very successful.  Without further ado, here's how I learned how to shop like a stylist:

Have a brief (but don't be wedded to it)

To develop a cohesive wardrobe, you need to know what you're looking for. Aimlessly wandering the shops is great for inspiration, but picking up single items can mean a lot of your clothes don't work well together. If you need a pair of black pants for work, then that's fine, but a stylist might notice your shapely legs and convince you to pick up a black ponte skirt instead. (And we all know that dresses and skirts aren't a death sentence - Ed.)

Consider your life and what you do - carrying small children? Taking boxes around the office? Short dresses and stacked heels might not work for you. Your clothes have a function beyond just looks and you need to consider it as part of your brief.

Set a budget

Stylists work to budgets and you can have in mind what you'd like to spend. Rather than think about how much you'd pay per item (i.e. "I'm only paying $90 for black pants") consider setting a budget for a few pieces that work together.  If you fall in love with a staple pair of pants then you can investigate cheaper tops to work with them.

Prep and do your research

My stylist helpfully pre-arranged pieces for me to try on, saving valuable time.  If you don't have someone pre-scouting for you, the alternative is to do your research online and call ahead, so that you won't be disappointed if stores don't have things in your size or the colour you're after.

Try on everything

Shopping alone can make you skittish and gun-shy or just plain lazy. Try on as many clothes as you have time for.  Go out to the big mirrors and check out how things move. That's how you find the real diamonds in the rough.

Take a few risks

Instead of staying in your tight little comfort zone, a stylist will look at you with objective eyes. Mine took my usual look (disgruntled pensioner) and gave it a cool girl twist to keep me looking within the general realm of my actual age. If you have trouble doing this alone, then enlist a shop assistant and ask them some questions. You never know - they might suggest other things that you wouldn't have considered, surprising you.

I worked with Rachel from Little Bird Style Coaching in Adelaide and can happily recommend her.



Have you ever used a stylist? Would you?

Guest contributor Bridie returns to Almost Posh with this handy guide on how to go from panic-buy to presentable in six easy steps.

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All dressed up and nowhere to go? Sure, maybe in your 20s.  Now, you desperately want to stay home under the heater, drinking wine, eating apple crumble and wearing trackies that are warm from the dryer (sorry – too specific?! Nah, I bet you want in on that!) but these days you have parties to go to, things to do and yet; nothing to wear.



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Recently I had the good fortune to be invited to an engagement party.  The invite specified “don’t come dressed like a hobo – don’t be afraid to be the best dressed guy or girl in the room” – and yes, with my nuggety physique and square jaw, it would be easy to be best dressed GUY in the room, but I digress…


After having a baby and deciding to focus on basics and building a capsule wardrobe (more on that to come!) of items I love, I find it difficult to spring for fancier clothes.  If I spend all my cash on frocks and frippery then there’s not much left for the day-to-day clothes appropriate for work, the park and trackie-clad-couch-sitting-crumble-eating. But if you don’t spend any money on appropriate going-out clothes, you will inevitably be invited to something fabulous and having nothing to wear.  It’s Murphy’s Law.

In the interests of full disclosure, it would be remiss of me to lead you to believe that our fabulous hosts for the night had not given much notice for their event. Of course they had. Months. I had more than enough time to clothe myself appropriately, but had put off the task because it involved dressing up and planning and I had better things to do, like go to the dentist and clean the grout in the shower. (Okay, dressing up isn’t THAT bad, but sometimes….)

Anyway, say you’ve left it to the last minute…if you’re in Sydney or surrounds, our friends at The Iconic^ have got your back, with 3-4 hour delivery.  3 hour shipping with free returns would be an absolute lifesaver – just order a selection, pick the best for the night and you’re good to go!

If, however, you’re not in Sydney and only have Saturday afternoon to select something before you go out Saturday night, then the following tips should help:

1.       Panic! Hahaha kidding….DON’T PANIC!

The more you panic, the more you will trigger your flight or fight reflex. Your animal brain will laser focus and you will lose peripheral vision, leading to the loss of bargains that might ordinarily be present from the corner of your eye. Okay, there is absolutely no science behind that (note to CSIRO – more shopping research needed.) BUT enjoying the process will put you in a better frame of mind and hopefully lead to a more enjoyable night, when you get home from shopping.

2.       Find a security blanket

Find an item from your wardrobe that you already like, that you know fits and that suits the occasion.  Shopping for a dress, and shoes and a bag and a floral brooch like it’s 2001 is just too much stress – you need to be on the hunt for one or two items max.  I often base outfits around shoes I already have as I know they’ll fit and won’t cause any blisters on a night out.

3.       Shop with military precision

Plan your route, like you’re Rommel attempting to seize the Suez (what the?) Seriously, you have no time for distractions or weird detours to pick up a honeydew melon, look at sheets or whatever…JUST SHOP.

4.       No dalliances

Stick to stores that you know fit.  If you’re over 30 and not built like a whippet, then you know certain stores* ain't got nothing for you, so rather than descend into a pity spiral, just move on past. Similarly, now is not the time to be considering new yoga pants if you’re headed to a cocktail party tonight.

5.       Consider small boutiques

This is where #shopsmall comes into its own.  If you build up relationships with small boutique owners you can present them with your dilemma and often they will be more than helpful. Some of my best outfits have come from small boutiques where they have interesting clothes at decent price points and are willing to spend the time to help a shopper in need.

6.       Makeup on point

Sure, you might not have luck at the shops, but if you’ve followed these tips, your shoes will fit and your makeup can carry the whole look.  Red lipstick and a cute pair of heels can go a long way.

Now, grab your slippers, Cinderella - it's time for the Ball!!  What are your top tips for getting a killer last minute outfit?

See How To Shop With Success and Shopping: Instore vs Online for more thoughts on the subject and for the mums out there, try 15 Handy Hints For Shopping With Kids.

*Not naming names, but we all know of a few stores like this, amirite?!
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It will come as no surprise to regular readers of Almost Posh that I don't mind the odd poke around a bricks-and-mortar store or online retailer from time to time.

Some people don't like shopping. I respect that. I don't like netball but if you want to play it, then you go ahead, girl. Time on the whistle.

Perhaps you hate shops themselves and prefer to shop online from the comfort of your internet-connected device, double-screening while watching Geordie Shore in your pyjamas. Perhaps you are wary of putting your personal details online or afraid to buy without trying. Here I’ve presented some of the pros and cons of dealing with each.

In-Store

1. Trying things on. Until home technology moves to the point of creating a 3D full-body scan that models the exact fit of clothes, we are stuck with that element of risk when shopping online. Sure those multi-way mirrors might tell you more than you want to know about what you look like from the back but at least you KNOW.
2. You can try on multiple sizes and items without penalty. Imagine having to pay a fee for each item you took into the fitting room?? Nope, as long as you abide by the "arbitrary number of items or less" rules for each store, you can try on the whole store if you want, five items at a time
3. No shipping costs and free returns. Until Australia gets with the free delivery times, we're often stuck paying for our goods to be delivered so not doing so is a plus and the only cost of return is the effort involved.
4. Instant gratification. You like it, you buy it, you have it then and there. No waiting. Particularly if you're cutting it fine for a special occasion.
5. You can feel the fibre of the fabric. A big one for me. As a thrift-shopper like old mate below, you can also check for holes, stains or other imperfections that may not be evident in eBay photos.

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1. People. You're going to have to deal with them; on the roads, in the car park, getting through the shops, sales assistants that either ignore you or are relentlessly right up in your business, other shoppers . . . unless that's just me?
2. Getting dressed. It's generally frowned upon for grown folks to be at the shops in their pyjamas / underwear although lord knows I've pretty much seen it all.
3. Store opening hours. Sunday trading only became a reality in Adelaide about 10 years ago and we're still not quite at the level I'd like. If you are hankering for a browse at 11.30pm on a Tuesday, you're out of luck.
4. Location. You're bound by what's on offer that you can easily get to in a day, really. If you live regionally as I did as a teenager in the 90s, you have to wait until the fortnightly grocery trip when Mum takes you over to Port Pirie where you will have the choice of either Kmart before it was cool or the really expensive surf shop, which was cool but - as the name suggests - really expensive. A trip to Adelaide meant you might be lucky enough to come home with a Sportsgirl logo tee or a pair of irregular jeans from the Levis factory.
5. Incidental purchasing. Unless you're extremely disciplined, popping to the shops for one thing opens you up to a world of impulse buying, distractions and of course, snacks.

Online

Pros

1. Choice and selection. The world of online shopping is enormous and as long as you can receive deliveries where you are, you can access it all. Brands without shopfronts in Australia or even your city can still get their goods to you thanks to the Internet.
2. Coupon codes. I will always do a quick search for a promo code or voucher. Going up to a shop counter and saying "Hi, just these thanks, oh and LB7jhgbW!" is only going to get you a side-eye at best or a trip to centre management at worst.
3. Online only sales. These can be quite lucrative and an easy way to stock up on familiar favourites. Get on those email lists! Save shipping by doing combined orders with friends!
4. Get consumables cheaper. For boring stuff you need to buy repeatedly, it's easy to find cheaper deals online for things like printer ink, batteries or even contact lenses.
5. Deliveries! In this day and age where the only things that arrive in the mailbox are bills and catalogues, getting actual parcels is most exciting.

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1. Dodgy sites. We've all seen those posts about what was ordered vs what arrived. It pays to do a WHOLE lot of research before shopping from a new site. If it sounds ridic cheap, it’s probs too good to be true. Google and read the review sites!
2. Financial Risks. Related largely to the above, although card details can be compromised from a variety of legit sources, including physical stores. Use PayPal to mitigate the risks and make yourself aware of their purchase protection policies.
3. Sizing. You're taking a gamble on fit every time. Even if you're familiar with the brand, you just never know how the cut and fabric will sit on your own actual body. 
4. Shipping and returns. Here in Australia, delivery almost always costs unless you hit a certain price point and that is galling, while free exchanges or returns are rare. International shipping from some sites can render any cost savings on the actual item pointless.
5. It's almost too easy. Having access to so many stores that can offer you purchases with just a couple of clicks and you end up like . . .

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You may also like to check out my top tips for shopping with kids and other hints on how to shop with success. I'm here for you, for realz. If you need enabling on a purchase, just send me the link and I'd be happy to tell you why you need it.

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This post is brought to you by Coupon Codes Australia. For more information on collaborative posts, please see my PR and Media policy. All content authentic and produced by Almost Posh.

Some time last year, my friend Stacie sent me a photo of a magazine page given over to an ongoing series that tracked stylists on varying monthly shopping budgets, pointing out that one stylist was allocated $2000 a month. 

Being called "basic" these days is not a compliment, although full disclosure: I like things that are decried as basic and care not for what anyone thinks about it. However, today I am asking the question . . .

Why is it so hard to find good basics at a reasonable price?

I once spent a good three months looking for a plain and simple black knit cardigan in a traditional fit. One without beads or bows or batwing sleeves. That didn't smell like chips. For reals, I bought a cardigan once at Target and it legit smelled like greasy chips no matter how much I washed and soaked it. I don't think it's unreasonable to want clothes that don't smell like a takeaway. (Eventually, I found one at Cotton On and now I have the same style in no less than five colours. It's what I do.)

Other long-term missions have included a plain white tee that fits well with a good neckline and that isn't see-through. Gym pants that aren't 30cm too long in the legs. A plain black midi skirt. A Breton tee. Black ponte pants. A lightweight jacket for transitional months; the ongoing search for which has been a number of years and counting. You get the idea.

My latest was trying to source a pair of almond-toed black flats with just a little bit of interest as my round-toed ones were looking a little too . . . well, basic.

I traipsed around most of the bargain shoe outlets before popping on these from Shoe Shed.

Simona Ricci | Baruda $64.95

BUT then I saw these from Nine West. With discreet sparkles. SPARKLES, PEOPLE. Now that is how to lift an outfit from basic to bangin'.

Nine West | Speakup2^ $87.96

I found them on The Iconic and I thought, "Oooh, well, I have a $20 voucher for them on the moisturiser I just bought this week AND a 20% birthday coupon code. Bargain!"

Well, I thought I did.

FUME

And THEN went I was at checkout, I had entered my birthday code, clicked through to PayPal and just as I did, noticed the delivery address was wrong so I went back to correct it and of course the code dropped out and wouldn't let me use it again even after I cleared cookies and caches and whatever so I had to Google for another one and eventually found one that was like 10% off so it wasn't in fact quite the bargain that I had hoped.

Due to budgetary concerns at this time of year, I'm wondering whether to return the Shoe Shed ones or if they are sufficiently different enough to keep both pairs. Since I wrote this post about shopping more successfully, I have become all about the return. I used to feel mortified about doing it but now, if I get it home and it's not perfect, back it goes. I have become much better about keeping receipts, trying shoes on carpet only and not popping tags until I have fully committed. Gone are the days where I'd steel myself for a hypothetical argument only to have the shop assistant be like "no worries, sign here, put your card here, okay thanks bye". As long as you abide by the conditions of return, you should not have a problem. 

Are you similarly bemused by how difficult it is to source affordable and basic basics? How about that voucher expiry date?? Would you return or keep both?

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Now, it wasn't so long ago that I was quite convinced I would never wear a denim skirt again, but - as I'm learning these days - never say never.

Back in the 90s, I had an awesome A-line black denim button-through mini with white stitching. I wore it paired with a little white tee, a black cord waistcoat, knee-high white socks, black brogues, a black pork pie hat and a fake nose ring to the Laura Blue Light Disco, 1993 and I ROCKED it.

I don't have any photos of the look, sadly, but here's my quick artist's impression:


Bangin', am I right?

So when I saw very similar skirts making their way onto shelves this season, I was like "Surely I'm too old to wear those again?"

Then I decided I wasn't and went ahead and bought these in my recent haul from Mix Apparel. On my 37th birthday, no less.

Here's how I'm styling the look for 2015. The first is the Side Zip Denim Skirt and the oddly named Pop Over Knit Blouse from the Mix haul, worn with Converse, Kmart sunglasses and hat from Rivers.

The skirt is quite nifty in that it has working zips on both sides to create side splits.






And in motion:


Two looks with the Denim Button Front Skirt, the first with a knit stripe from Best and Less with Big W peeptoe booties:







And then for cooler weather with tights, boots from Target, a Big W knit and Zalora bag from The Iconic.








Also, if you want to see another take on this skirt, check out Em over at The Illusive Femme who bought the same one!

What is your position on denim skirts?

BUT!

My BFF Stacie is and, having been bursting with keeping the secret for weeks, to my relief she is now "out" and we can talk maternity wear, whereupon the struggle is real for people with alternative style philosophies.

Having been pregnant, I can fully sympathise with how quickly your regular waistbands are soon a thing of the past, even well before you're allegedly "showing". There is a lot of activity going on in there and whether it's baby or bloat, the end result is the same and you still need something to wear to work. 

The dress code in our office is not strict but there is still a level to maintain and you are expected to wear clothes. Unfortunately pyjama pants and muu-muus don't quite cut it.

Maternity shopping can be well irritating and so far Stacie has found it difficult to get anything that isn't Frumptown, USA. Also, unless you're heaps rich, you're probs going to have to get used to the idea of a short-term capsule wardrobe. This was very difficult for me, although when I was pregnant, I was lucky enough to enjoy a very strong Aussie dollar and able to shop via Amazon, Old Navy and the like with the cost of shipping offset by the savings. Now the AUD is back to cowering beneath the greenback, so it's back to looking for free shipping and low prices. 

In the early days, you don't necessarily have to look for official maternity wear, but comfortable elasticated waistbands (for pants AND tops) are where it's at. Try shops that cater for the more mature lady, with generous sizing.

Target | Tailored Soft Jogger Pants* $45

Millers | Crop Crinkle Pants* Usually $25 - currently $15

Millers | Split Sleeve Stripe Top* Usually $28 - currently $15

Best & Less | Plus DK Paisley Print Gypsy Top* Usually $20 - currently $15

ASOS | Maternity Cold Shoulder Top in Tile Print* Was $60 now $30

ASOS | Maternity Skater Dress in Texture* Was $60 now $26

Freez | Batwing Top $49

I personally LIVED in my maternity leggings from Next and would highly and emphatically recommend them to anyone.

Next | Maternity Leggings^ $17.50

Are you a Jeanswest member? Because the Members Rewards 40% off sale is on until this Sunday (8 November) which is pretty decent - in store and online, includes sale items, yay!

Jeanswest | June Maternity Stripe Textured Tee* $39.99

Jeanswest | Maternity Skinny Jeans in Absolute Black* $79.99

Jeanswest | Maternity Skinny Jeans in Absolute Indigo* $79.99

Also, every purchase of maternity jeans from Jeanswest comes with a $20 off voucher for their Curves and Tummy Trimmer range for your post-baby bod. Excellent idea. Well played, Jeanswest!

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* denotes items that Stacie has bought and is going to roadtest and report on further down the track.

My friend and regular reader Bridie recently suffered a pet-related wardrobe disaster after her labradoodle Hunty expressed a keen interest in her nude pumps from the now-defunct Peeptoe Shoes brand, which were a bargain 40% off the original $220 a few years ago.