MAKE IT LOOK EASY

Raincoats and windbreakers come in lots of different colours and prints.

Let's talk about which one would work hardest for you in your winter wardrobe. 



Take a real close look at the animal print rain coat choices above. 

The first one reflects light up onto my face (as dull as it is during winter), which gives a very friendly, youthful, and approachable effect (think kids' sport, teacher yard duty or trying to score a free coffee).

The thing to consider here is that you must own warm tan, camel or crisp white boots.

Any skin tone or blush coloured boots will repeat that pink toned, romantic colour down below your last hem length.

The dark rain coat, although also an animal print, is moody and edgy, it's the kind of vibe that means business. 

Your winter boots will need to be light. Do you wear mainly dark bottoms in winter? Or a colour (which means any bottoms can be worn). Or white, which contrasts everything.

Think of when you would be wearing a rain coat. Check the shoes ...

Boot choices are endless, and let’s be honest, totally overwhelming.

They’re a big investment, not just in cost but in wardrobe space too. These aren’t shoes you tuck away quietly... they take up serious real estate.

So when you’re choosing a pair, you want to get it right the first time, something timeless that won’t just look good now, but work hard for you season after season.

Here are some golden tips to help you choose boots that earn their keepin your wardrobe.

Step One: Understand the difference between a slouch boot and a slim boot. This is where it all starts.

A slouch boot has softness or folds through the shaft, sometimes just at the ankle, sometimes all the way down the front or around the entire boot.

It might even have extras like tassels, embroidery, or hardware details that add volume.

All of that detail makes your foot and lower leg appear bulkier and almost double the size.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean you’ll need to balance that bul...

Here’s a simple style tip to remember:

If your best light neutral and best dark neutral are already working together up top (like in a print or layered combo), don’t repeat either of those same colours again in your shoes.

Why?

Because when the same colour appears up high and then again down low with other colours in between, it visually “cuts” your body in half.

Instead, go for a different coloured shoe to keep things looking polished and intentional. The more colour theory at play, the more the outfit goes on and on. 

It's all about visual flow and not being matchy-matchy.

Funny how it all comes together once you see it, right?


          

This is why I highly recommend that Eyes and Vibrant colour types (who seriously suit black and white prints), curate a collection of camel, light tan and warm tan sandals, shoes and boots. 

Creative types and Hair Colour types are best off building their collection around white shoes; they’ll give you the most versatility and polish acro...

We all have a metal that suits us best, the one that lights up our skin tone and looks "just right." That’s the one to focus on when you’re investing in a forever piece.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t play.

Once you’ve built up a little costume jewellery collection, it’s open season for mixing things up.

Let’s start with how to mix metals well, without stealing the spotlight from your hero piece.

          

Take this look for example: I’m wearing large brushed silver earrings, they’re the statement.

So I’ve balanced them with a delicate gold necklace, barely there, just quietly complementing without competing. I’ve also worn it at my second balance point, because my top falls longer than my face length and I still needed that anchor between my chin and neckline.
 

Now let’s look at how to mix metals when they’re separated by clothing,  like earrings and bracelets, or jewellery and bags.

When your metals aren’t sitting close together, don’t try to match them perfectly, it c...

You’ve probably heard that Steve Jobs wore the same thing every day.

But here’s the part people don’t always know…

He didn’t just chuck on any old black top, his stylist bought him sets in his best neutrals. Slightly varied, but all working together on him and with each other.

The fabrics were top quality. The fit was right. He looked sharp, without needing to think about it.

Because he was busy, and he had bigger things to focus on.

Sound familiar? I know it does. Your plate is full. 

And you know I'm always screaming at you - "Buy it in a set!"
 

It’s the same idea I come back to for anyone who:

• Travels a lot for work

• Touring around Aus or New Zealand in a motorhome

• Retired (or retiring soon) and wants that minimalist wardrobe.
   

Or you are someone who just wants to get dressed without the daily stress, and your goal is to create a wardrobe that runs itself. 

The secret is in sets.

           


Collect a top and a bottom in the same fabric and colour in a...

Let’s talk about one of my favourite smart-casual layering tricks that feels effortless but looks oh-so-styled...

The humble hoodie under a blazer or coat.

It’s a little bit cool, a little bit unexpected, and totally wearable when you know how to play with colour.

Here’s where it gets fun.

Take a look at the blazers and coats you already own, pull them out, line them up, and check the colours.
 

In winter, we often feel at our palest.

The light is softer, the days are duller, and the sun isn't bouncing off everything the way it does in summer, so it’s no wonder we can feel like we've lost a bit of our sparkle too.

That’s why you might find yourself instinctively reaching for brighter colours or interesting prints.

You're craving something to lift your complexion and your mood, and the right colours can do both instantly.

         

Beyond just colour, what prints do you already have in your wardrobe that you can mix and match in new ways?

Stripes with florals? Checks with animal...

It's winter, and it's time to consider coats and other lighter coverings (if you live in warmer climates).
 

The Driza-Bone (short for "dry as a bone") is a classic Australian icon, originally designed for stockmen and horse riders needing protection from the elements. 

I'ts story begins in the late 1800s, when Edward Le Roy, a Scottish immigrant, adapted oilskin coats used by sailors into longer, more practical garments suitable for the harsh Australian outback.

These poncho-type coats were made from heavyweight cotton that was waxed to be wind- and waterproof, perfect for drovers, farmers, and riders braving unpredictable Australian weather.

Traditionally styled:

• Worn long, often to mid-calf, to protect from rain while on horseback.

• Cut with shoulder capes and leg straps to keep it in place while riding.

• Paired with riding boots, a felt hat (like an Akubra), and wool layers underneath for warmth and practicality.

The Driza-Bone is more than just a c...

Personal Neutrals: Print Layering Made Easy

Wearing your colours, the ones that actually reflect you, is one of the most flattering things you can do. They’re natural, they put people at ease, and they make you feel like yourself.

These include your eye colour or your best eye enhancement colour (use the eye colour chart I sent you when you signed up for my style tips), then your skin colour, your best light neutral, and your best dark neutral (use your mood boards and coco eBook for these).

That's your core palette, and once you know it, print layering becomes a total art form.

Take this printed knit, for example, it’s been created with every colour type’s eye neutral woven in.

When you wear a print like this, your personal eye colour will be the one that stands out most near your face (because that’s how the eye works , it picks up on its own reflection).

You can level it up even more by layering another one of your best neutrals underneath with a shirt collar or lightwe...

Let’s talk about one of my favourite proportion tricks, the Rule of 3, and how it applies when layering jackets and tops.

If you’re wearing a jacket over a top, the length really matters.

Here’s the simple rule:

Your jacket should either be shorter than your under top
OR
Your top should be tucked in so your jacket becomes the longest layer.

Why?

Because when your top and jacket end at the same spot, it chops your body in half and adds unnecessary bulk, especially side-on.

That 50/50 proportion rarely does us any favours.

But when you follow this rule, you create that flattering 1/3 to 2/3 visual line, either with the jacket as the shorter feature or the longer outer layer.

It instantly elongates your shape and creates harmony in your outfit (yes, please!).


         

So next time you throw on a jacket, have a quick check in the mirror:

Is your under top hanging just below your jacket? Great.

Or is your top tucked, letting your jacket hang lower? Perfect.

If they’re ending at th...