Most women are wearing colours and cuts that fight them - not because they have bad taste, but because nobody ever taught them what to look for. Once you understand these two things, shopping gets faster, cheaper and far more fun.
Your skin has a warm, cool or neutral undertone that never changes - even when you fake tan. Learn yours and you will instantly know which colours make you glow and which ones make you look tired.
Start with colourBody shape is simply where your fullness sits - shoulders, waist or hips. Dress for balance and you create the illusion of the silhouette you want, without changing a single thing about your body.
Start with shapeWhen you know what works, you stop buying mistakes. You build a wardrobe of pieces that all work together, and you get dressed in minutes instead of trying on five outfits.
Work with meEveryone has an undertone - the subtle warmth or coolness underneath your skin. It is the single most useful thing to know about yourself, because once you have it, choosing colour becomes obvious.
Hold a piece of gold jewellery to your face, then a piece of silver. Whichever makes your skin look brighter and more even is your answer. Gold wins means warm. Silver wins means cool. Love both equally? You are likely neutral.
Look at the veins on the inside of your wrist in natural daylight. Greenish veins suggest a warm undertone. Blue or purple veins suggest cool. A mix of both usually points to neutral.
With no makeup on, hold a pure white cloth under your face, then a cream or ivory one. If cream flatters you more, you are warm. If the crisp white makes you look fresh and awake, you are cool.
Warm or cool tells you the family. Light or deep tells you the intensity. Together they place you in one of four seasons.
Fresh, golden and clear. You come alive in warm, sunny colours and look grey and tired in anything ash-toned or icy.
Your signature paletteCamel, warm ivory, light warm grey, soft chocolate.
Best metalsYellow gold, rose gold, polished bronze.
Steer clear ofSoft, delicate and cool. You look beautiful in muted, dusty colours and get overwhelmed by anything bold, warm or shiny.
Your signature paletteSoft grey, navy, taupe, off-white, charcoal instead of black.
Best metalsSilver, white gold, platinum, brushed steel.
Steer clear ofRich, earthy and golden. You look expensive in deep, warm tones and washed out in anything pastel or frosty.
Your signature paletteChocolate, camel, olive, warm taupe, cream.
Best metalsAntique gold, bronze, copper, brass.
Steer clear ofCrisp, clear and high contrast. You carry bold, jewel-like colours beautifully and look dull in anything muted or dusty.
Your signature paletteTrue black, pure white, charcoal, icy grey.
Best metalsSilver, platinum, white gold, chrome.
Steer clear ofMost women sit close to a season rather than perfectly inside one. Treat this as your starting point, not a cage - and if you want it done properly, a personal styling session includes a full colour draping so you can see it on your own skin.
Your shape is not a problem to solve. It is simply information about where to add detail, where to keep things simple, and where to draw the eye. Start by taking three measurements in front of a mirror.
Measure across the fullest part of your shoulders and upper back, from the widest point on one side to the other.
Find the narrowest part of your torso, usually just above the belly button. Keep the tape comfortably loose, never pulled tight.
Measure around the fullest part of your hips and bottom, keeping the tape level all the way round.
Shoulders and hips are roughly the same width, with a clearly defined waist.
Your goal: follow the curve. Never hide it.
Wear thisHips are noticeably wider than the shoulders, with a defined waist.
Your goal: add presence up top, skim over the hips.
Wear thisShoulders and bust are broader than the hips, often with slim legs.
Your goal: soften the shoulder line, add volume below.
Wear thisShoulders, waist and hips are all fairly similar, with a subtle waistline.
Your goal: create the illusion of curve and definition.
Wear thisFullness sits around the middle, often with a beautiful bust and great legs.
Your goal: elongate the torso, show off legs and neckline.
Wear thisMost of us are a blend - a pear with a fuller bust, or an hourglass with a softer waist. That is completely normal.
Your goal: take the tips that feel true and ignore the rest.
Try thisReading about it helps. Having someone actually assess your colouring, work through your wardrobe and shop with you is a different level entirely. That is what I am here for.