Every now and then even the most home-based soloist needs to meet up with a client or attend a conference. Stylist Amelia McFarlane shares her top 5 tips for making the most of colour to bring a professional edge to your wardrobe.
Picture this. You wake up on the day of a client meeting/conference. Today is different from other days because you mostly work from home and wear the wardrobe of the free. You know, whatever you want! But this client/conference is important and you need to represent your brand and put your best foot forward.
You open your wardrobe door and think one of two things:
a)Argh! I have nothing to wear (and now very little time to do anything about it.
b) Boo! I I always wear the same thing.
Soloist Amelia McFarlane, founder of Colour Me In Styling, can remedy both of these problems. A stylist with a huge passion for colour, Amelia says you don’t need to spend a fortune to create a mini work/style wardrobe for the days you don’t work from home and colour is your secret weapon.
“You can’t underestimate the power of colour to lift your mood,” Amelia told Flying Solo during a recent video chat.
“Colour psychology can be used to boost your confidence and set the tone for your meeting.”
So what can you do to get things started? Amelia shares 5 tips below:
1. Prep your clothes the night before
It saves time, saves mental energy. You’ll put more thought into what you are putting together, feeling relaxed and not under pressure. If you are really getting into it, even consider doing it for the entire week on a Sunday evening.
“Even if you work from home you should still make a bit of an effort because it helps you-mentally. You feel a bit more professional and that you are taking pride in yourself. It makes you feel like you are in work mode instead of slothing around in sweaty gym gear, your comfy trackkies or God forbid, pyjamas.,” says Amelia.
2. Check your basics
Make sure you have tan shoes, a blue and black blazer (ideally both) , a white shirt and black or navy pants (again ideally both).
“If you don’t have these items make them a priority when you shop for clothes they will make dressing for meetings much easier because you can mix and match with all these pieces with pattern and block colour,” says Amelia.
3. Get your colour on
Experiment with block colour as a way to bring out your best features and instantly give your wardrobe a lift.
“Also block colours in your wardrobe enable you to tap into the power of colour psychology, for example wear red for confidence or blue for calm conviction,” says Amelia.
4. Establish what colours suit you
Go into shops renowned for block colour and experiment placing them close to you face, note what brings you to life and what makes you look flat. And for more detailed professional analysis contact Amelia at Colour Me In Styling for a one on one or attend workshop.
“These sessions through spending approximately three hours in your wardrobe, I’ll establish your natural sense of style (which I will aim to elevate) I don’t want to change your natural sense of style, I like to gauge what you naturally gravitate towards and enhance that natural sense of style. And then I recognise wardrobe gaps, ie what basics you need to create a more succinct wardrobe. And finally, we work on establishing the whole array of colour options for you using a selection of coloured scarves. We will work out what works best with your complexion, eye colour and hair,” says Amelia.
5. Get some fashion inspo!
The royal family an example of polish, style and effortless colour. Start taking note on how Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are dressed in terms of colour.
“And of course my Instagram page which is an entire feed devoted to colour! I also like Blair Eadie (30’s, 40’s), Eloise Jaksic (20’s, 30’s, 40’s) and Advanced Style (50+),” says Amelia.
Get all the details for Amelia’s next colour blocking workshop. She’ll teach you how to take a new direction, enabling you to make the most of the cooler weather with playful layers, colours and textures.