Personal Stylist Melbourne

February 2, 2017.Reading time 2 minutes.

I really love Personal Styling. For me it’s a chance to use what I have learnt for the benefit of someone else. I have often struggled with confidence and bouts of anxiety myself and want to elliviate these feelings in others if I can. In a world where we are bombarded by images of manufactured perfection it’s easy to mistakenly think this is something we should aspire to.

I know I have the tools to help someone feel better about the way they look and I believe one of the keys to sartorial happiness is not comparing ourselves to others, the 2nd is accepting where we are at at this moment in time while realising that there are infinite possibilities in our future. The time to ‘do’ you is now, not when you’ve lost weight or have more money. You are worth investing in already.

I am a Personal Stylist because I want people to feel more confident. I want the negative voices to be quietened so that a person can concentrate on the important things in life and step into the world knowing they are presenting their best and most authentic selves to the world.

I’d love more people to experience this confidence and the joy of dressing with ease everyday like Kate has; so I am offering 10% off new bookings this month at Eastland. Please contact me at racheldennisstylist@gmail.com or Guestservices@eastland.com.au to make your booking. Gift vouchers are also available.

Peace, love and style x Rach

New Year New Outfit

December 28, 2016.Reading time 1 minute.

Every Year we get a new one and they feel like they come around faster every year. It’s a time to reflect on the year that has been and dream of what is to come in the next.

Ringing in the New Year is an important part of letting go of the past and embracing the future so get your glad rags on and start the New Year as you’d like to continue.

Here are a few outfit ideas to inspire you to make this year’s celebrations a stylish one…..

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! May 2017 be filled with inspiration, creativity, love, laughter and some lovely outfits!

P.S – Most of these are on sale. Click on the link in captions

DINNER AND DRINKS

Garden Party — From Left – Country Road One Shoulder Dress, Top right – Sarina Suriano Earrings, Middle – Marcs Clutch, Bottom – Tony Bianco Heels

COCKTAIL PARTY

Left – Reiss Jumpsuit, Top right – Christie Nicolaides Earrings, Middle – Nikki Williams Clutch, Bottom – Habbot Heels

BAR-BE-QUE

Left – Morrison dress, Top – Marcs hat, Middle – Jan Logan Earrings, Bottom – Senso Shoes

The Year of the Ear

December 16, 2016.Reading time 1 minute.

Looking for an alternative to the flashing Christmas tree earrings to give you Christmas Day get up some extra sparkle? These stunning Statement drop earrings are your answer (or potential Present, wink wink)

Through the Spring Racing carnival we saw many of our favourite celebrities don some Christie Nicolaides shoulder grazers. Her unique mix of gold with multi coloured stones are guaranteed to add some extra glamour; whether worn with a t shirt and jeans or with your favourite party dress. Style Tip – No need to match the colour of your earring with your dress – they’ll work either way.

If glamorous boho isn’t your thang you might be better suited to the streamlined styles from Jan Logan, Sarina Suriano or Aurelio Costarella’s beautiful collaboration with Atlas Pearls. I’m loving the use of pearls that create something both contemporary and timeless. Which ever style you choose a large drop earring will add some sass to your festivities.

Below are some of my favourites. Click on the caption to head to their store

From Left – Christie Nicolaides, Jan Logan, Sarina Suriano

From Left – Punjabi Diva, Jan Logan, Jan Logan

From Left – Lovisa, Martha Jean, Aurelio for Atlas

Cold Shoulder

September 5, 2016.Reading time 3 minutes.

Top Left – Mossman – wear in the Evening with tailored pants or tucked into a leather skirt, Witchery – wear tucked with full skirt or layer with a sleeveless vest Bottom Left – Veronica Maine – wear with cut off shorts or Striped Pallazzo pants, Steele – wear with flat strappy sandals, Steele – wear with white sneakers and a baseball cap

Some trends just stick and every brand picks up on it. The off the shoulder dress, top, jumpsuit is one of those trends. We first tried it (again) in Spring 2013 and we still can’t get enough. Personally, I have a long Seed Heritage Maxi from last summer and a recent Seed jumpsuit that I’m excited to wear with sneakers or dress up with my favourite heels.

At first I avoided the trend, thinking, because I have a DD bust that has not stood up well to breast feeding and age. I thought no bad boy strapless was going to hold up these puppies but as I browsed the racks and came across a long black off the shoulder dress that was just the mix I like of femme and structure; I had to try it. To my astonishment I looked pretty hot but it was how it made me feel that had me whipping out my card. I felt like a woman, a womanly woman and for someone who dresses like a tomboy most of the time it wasn’t a feeling I was used too. Of course I know I’m a woman, the above mentioned bust is a constant reminder but it was nice to embrace it with my clothing choices for a change and make my womanliness work for me not dictate what I could wear. I had a strapless bra fitted with my gorgeous Intimo consultant, Tania and haven’t looked back.

There is a Strapless Top, dress, jumpsuit out there for you too. Whether it’s fitted and structured for the Hourglass sisters, bohemian and gathered for the slender or drop waisted a soft for the Apple (me) ; This is a trend worth trying.

Intimo Consultant – Tania Squires – +61 401 164 322

Looking to the Future – Australian Designers Spring Summer 16/17

May 19, 2016.Reading time 1 minute.

Australian Designers pulled out all the stops this week wooing local and international buyers with sophisticated and sellable collections at this week’s Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia.

Here’s what we’ll be wearing next summer…..

Off the shoulder tops and dresses still dominate

Strapless tops and dresses and jumpsuits or play suits

Shiny Satin and metallics

Colours – burnt tans, beige, grey sulphuric yellows, soft peachy pinks and baby blues, emerald green, red and we can’t forget black and white

Keep following to see how to integrate some of these trends into your day to day wardrobe.

Something a little special

May 7, 2016.Reading time 2 minutes.

From top left Wittner – Anita Heel, Olga Berg – Regan Octagonal Pod Clutch, Saint Laurent – Cassandre Clutch from Miss Louise, Tony Bianco – Alita Heel

From top left Olga Berg – Dana crystal embellished Clutch, Tony Bianco – Kappa Heel , Preciously Paris – Let’s Rock Clutch from MISS LOUISE, Tony Bianco – Laika Heel

From top left – Balmain – Tia Heel rom MISS LOUISE , Olga Berg – Ace crystal oval Pod, Saint Laurent – Silver mini monochrome from MISS LOUISE , Aquazzura – Milla Jewel Heel from MISS LOUISE

With The Met Gala on Monday and the TV Week Logies tomorrow I thought it was time to add some Red Carpet inspiration to my pages.

The power of the right accessories shouldn’t be underestimated. They can make or break an outfit and quickly see celebs heading to the worst dressed list. They can take your outfit from sophisticated to clunky or glam to dowdy.

As a rule, I prefer an open toe with a long gown. I think they look more elegant when we get a peep of them and they compliment the finer fabrics often used in black tie gowns. You can’t go wrong with a single strap across your toes but if you prefer more support one that has fine straps running up your foot will do the trick.

Clutches are like a bow on a present, they add a little sparkle or contrast to the ensemble. The fact is, you have to carry a bag so you may as well use it to your advantage. If you have a simple dress you can elevate it with something sparkly in the same colour, on the other hand, if your dress has it all going on with sparkle and glitz you can tone it back with a simple matte clutch.

Don’t let your accessories be an afterthought and check out the links above for some affordable and splurge options..

x Rach

April 18, 2016.Reading time 3 minutes.

Scanlan and Theodore-Double Cotton Trench $800, Viktoria and Woods – Valentina $699, TY-LR – Antonia Dress $490

I love living in a city with defined seasons. Melbourne does it well with a full display of colour in Autumn and beautiful Icy winters. The air changes from one season to the next, affecting our moods and lifestyle. As the leaves turn to gold and red we need to start thinking about how we’ll layer for the coming winter. We’re no London or snowy New York but there is still a need to rug up, don a coat and spend weekends relaxing by fires.

This seasons Coats for women range from waterfall wraps to long and over sized with the trench holding it’s place as a wardrobe staple. I love the colours showing this season from soft pinks to rich tans and teal and of course classic navy. There is a lot of felted wool coming through adding to the unstructured feel and making them super snugly.

An important tip for buying the right coat, especially when the overall style is unstructured, is to make sure it fits you well in the shoulder. The shoulder seam should sit at the edge of your shoulder bone. Too narrow and it will look to small and your arm will look larger and rounded. Too wide and your neck and shoulder will appear to slope. It’s all about a sharp angle where the shoulder is concerned. If you do have a shoulder the drops away from you neck consider popping in a slim shoulder pad.

The wrap coat is a great option for those that want their coat to mix work with pleasure. Tightly cinched at the waist gives a classic pulled together look for the office. Try swapping the tie belt with a simple leather one for an individualised, look. Then on weekends, loose the belt all together and casually throw it over jeans and roll neck knit.

These are a few of my top coat picks for AW 2016 . Click on the captions to head straight to the On line Stores.

Godwin Charli – Maxine $799, Godwin Charli – Georgia $699

Karen Millen – Mohair and Alpaca Wrap Coat $ 675 , Saba – Penny Coat $499

Diana Ferrari – Maxwell Blanket Coat $349.95, Viktoria and Woods – Altitude Coat $549

Country Road- Military Button Coat $399, Viktoria and Woods – Equalizer Coat $699

Plumeria – for a super stylish work out

March 17, 2016.Reading time 1 minute.

I’d love to introduce you to Plumeria, my bff’s amazing online store.

Nicky and I grew up in Whangarei New Zealand. A small city a couple of hours North of Auckland. It’s surrounded by amazing coastline where most weekends as kids were spent at the beach and in the surf.

As a young Adult, when I moved to Melbourne, Nicky’s love of beaches and her now Husband, took her to live on the beautiful islands of Hawaii. Years later when she returned to New Zealand Nicky found she couldn’t find the variety of active wear that she’d grown to love. She took matters into her own hands and started Plumeria an online boutique for women stocking beautiful activewear Nicky sources from all over the world.
Nicky is and has always been active; whether it’s running, paddle boarding, hiking or running around after her 3 beautiful kids, she is definitely on the move. There is no better judge of what feels good to be active in which is why clients are loving Nicky’s collection of brands for their functionality and fit as well as their stylish designs.

Please do yourself and your work outs a favour and head to her store. She ships Worldwide! plumeria.co.nz

February 21, 2016.Reading time 3 minutes.

As much as I am able to appreciate my last Shoe post visually and as a Stylist; the thought of spending more than a few hours in heels is my idea of hell and I know I am not alone. Not all of us trained our feet to wear heels and find the pain a major distraction from living our lives to their fullest.

Here are my picks of Flats and Boots that’s I’d love to get about in this Autumn/Winter.

Most of the brands will be familiar to you but there is one that you might not have had the pleasure of getting to know. I am talking about Habbot. The brain child of Annie Abbott, a talented Melbournite with a passion for shoe design and a desire to have them beautifully hand made at some of Naple’s best shoe makers. They have a store in the newly refurbished The Strand Melbourne and in the iconic Royal Arcade. If you are wanting handmade quality footwear please pay them a visit or head to their online store.

I am in love with the patent leather coming through in flats this season. It gives our comfy flats some glamour, making their limited height less noticeable as the high shine is the attraction here.

This season we’ll see the sneaker hold it’s position as a major trend. This is music to a flat shoe wearer’s ears. Team it with your mid-length skirt and a roll neck jumper for a great off/on duty look. Ginger and Smart have been clever with the hard ware on their sneakers, adding some rose gold zips and studs. Wittner’s Beckett is a less expensive pair that offer similar flexibility with what you can wear them back with.

So go forth and be comfortable. Your feet and the person you’re trying to have a conversation with will thank you!

Habbot – Exposure $395, Walnut Melbourne – Driving Leather Loafer $129.95

Wittner- Jerome Boot $249.95, Habbot – Magnify Boot $450

Habbot – Dose Shoe $395, Ginger and Smart Forte -Sneaker $369

Wittner – Keiko $179.95, Country Road – Carrie Flat $119

Country Road – Ira Knee High Boot $299 , Wittner – Isabelle Boot $329

Habbot – Cha Cha $325, Habbot – Dish $395, Wittner – Beckett $99.95

Stand and Deliver AW16

February 9, 2016.Reading time 1 minute.

We don’t need an excuse to look at amazing shoes but I want to give you a reason. I have scoured some of our favourite Australian Shoe brands to bring you my Picks for AW16.

This season it’s all about the detail. I love Manning Cartell’s take on the mule and the subtle tassel detail on Siren’s Honour heel. Heels are either super slim and sharp or solid and blocky; not much is in between. Suede and Metallics features again this season and we see the introduction of Velvet.

Designers are still loving the 70’s vibe. I prefer a nod to a previous season rather than a costume like reference. So Mules are in but I’d avoid tan Suede ones…..