Fashion and the War on Waste

In an attempt to reduce our extensive waste habits, many of us have adopted a waste routine. We have a bin for recycling goods, we’re encouraged to take our soft plastics to the grocery store, we have become acquainted with our reusable coffee cups and we take our own re-usable bags on our shopping trips. As with any change, we initially encountered some uproar, but as time has gone by, we have become accustomed to this change and gracefully adapted.

Many of us are ignorant on this issue, but we only need to ask ourselves one question - where does my rubbish go after I have thrown it away? There is no magic hole nor a magician performing a disappearing act. Technically, we never really throw anything away. My wise 9 year old son informed me today that there is a large pile of rubbish sitting in the middle of the Pacific Ocean equivalent to the size of Queensland!

While statistics have shown that the amount of waste contributed by Australia has reduced since the implementation of many initiatives, we still have a long way to go.

Fast fashion is inexpensive, on-trend and has a speedy turnaround. On the flip side, it is often designed and manufactured overseas in poor working conditions, the quality may be compromised and the pieces are so on-trend that it’s “in today – out tomorrow”. These are necessary steps to be able to bring you that “bargain” price. However, what happens when your new “bargain” quickly gets tired or reaches the “out tomorrow” faze? It’s added to your pile of waste that has to go somewhere. There’s the cost!  

My mum is partial to a heart attack every time I disclose how much my latest purchase was, but just like I have made it a habit to cart my reusable bags to the grocery store with me, I am making conscious fashion choices. I prefer quality over quantity and so my wardrobe is slowly becoming smaller yet timeless and one that will outlast a brood of boys – my three sons!

My message…

If you invest in your wardrobe choices and only buy high quality pieces that you know you will treasure for many years to come, not only will you capitalise on your cost-per-wear, you will be less likely to part with it, hence reduce your waste.  As a result, generations to follow can enjoy the same luxuries we enjoy today…like swimming in a non-toxic ocean. It's that easy!

MM

Image via https://phys.org/news/2018-03-pacific-plastic-dump-larger.html

Sweet But Street

You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why
Sweet But Street has come to town! 

It's a cheesy start to a blog but this time of year brings the "cheesiness" out in most of us right? It's a time to re-bond with the family, snuggle up under the Christmas tree and share a perfectly decorated Pavlova (guilt free). Sweet But Street provides just the thing you need to feel festive, close to your loved ones and most importantly, comfortable.

Designed in Australia (bonus!) and made with quality fabrics (either 100% cotton or 100% viscose), Sweet But Street have a range of Christmas themed pyjamas which would look incredibly stylish on Christmas morning or to create the perfect setting for your Christmas themed photo shoot. There's a matching piece for the whole family; Mum, Dad, big sis/bro and even the newbie who may be celebrating their very first Christmas.  The modern prints and edgy designs will put you in the same category as the Chris and Rebecca Judd's and less... well...."cheesy".

I love supporting the talent on my own home turf and felt that these guys deserved a shout out. They are bringing something a little sentimental and different to the table without sacrificing class. They have just released their very first line just in time for Christmas so I guess this is the chance to hop on the Sweet But Street bandwagon before their demand places us on a waiting list.

Check out their website (link below) and let me know your thoughts. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Beware: you may swoon over the baby pieces. So cute!!

www.sweetbutstreet.com.au

MM

THE CAPSULE WARDROBE

Ever heard the term “capsule wardrobe” and thought, what on earth is that and how can I get one? Here’s a little lesson 101 on what a capsule wardrobe is, why so many are opting for this approach and how you can create one for yourself.

A capsule wardrobe is a rather small, yet functional wardrobe made up of quality clothing that you love wearing and versatile enough to be teamed together to create several different looks. It's all about having quality over quantity but with pieces that can be mixed and matched together to create a multitude of looks! 

What are the benefits?

A capsule wardrobe can save you a serious amount of cash. We have all bought items that we think we like however once we hang them up we either forget about them or resort to the items in our wardrobe we wear repeatedly. A capsule wardrobe helps alleviate these instances and leaves you money for more important things like a luxury holiday you’ve been dreaming about.

It can save you time! We all live very busy lives today which means our time poverty leaves us little opportunity for shopping. Well, instead of shopping for clothes that could potentially do nothing but clutter up your wardrobe, you could be doing something more valuable with the extra time you have.

A capsule wardrobe helps you identify your own personal sense of style. A few years ago I worked with a girl who always looked so polished. She was the envy of many girls, myself included. She earned an average income and lived on her own with rent to pay so money wasn’t always at her dispense. In addition to that, she lived in a small apartment with limited storage space. Owning a capsule wardrobe was her only option. She had a sense of style that was consistent and she mixed her limited pieces together to create different ensembles daily. Another example is Sienna Miller. While she does have the funds for a wardrobe as long as the Great Wall of China, her look is consistent. She is arguably the “queen of boho”. Who doesn’t want that reputation?!

So how do you build this so-called “capsule wardrobe”?

First you need to define your lifestyle. Are you a stay-at-home mum who needs a wardrobe filled with casual clothing or are you a corporate worker who needs to concentrate more on business attire? Perhaps you need both? Either way, identifying your lifestyle is your first step.

Then there’s the pieces that every woman should own because they are versatile, trans-seasonal and timeless. These pieces are: 

Jeans, little black dress (LBD), white shirt, white t-shirt, black tailored pants, coat, pencil skirt and black blazer.

Next, allocate an amount of pieces for each clothing type. For example, 4 pairs pants, 4 skirts, 4 dresses, 2 jackets and 12 tops.

Once you’re ready to start buying, keep in mind that you are reducing the size of your wardrobe so it is really important to buy quality items that you truly love, feel fabulous in and wear the first opportunity you get. I have spoken about cost-per-wear in previous blogs. Think about how much you will be wearing these items. Over the course of a year, they will have cost you very little so don’t be afraid to spend up to get good quality.

Now, let’s talk about the process of de-cluttering your existing wardrobe. To keep it simple create 3 piles labelled “YES”, “NO” and “MAYBE”.

In the “YES” pile place the items you love and cannot live without (it might be a good idea to gain the opinion of a close friend on this one because, believe it or not, we do grow an emotional attachment to some of our clothes… even the ill-fitting ones!).

Fill the “NO” pile with items you don’t like, are tired, know you won’t wear again or don’t fit. One of the biggest mistakes I have seen people make is keeping clothes that are too small in the hope that one day they will fit back into them again. It's time to embrace your body for what it is and dress it accordingly.

That leaves the “MAYBE” pile. This one is specifically for items that you love but are not sure you’ll ever wear or have the opportunity to wear again. 

In this whole process, one thing is certain, you must love every item hanging in your wardrobe!

Everything that is in your “YES” pile is hung back up. Before you have time to revert back to old habits, donate your “NO” pile to goodwill and place your “MAYBE” pile in a bag to store somewhere out of sight. The idea is that if you don’t go searching for and wear a piece from your “MAYBE” pile within 6 months, then it’s time to part with it.

Now, check off what you have hanging against your allocated number for each clothing type to help you identify any gaps that need to be filled. Remember, you may need more than one capsule wardrobe. Someone who works may need a capsule wardrobe for work and a separate one for leisure.

Expect to make mistakes so don’t beat yourself up if you do. This is simply a learning opportunity that will get easier in time. Alternatively, you can always call on me to assist with the process.

Enjoy the cleansing experience!

MM  

Follow my insta story @maim_melbourne
Got a question? Email me at maimmelbourne@gmail.com

Happy New Year!

We are only a few hours away from the moment the clock ticks over to a brand new year. New Years Eve is a time to reflect on the year gone by, but at midnight, almost instantly, we will leap into the new year with a whole new positive outlook on the journey that awaits. 

Being a Compliance and Business Improvement professional, we are sometimes met with situations where business results or changes don't turn out as we hoped, despite documenting several ways on how to mitigate any risks or challenges we could face in the implementation phase. While we may spend some time reflecting on how we could have done things better, we cannot change the past so consequently, we move forward until we nail it. I take the same approach to life. Yes, I take some time to reflect (that's important), but I don't dwell on the past because that can't be changed. Contrary to this, I look ahead and that provides me with a sense of empowerment as it enables me to embrace the idea of new beginnings for the year ahead. As a new business owner, I have to.  

With that said, I am about to say goodbye to my first year of developing Maim Melbourne Fashion Styling, a hobby turned business venture which I never thought would eventuate. I will take my first step into 2018 sporting a little sparkle to align with my level of optimism for what is in store for MMFS and I would love nothing more than to continue taking you on this adventure with me. 

I wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year. May 2018 be nothing short of a year filled with optimism, confidence and many rocking outfits. Thank you so much for your support so far. I love receiving your enquiries. It truly keeps me motivated to keep swimming and to one day reach my personal and business goals.

Amy from Maim Melbourne Fashion Styling

PS. Stay tuned for new fashion and wardrobe advice, including new trends we can expect to see hitting our stores in 2018 and more exciting fashion campaigns in the pipelines, of course. 

What you didn’t know about accessorising!

When shopping, we are often drawn to a specific colour. In fact, subconsciously it is usually the colour that complements our skin tone. Interesting fact!

While some of you love your earthy tones (shout out to my sister-in-law), others have a wardrobe predominantly filled with cooler and brighter shades. Whichever your preference, when it comes to shopping for accessories, the same thing happens – our eyes make a beeline to the colours we are naturally drawn to. The problem with this is that while many of you believe that your accessories need to match the clothes you’re wearing, sometimes you are actually doing your carefully selected outfits an injustice. I know this goes against everything you've been taught but hear me out.

To get the colour you’re wearing to really pop you need to opt for an accessory that sits at the opposite end of the colour wheel. 

This means, If you like warm toned colours like red, lemon, orange, pink and brown then your accessory ought to be in a cool tone like blue, green, turquoise or purple. 

Take a look at the images below and pay particular attention to how the colour of the dress stands out more when the accessory is from the opposite end of the colour wheel. 

This is an insider tip that most stylists live by but rarely reveal. I truly believe that everyone deserves to look and feel great so I'm putting it out there. All I urge you to do is release your inner fashionista and give it a try. You'll never look back!

MM

Feel free to share this information to your friends. I just did!

NYE SPARKLE!

If you haven’t started thinking about how you’re going to see the New Year in then it’s time to get your thinking caps on.

I don’t know about everyone else but I have always found New Years Eve to be an emotional day. It’s a time to reflect on the year past, the ups, the downs, the battles and the accomplishments. In addition to reflecting on the year gone by, a sense of hope is restored as we begin to anticipate what the future may bring. We even tend to set ourselves some positive goals (often referred to as New Years Resolutions).

Being a highly motivated and sometime over enthusiastic being, I set myself 5 goals on New Years Eve each year and then I re-visit them the following year to see if I can tick any off. Chances are, I can and so each year I celebrate my own little achievements and embrace the inner self-satisfaction that comes with it (highly recommend this task). 

While I can appreciate that not everyone is as fanatical as I am, for most, a new year is a concept very much welcomed and so what better way to see it in than by sporting some glitz.

If there is any time of year when you can get away with wearing some sparkle, it’s New Years Eve. From a sparkle fuelled statement necklace to an entire dress donned in sequin, the message here is you are ready to see in the New Year radiating vibrancy, ready to party and with a positive outlook on the months ahead.

It seems a little premature to wish you all a smashing New Year so at this stage I’ll settle for wishing you an enjoyable time preparing for your Christmas and New Year and good luck finding your inner and outer sparkle!

Here are some examples to inspire your NYE 2017 attire.

MM

Silly Season Dressing

The silly season is right around the corner and it’s not called “silly” for no reason. Christmas parties fill the social calendar, yet, there is a small window of time where we still need to keep up with the usual school runs, soccer runs, work, don’t even get me started on household chores!

So, what time do we have to prep ourselves for our endless Christmas gatherings? Time to, you know, pick out the perfect outfit and leave the house looking put-together rather than flushed and worn.

Not that long ago I was asked to present at a women’s evening held at a local primary school. I knew my audience was going to consist of mostly time poor mums. After rambling about different body shapes and how to dress for each shape… apple this, pear that, I ended my presentation with something that really captured their attention and it’s because they could relate. Here’s what I said,

“Imagine that it’s 2:00pm and you receive a phone call from a friend who suggests a catch up over dinner this evening. You really want to go but you don’t know how you’re going to fit it in. You need to pick the kids up from school at 3:30pm, help them with homework, cook and get dinner on the table and then shower the little rascals. That leaves you a lousy 5 minutes to get yourself ready. It all seems too much!  Here’s how you can say “yes” to your friend and manage it smoothly…

Close your eyes and picture this” (If you’re reading this blog, please don’t close your eyes)

“You’re currently wearing your jeans, a basic t-shirt or tank, a hoodie and a pair of sneakers. Take your socks off and swap your sneakers for a pair of killer heels, put a statement or pendant necklace on and replace your hoodie with a blazer. Grab your purse and keys out of your monster bag that has everything minus the kitchen sink in it and put those essential items into a clutch. How do you look?”

The response I got was a room full of “aaahhhhhhhs” and nodding heads.

Here’s a couple of ideas to help you go from school pick up to carols by candlelight and from the office to Christmas drinks. 

Just so you know, these pieces are all wardrobe staples that we should all have hanging in our closets!

Now go out, rock your outfit and enjoy everything the festive season brings. Happy silly season!

MM
instagram @maimmelbourne

Images by Mishka Photography