Stylist – Style Tips For Mom’s

I am far from ever being a Mommy Blogger. As my knowledge and strength has always been in Fashion, that’s what I stick to, with blogging, social media and most importantly, my work. With that being said, while this is a mom blog, it is focused on talking about styling your body after baby!

Over the years I have received numerous inquiries from women needing a personal shop for a new wardrobe as their body had changed since having a baby. This is something I can relate to since having a baby two years ago. Not every mom is going to have the same challenges in styling. You may have become smaller after baby, stayed the same size but different shape, or have become curvier. It doesn’t matter what has changed, my goal is to make you feel great and comfortable which means finding that perfect fit for your body type.

Talking from personal experience, I was the same size but nothing fit the same! All my pants were too low and uncomfortable against my stomach. My back felt wider (how on earth did that happen?) and well lets be real, does anyone have the same upper body after babies? Here are some style tips that worked for me and my problem areas …

First off, I had to buy a lot of new pants … they don’t call them Mom jeans for nothing! It doesn’t matter how hard I work out, it seems the shape of the tummy will never be the same. The higher the waist the better, in both jeans and dress pants. Thankfully, they are easy to find and feel soooo good on. Tip – Aritzia has amazing dress pant options with an elastic hidden in the back, even better than a high waist. Comfortable, cool & flattering!

I also found that tops had become too fitted or body hugging and I did not feel comfortable wearing them. When shopping I looked for tailored at the waist-line. Tip – blazers layered with any style of shirt can give you a tailored waist, and a dress-up a look. Loose fitted shirts work well, but keep in mind this style should be half-tucked or full-tucked into the front of your high waisted pant so you don’t lose your waistline and end up looking bigger than you actually are.

With dresses, it’s either find your waist with a wrap or a belted look or go for the loose fitting tunic. Tip – The loose fitting tunic with no belt needs some leg or heel showing to keep the style slim and streamlined.

Lastly, the accessory that has saved me is the belt. I’m talking all sorts of styles for belts. With a high waisted pant, cinched at the waist of a dress, shirt or blazer, a belt is a must or any wardrobe!

Overall the key to styling is to find your waist again and make sure your showing it! If that’s not an option or you don’t feel comfortable with that look, then I recommend lots of tunics, flowy blouses that sit just below the waist line. Tip – Flowy tops need a skinny pant to complete the look. Why? the look can make a body look bigger than it actually is, but if you have a bottom that is skinny-pant, it will elongate your legs and show slim features (like ankles) – Nude heels can do this too:)

Fashion Stylist – The Band Tee

I would like to say that the band tee (a t-shirt representing a band … usually from the 70’s) is a trend right now but I think this look has become a staple in many wardrobes. It’s an easy way to take a casual outfit and make it cool. You could style the simple T with jeans, skirts or even take the look to the office by adding a blazer (see below outfit.) I will say, be mindful of prices when shopping for this item as they can run from as low as $15 to as high as $100! Best places to shop for this look? Women’s options, Urban Outfitters, H&M & Anthropologie and for Men Lucky Brand and John Varvatos.

Personal Stylist – A Coat Makes the Outfit

As we wrap up August and head into September, we begin to change from jackets to coats. Starting with a lighter weight, we line up options as the months progress and as the weather gets cooler, the coats get heavier! I’m not just talking about those transitional coats we will wear the majority of time over the next couple of months I’ve also put together options to carry you from early fall to cold winter days of December & January.

Coats are not only functional & weather accommodating attire they can completely change and elevate the most simple outfit. I always say my personal style could be as basic as a white T with a perfect fit jean everyday while rotating through different styles of fabulous outerwear on a regular basis! This philosophy can easily work for both men’s and women’s fashion. This one item ‘outerwear’ can completely change your look! A little tip from the personal stylist :)

Keep in mind you don’t need to be a fashionista wearing the most current outerwear trends – See my picks below for the must have coats of the season (I’ve stayed with classic styles that will last forever) Click the picture to shop the look! Also, don’t miss the Youtube video as well where I’m sharing coats from my personal closet.

The Black Blazer ~ Finding the perfect fit is a must for this look, structured waist and length is key.

The Trench Coach ~ Going from Summer to Fall or Spring to Summer, look no further than the perfect trench. The weight is just right for transitioning into seasons and the style looks great with just about anything!

The Jean Jacket ~ I’ve been wearing the same jean jacket for 20 years! It will never go out of style if you stick to a clean wash and simple cut.

The Leather Jacket ~ Either a clean black leather or a moto jacket style can be a staple item in your wardrobe. The only difference is if your personal style is into more detail. The motto has zippers and hardware were as the other look has simplicity to the look.

The Robe Coat ~ This style can also we called the wrap coat and it can have two different looks. The shorter length with a hood option is perfect from work to casual with sneakers. The other option is the longer style which is perfect for over dresses and suiting keeping with a dressier feel.

The Classic Wool Coat ~ Once we hit December / January a clean classic wool coat is a must for those cold days. You can stick with black or have some fun with a pop of colour like this red version!

The Puffer ~ The casual puffer is a cute style and functional if your running errands or running after kids in the park. This one is a fave of mine as it’s only $88 and maintains a fashionable fit.

Personal Shopper – Client Story

Mabelle Style would like to share a client story from earlier this year, on the blog! Back in the spring, I had wrapped up a shop for a client that had wanted to do a big shop once she got to her most comfortable weight. This summer she was happy with her current status and was ready to build the perfect business and weekend wardrobe.

The goal was to develop and build a work-wardrobe that didn’t require a lot of items, we focused on multi-functional pieces. This included suits, suiting-shirts and sheath dresses on rotate, as well as the classic nude and black heel. After cleaning out her current wardrobe, we were able to begin from scratch.

Co-ordinating shift dress was included in this 4 piece ensemble

For weekend summer looks, I incorporated knit skirts with T’s (as shorts were not a favorite for fit) and also included a few button up linen t-shirt dresses. Sneakers and easy slip-on sandals were added for footwear as well as a cute crossbody!

A common goal for Mabelle Style clients is to look fashionable without trying, easy and effortless pieces that fit well. We will be shopping in the fall to include sweaters, boots, outerwear and other fall pieces into her wardrobe. Quantity isn’t always the answer, sometimes it is about quality and classic pieces.

The client had this to say, once the shop was complete! “Lindsay, as usual, provided an excellent, personalized service in helping me select a new wardrobe. I was amazed at how much leg-work she’d done in advance in selecting an array of new outfits that truly suited me. The process was painless and fun and I’m so pleased with my new look! Lindsay’s manner is friendly and supportive and never pushy. I’ll be sure to hire her again in the future.”

Stylist – White Year Round

Aritzia Suit
Stuart Weitzman Shoes
H&M Tank

The fashion industry once had a wise saying that went like this.. ‘don’t wear white after September Labour day weekend’ which was taken literally all around the world. Mabelle Style says, ‘This rule, along with many other ‘fashion’ rules, has been thrown out the window nowadays because of social media, trend-setters and influencers being the ring leaders’. I think it’s only fair to say there are no rules anymore. It’s all about creating your own personal style for what suits you best.

I have had two white looks I’ve been sporting the past few months. A white suit with a double breasted blazer and a tailored white blazer, t-shirt & white checkered pant. Both styled looks are very effective when focusing on white, but the best part about the items is that they are all multi-functional and multi-seasonal with other pieces within my wardrobe. I liked the fact that these two looks kept my style effortless but still maintained a fashionable twist.

White is a year-round staple in any wardrobe with a handful of must-have styles to share. Check-out my most recent video sharing some top picks for white pieces every woman should have in their wardrobe. There’s a quick note at the end for men! Since a lot of Mabelle Style shops are for men, I would like to share a few tips on white must-haves for them too!

Stylist – Online Shopping Gone Wrong

Have you ever ordered an item online in hopes it would be as amazing as it looked on the model?You finally receive it and it’s nothing but! I think that’s happened to the best of us, especially when we find a sale item and can’t resist. Once it has arrived it becomes much less than a steller deal as it just sits in the closet forever becoming another impulse buy. I do think as a stylist, there is hope!! Sometimes it just takes a little more thought and creativity to make that oversized sweater, to short of denim or whatever else you may have purchased look cool again.

Before Look: Online purchase ALC dress.

The look in this post shows a dress from one of my favorite brands, ALC, I had ordered online thinking what a deal, half price! When I received the dress in the mail it just didn’t fit, making me look wider and didn’t showcase any the areas I like to focus on with my personal style. I ended up trying different looks by layering jackets to give the dress a cool casual vibe or dressy night out look! It worked and I felt like I had worked my personal style with the dress.

After: Dressy Look by adding a pair of heels & leather cropped leather jacket

After: Casual Look adding denim jacket & booties

For all those random online purchases, there’s hope! Add belts, jewellery, or like me a jacket to make the look suit your personal style. It could even be a heel vs a flat. Sometimes it’s just a quick visit to the seamstress to tweak that ill fitting area that didn’t seem so noticeable on the model!

It’s Closet Clean-Out Time!

Matching Hangers A Must! See more tips on Mabelle Style Youtube at the end of this blog.

Mabelle Style and everyone else have been hearing a lot about organization, minimalist living and cleaning out the clutter at home. I’d say Marie Kondo has been the dominant influence on these topics that have become so prevalent nowadays. If you don’t know who Marie Kondo is – I recommend that you google her. She has a book available at Indigo. Even better, you can ‘netflix & chill’ watching the Tidying up withe Marie Kondo.

Mabelle Style focuses on organization of one particular area in your home … the wardrobe/closet. This is not a small area and is one of the most important ones because it’s an area that you are into first thing in the morning or last place at night. It carries vital energy and you want it to be positive. The best time to start the process is NOW… why? Who doesn’t want an organized closet where you can see clearly what items you actually have, clothes you love to wear and feel confident in, and most importantly, when using Mabelle Style, you receive a personal shopping list of items you will need to complete that perfect outfit(s).

This before & after closet photo was done for a client that is ending her year off from Maternity leave and will be heading back to work at the end of August. It was time for her to review her wardrobe and see how all those work clothes now fit and consider what items needed to move on as well as evaluate the items worth keeping. Also, most importantly, the items she needed to shop for to create a capsule work wardrobe.

Before

After

Capsule wardrobe is a minimal curated collection of clothing that are multi-functional. Pre-baby days, her closet contained professional work-wear for her full-time job, but now that she is going back PT (3 days a week) she realized there wouldn’t be need for many pieces since 4 of the days will be living a different lifestyle out of the office. Updating her existing wardrobe was a priority.

How did the process of wardrobe consult turn out? We ended up sending A LOT of the work-wear items to consignment or donation places. A detailed shopping list was prepared. I personally shop to find the specific pieces required to complete her curated wardrobe ahead of her personal shopping experience, and then I prepare a very organized closet grouped by colour & style with all matching hangers! I also recommended matching white baskets to keep her handbags & hats in.

What did the client think? – Here is what she had to say…

“I am extremely pleased with the closet clean out provided by Lindsay! The process was quick and easy and the results were fantastic! Eliminating old items that no longer suit my lifestyle makes my closet much more manageable. Everything is organized, making picking my outfit for the day quick and effortless.”

Want more closet tips? Check out Mabelle Styles Youtube page below with a most recent video on the Top 5 tips to keeping your closet organized!

Stylist – Creating Distinctive Headshots

Several people in Vancouver work in the film industry throughout the area. Each one has the personal task to separate themselves from the crowd, to stand out. One of the first things that production’s look at before auditions is a file of headshots. The majority of photos show waist-up in the similar attire, which is usually a 1 button shirt, t-shirt or knit top in solid neutral colours. This is a standard look but if your ready for a change in image, create an original distinctive look than it’s time to partner with a stylist for your next shots!

I recently worked with headshot photographer Rio Tio to style three separate looks .. going away from a simple clean cut look to a more edgy style with wrinkles in a shirt, a worn leather jacket and even unfinished edges in the green jacket.

Personal Shopper – Sustainable & Eco Friendly Fashion

Mabelle Style uses reusable bags for your personal shopping day

Sustainable fashion is happening now and growing in popularity quite quickly! This change is occuring with both choice of textiles by designers (using a less environmentally harmful option) and having durable fabrics to last longer. Think reduce, reuse and recycle! Here are some tips Mabelle Style does to be apart of the eco friendly fashion shift.

Donate & consign whenever doing a closet clean-out. If you have good condition brands stores like Mine & Yours or Turn About are great for consignment, Varage or Craigslist if you want to sell directly and any local charity. Donations can happen at any local charity in your area and if you have work wear for women check out Dress For Success
Fast fashion vs slow fashion. Fast fashion won’t come with the quality but very trendy we recommend quality (slow fashion) over quantity (fast fashion) and sprinkle in a few of those trendy pieces that you don’t want to spend a lot but will wear through out a season. Be sure to try and donate or repurpose the fabric once your done with fast fashion pieces as the fabrics are not great for the landfill!
Reusable shopping bags! When we do a personal shop we end up with some many shopping bags! To change this we have been using Mabelle Style reusable bags for a couple of years now! And we always condense as we shop to avoid taking bags from every store. Also, say no to tissue! Unless you have purchased a delicate fabric or dark denim jeans that could run.

Some of Mabelle Styles favorite sustainable brands …

Personal Shopper – Fashion Gone Wild

You will notice Animal print fabric trends just about everywhere these days, and it’s here to stay right through 2019. I’m sure this won’t be my first outfit post on this theme, more to come for fall!

T-shirts, cardigans, dresses, shoes in zebra, cheetah and snake prints and many more animal designs are being shown from low fashion H&M, mid range Nili Lotan to top designers like Gucci. I’m thinking this may not be just a trend but is now considered forever chic.

I have a couple of cheetah print tops circulating in my wardrobe but I wanted to try something new that was a little out of my comfort zone. I purchased a snake print skirt from Mango, which to be honest, reminded me of something I would have worn in the 90’s. It’s midi length, satin feeling with a soft snake print. I will say I’m pleasantly surprised how often I’ve had it on rotation throughout my wardrobe this season, as well as the numerous ways it could be styled!

Look 1 – I put the (I like to call them the Meghan Markle heal) Stuart Weitzman and a casual denim shirt from one my my favorite brands Rails. The thought of making a heel feel more casual with denim is a personal style I like to go for.

Look 2 – Printed band t’s are fun pieces to mix with other different styles including a printed snake skin skirt! This is my fave of the three looks with the classic Gucci slide. It’s casual but fun and very Vancouver.

Look 3 – Dressing up a skirt using a snake print is pretty easy by just adding some black accessories – you can wear any black top and black heel. I went for a cropped knotted-T as it’s cute with the subtle detail. Two key points from this look are: black is an easy go-to for dressing up with heals which really change the look!

Mabelle Style And Fashion

Vancouver Personal Shopper | Stylist | Wardrobe Consultant