Every great instance of style has a story behind it.
From iconic red-carpet gowns, to what we select to wear each morning in our own lives – clothes, makeup and how we choose to present ourselves are a way of changing how the world sees us. Choosing a bright lipstick or a statement dress is our own tool in changing the narrative.
For me, style has always marked a turning point in my life, become the outward expression of how I’m feeling inside.
As a small child it was rifling through my extensive dressing up box to pick a character for the day, or choosing to pair a tutu with wellies and a bucket hat.
Growing up in the 90’s and 00’s, in a bubble of Cool Brittania and Girl Power, I longed to emulate what I saw as the powerful and sophisticated style of Posh Spice and Kate Moss.
As an emo teen, that evolved into wearing ripped fishnets with legwarmers (oh the embarrassment), graffiting my tshirts and piling on eyeliner and spiky belts. I wanted to look like Leigh Lezark and Karen O, edgy, confident and with a middle finger raised to the world.
Today, as a grown woman, I’ve been on a journey to understand what my style DNA is now, and the pieces that fit into my life and make my heart sing. I’ve come to understand the colours and shapes that work for me and the power of editing – choosing less and saying more with the items I own and love.
I’ve always loved and respected the way style has the power to change how we feel. As a kid, I loved nothing more than sitting at my mother’s feet when she was getting ready to go out, sifting through the potions in her dressing table and getting lost in the magical Narnia of her wardrobe. There was no greater feeling than the first time she agreed to put eyeliner on me for a school disco. I felt enchanted, beautiful – and more myself than ever.
Since then, the magic of the transformation that clothes, makeup and skincare can make has held me in its grip. Style – and the stories we tell to others about who we are through its medium – have captivated me for years.
These days, fashion influencers like Anna Newton, Camille Charriere and Aimee Song have largely replaced celebrities for me. I love understanding their selections and why they choose to style pieces in a certain way.
People sometimes refer to makeup and clothes as a disguise, or a mask, and although sometimes a bit of armour is much needed, style can equally be a personal statement – even an unveiling of authenticity. As I always say – ‘The real me wears eyeliner!’.
These are the reasons I’ve never been able to kick the habit of learning about style. At times it’s felt like a foreign language I don’t speak, but desperately want to understand.
As I grew and began to develop my career and start a family, I still sometimes struggled to understand how the pieces were all supposed to fit in this new juggle that was my life.
How could I balance being a present parent, building my work life, trying to forge successful relationships and improve as a person, with having a sense of style?
Was I supposed to forget about how looking good made me feel good and changed my interactions with the world? Should I just give up and sink into a uniform of leggings, sweatshirts and the dreaded ‘mum bun’?
Was it right to be concerned about such things when I was supposedly a responsible adult, with young children and teams to manage at work? Should I even try anymore?
What I eventually realised was quite simple – I want to try to be the best version of me that I can. In my mental health, in my family life, in my job. And style is a huge part of that.
Of course there are days where it all goes wrong. Days when I say the wrong things, make the wrong choices, get frustrated, fail my kids, mess up at work or just plain can’t be bothered and stay in my gym kit all day. That’s just reality.
But it’s not the attainment of better that makes me tick. It’s the challenge of getting there. It’s the visioning, the planning. That’s the part that I love – not being ‘perfect’ (that word we haunt ourselves with), but trying to improve.
Wobby, imperfect, occasionally brilliant, and achingly human.
So this site is simply that. Trying to figure it all out and optimise life. Trying to use style as a way to speak to the world. Trying to connect with others, especially working mamas who feel a need to defend a piece of their own identity when they give so much of themselves to others.
Learning and writing about style is trying to have my cake and eat it – and serve others with it too. Bon appetit!
After all, what’s the point of patisserie if you can’t take a bite?
In terms of the fashion, beauty and lifestyle content you’ll see here, it’s all about the edit. That means sharing tips, tricks and great products. It means combining ideas from many different places to come up with something personal. It’s about creating something that feels timeless, authentic and ‘me’. And hopefully inspiring you.
I’m a fan of classic, minimalistic style with a quirky twist thrown in. A beautiful camel wool coat and a pair of tailored leather trousers with bright shoes or an offbeat bag. I aim to be a ‘conscious consumer’ – shopping pre-loved where possible, looking closely at how new pieces fit with what I already have. Created a streamlined, edited wardrobe that really works for every day life.
When it comes to beauty, it’s all a journey of discovery. Finding hacks that make you look and feel great, when you live life in a constant rush. Clean but enhanced faces that take what’s there naturally and give it a little boost. Supplements and routines that give you the energy to take life on at full stride.
What we are inside has a huge impact, so I’ll also be finding and share tools to manage your internal landscape – as well as the face you chooe to show to the world.
There will be content about how to make the most of a busy life – finding headspace, staying positive, and getting your home and your life running as smoothly as it can – even though the wheels still fall off occaisionally!
If you love posts about styling, family life, self-improvement, and the general reach for a beautiful life – please stay here for a while. Find some escape and perhaps some inspiration in this site.
Like life itself, it’s a work in progress and a gorgeous, chaotic reality. I hope you’ll like what you find.