MY NO BUY 2020 REVIEW

I’m a successful personal 1:1 stylist and founder of Elevate style membership for solopreneurs and women with ambition who want to embrace authentic, effortless style.

This video is the companion to one I made when I started my No Buy year in 2020! Of course, everything changed and it wasn’t until recently that I posted that video … and this is the follow up. I hope you enjoy it!

My core message and method when I work with women to find effortless style is all about creating an individual, personal style upon which you build your comprehensive, ‘all occasions’ wardrobe, starting with essential basics.

One of the reasons I did my No Buy year was acknowledging that my wardrobe contained everything I needed to get dressed for all occasions and opportunities. I was putting my money where my mouth was! The curve ball of Covid lockdown happened soon after I started and I found myself supporting my folks away from home with fewer things than I did need, particularly leisure and activewear.

After a whole year of No Buy (apart from the few things I did need) I did have a key learning from the experience: I didn’t need new clothes but I did miss the creative element that comes from buying, wearing and expressing myself through a few new, nice things.The key is to shop little, shop well and plan in advance what you need to buy using the seven steps outlined in my bestselling book Look Like the Leader You; A 7 Step Style Strategy for Ambitious Women on Amazon - http://bit.ly/LizzieBook​

And if you to develop your signature style and create an effortless, wearable wardrobe to elevate your business, work and life, do read about my membership and join the waitlist here https://lltlya.lpages.co/elevate/

I’ll be opening the doors at the end of April!

Elevate: Effortless everyday style for Solopreneurs and women with ambition because you've got better things to do with your time!

If you aren’t in a No Buy and you’re planning to buy some new clothes soon, you will find my free download really useful! My FREE Shop Your Size Success Guide shows you how to take accurate key measurements and correlate them to the dress sizes of my 12 favourite workwear brands. Download it here https://bit.ly/SuccessSizeGuide

HOW TO USE MOONSIFT FOR CLOTHES SHOPPING

I am passionate about helping women show up 100% in their lives through finding a personal style and wardrobe that makes them look good, feel empowered and act with confidence.

In this video, I walk you through a great style and shopping tool called Moonsift https://www.moonsift.com . If you’re a regular visitor to my channel, you’ll have heard me recommend using Moonsift to research, plan and shop effectively. Lots of you have asked for more information about how to use it so here is the video you asked for! Moonsift is an online wishlist for all stores. You can use it to discover, save and curate shoppable collections across all brands and shops. I hope that this video is helpful and that you enjoy using Moonsift - please let me know how you get on.

If you’re planning to buy some new clothes soon, you will find NEW my free download really useful!

My FREE Shop Your Size Success Guide shows you how to take accurate key measurements and correlate them to the dress sizes of my 12 favourite workwear brands.

Download it here https://bit.ly/SuccessSizeGuide

And finally, a heads up. In April I’m re-opening my Elevate style membership to new members. In Elevate I bring together kickass women seeking authentic, effortless style. We build skills and know-how so that they radically improve their look and personal brand image in order to find ease, radiate confidence and fully show up in business, work and life. Sounds like you? How fantastic!

You can join the waitlist here https://lltlya.lpages.co/elevate/

5 TIPS FOR LOOKING GOOD ON ZOOM

The focus of my work is enabling women with ambition find a personal style and wardrobe that makes them look good, feel empowered and act with confidence.

I’ve been asked so often for a video on the topic of how to show up professionally on Zoom so I hope this helps! I’m delighted to tell you my five tips for looking good on Zoom.

I get a bit lost in this video and lose count of the five tips I’m giving! But you’ll see me demonstrating how different tops, accessories and makeup can make a real difference to how I look - easy things that will help you stand out for the right reasons and look professional on Zoom!

My five tips are:

1. Pay attention to your lighting, background and camera angle. Make your surroundings as professional looking as you can. I recommend that you invest in a webcam because these give a much brighter, clearer result.

2. Think about what you are wearing on top - the colour and details that you choose will make a difference in subtle and not so subtle ways!

3. Adding some jewellery is a nice touch - it doesn’t need to be much but some discreet earrings or a necklace have a positive impact.

4. Painting your nails and wearing a little lipstick can make a big difference - think about wearing a touch when you want to look a bit more polished - I recommend lipstick with a matte finish.

5. If you wear glasses, make the most of them and think about investing in additional pairs to add interest to your look.

Mentions - not Ads or sponsored in any way

Jewellery

Necklace - www.Sezane.com

Earrings - www.dinnyhall.com

Lipsticks:

Glossier Lipstick in Zip - https://bit.ly/30TgwYn

Mac Powder Kiss in Stay Curious - https://bit.ly/30VH7Em

Glasses:

Tortoiseshell - www.cubitts.co.uk

Metal - www.luxreaders.co.uk (with lenses replaced to anti-bluelight lenses in my prescription at www.lensology.co.uk)

Matt Black - www.baileynelson.co.uk

If you’re planning to buy some new clothes soon, you will find NEW my free download really useful! My FREE Shop Your Size Success Guide shows you how to take accurate key measurements and correlate them to the dress sizes of my 12 favourite workwear brands. There are no affiliate links - these are brands I use most with my clients.

Download it here https://bit.ly/SuccessSizeGuide

5 TIPS FOR ONLINE SHOPPING SUCCESS

I specialise in helping professional women find a personal style that makes them look good, feel empowered and act with confidence.

In this video I talk about how you can shop online more successfully!

Over the last year we’ve had to do most of our shopping online, and most of us will have had to send things back. That’s absolutely fine if you bought too much or just don’t like the item, but it’s a pain to be sending things back just because you bought the wrong size or something you later realised you don’t even need or want.

With many of us going back to work ‘in real life’ the pressure is on to shop for workwear and refresh your wardrobe.

So today, I'm going to tell you the five tips for online shopping success.

I cover five points that will help you shop more successfully:

1. Our bodies change so get clear about your measurements, find a tape measure and record your chest, waist and hip measurements.

2. Know your dress size in the brands that you like and want to buy

3. Know what you need and want

4. Do your research first. I recommend an online tool called Moonsift and the link to that is https://www.moonsift.com/

5. Number five is to know your budget.

3 QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE YOU BUY NEW ITEMS FOR YOUR WORK WARDROBE

Today, I want to tell you the 3 essential questions that you need to answer before you think of buying anything new for your work wardrobe.

I recommend you grab a pen and paper, because it's really much better if you write your answers down.

The first question is, what is your why? What are your career goals and how could adding to your wardrobe or upgrading or image support you in your career goal?

The second question is to consider your personal brand; what are the qualities that you want to project with your image?

The third question is, where are you currently with your workwear style?

It's worth taking stock and thinking about how you're actually projecting your image right now.

Watch the video to find out more about why these questions are important, and if you answer those three questions, I know it will help you get focused.

WHY YOU NEED A SIGNATURE STYLE

What is a ‘signature style’ and do you have one?

A signature style is when you choose to adopt a ‘look’ or create a kind of ‘uniform’ that is similar, or even the same, almost all the time. It could be a colour palette, a particular item or a combination of items you always wear, and can even become known for wearing. It is a great way to establish a visual aspect of your personal brand.

One of the easiest ways to spot a signature style is simply to look at people you know—family, friends, colleagues and even celebrities.

For example, you might find a family member who is a jeans-person; they like to wear jeans to every occasion, but they probably have a wardrobe of jeans—black, blue, skinny, or wide-leg.

You could also have a friend or a colleague who always wears a dress to work. It could vary in colours and styles, but essentially, it's the same thing.

At the very end of the scale is someone who wears exactly the same thing every single day, as Steve Jobs did.

So what's so good about having a personal signature style? If you're interested, keep on watching.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FIT

I want to talk to you about fit as it’s an often-overlooked element of shopping. People look at the size, in terms of can they get it on or not, that kind of fit, but don’t look at the fit overall, whether it flatters and suits.

Most women don’t consider the benefit of an alteration. And this is something that came up in my recent workshop, when we were talking about getting clothes altered to fit and if it was worthwhile if you’re not buying designer clothes.

The good fit of your clothes is worth it, even if you’re shopping at the high street level. It’s better to have something that fits you really well, that you’ve bought on the high street than something that doesn’t fit you well, but that’s designer, as often it is the fit of a garment that makes it look expensive and good quality.

So I want you to think about this next time you go shopping; when you buy something, consider the price of the item, plus the alteration required to make it perfect. Find your local alterations person, usually the local dry cleaners are perfectly good enough, and know what it’s going to cost.

Another tip; if you are petite and you almost always need to get trousers taken up, look again at all of your jackets and check the sleeves are not over the knuckles. If you need trousers shortened, you are likely to need the cuffs done on jackets too.

The minute you take on board that it’s something worth doing, I guarantee your wardrobe will look much better.

I want you to consider alterations when buying new clothes and to really look at their fit in the mirror, and encourage you to look again at your wardrobe to consider the alterations that may benefit you.

MY EXPERIENCE OF SEMI-PERMANENT MAKEUP

This time, I wanted to talk to you about something that is increasingly popular throughout the world, and that I tried a couple of years ago.

Semi-permanent makeup has been around a long time but is now becoming increasingly popular and mainstream outside of the beauty-obsessed Instagram crowd.

If it’s something you thought was just for young women who wear a ton of makeup, think again. It’s actually perfect for you if you are the opposite, like me, and barely wear any makeup and most of the time can’t be bothered!

Semi-permanent makeup, most often applied to the eyes and brows, allows you to save time and still look well-groomed.

I took the plunge and had eyeliner done a couple of years ago after researching it for my book Look Like the Leader You Are. After I felt more confident and comfortable to have brows, I had mine micro-bladed a few months later. Micro-blading is very tiny strokes of the needle, so they look like hairs.

Micro-bladed eyebrows help to frame the face without you needing to draw them in daily, which I never did! It is also a brilliant solution if you're menopausal and suffer from hot flushes, or if you’re into sport because they don't come off with sweat!

HOW TO LOOK 'PUT TOGETHER'

As a personal stylist and shopper in London, I work with professional women over 40, and one of the major goals of hiring me as a stylist is the desire to look ‘put together’.

Often they have problems pulling individual items together into a cohesive look, and on reviewing their wardrobe I find they may have some great clothes but they miss the basics which is essential in pulling an outfit together.

Today, in this quick video, I wanted to give you some tips to help you look 'put together' and create outfits from all the random items you may have in your wardrobe.

Once you own the key capsule wardrobe pieces in your dominant core colour, you will find it easier to get dressed so that you look, and feel, put together.

WHY I DECIDED TO DO A CLOTHES 'NO BUY' IN 2020

I've been a professional stylist for over 15 years, but in the last couple of years I have become increasingly uncomfortable with the overwhelming quantity of what is on offer. They encourage us to buy this, buy that—advertisements pop-ups on Instagram and everywhere—there's always that voice telling us we need more, more, more. When will it ever be enough?

My mission as a style consultant has always been to help my clients find items of clothing that build an effortless, easy to wear wardrobe. I want them to have items that they can style and wear again and again with little fuss. The dream is to have a wardrobe where you have something for any occasion.

A few years back, I did the classic Mary Kondo and got rid of a lot of stuff from my wardrobe. I realised that most of the pieces that I let go of were lower quality and that you don't need a large wardrobe to maximise it.

That's why, in December 2019, I finally took a leap of faith. I have everything I need! So I set myself a challenge; NO NEW CLOTHES IN 2020!

This was how my no-buy journey started. Don't forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell if you don't want to miss how my no-buy journey went! #nobuyclothes2020

Elevate Membership Launch

Root Touch Up Review

If you follow me on Instagram you’ll know I’m planning to be a little more active again, after a short pause on things due to personal issues - and the pandemic. So, to get the ball rolling, I wanted to share with you a review of three root touch up products I have tried and tested to get you through the current lack of professional hairdressing available. Have a read below, or check out my YouTube or IGTV for the full results.

Before we went into lockdown, I was at the point already whereby I already needed my roots redoing. Having had to cancel my appointment for obvious reasons, I inevitably had begun to go quite grey! Now, it's not something that I'm consciously ashamed or anything, but, like a lot of people, I am usually pretty on top of it. I’m if really honest, I’ve toyed with the idea of using this isolation period to be done with the dye and just grow my grey out completely, but that’s still to be decided. So for now, I’ll use my situation to hopefully help you all instead.

To give some context; as my father was ill, I left my home to stay with my parents just before lockdown. Thankfully, before I went, I grabbed everything I might need in case I did end up stuck here for three months or so - including all of the root touch up products in my bathroom cabinet. So, if you’re someone struggling with greys during the pandemic, you’ll be glad to know I’ve got three products to test out for you. All of which you can buy online, and I’ve linked for you below…

Second up is the Color Wow, which comes in powder form rather than liquid. This is applied by just brushing onto the roots using the applicator provided. Once again - I have a lot of root for what is supposed to be a touch-up product, but despite how small it was, it was great for taking the edge off. I found the best way to apply was to load the powder onto the brush, tap off the excess and then push it into the root. Although my hands got a little grubby - the result was amazing. I was very impressed; finding the coverage to be thorough, but natural. Due to it being a powder; I also preferred the way it felt on my hair, as it was much lighter, but don’t let that deceive you as it’s equally as messy! With any of these products, be sure to check yourself out in the mirror more often, as I often found dark smudges on my face. And definitely sleep with a towel on your pillows if you have precious bedsheets.

So the first product I used was the Josh Wood Colour, which comes with a brush head. This is applied by pressing the bottom of the tube to release the colour, and then painting into the root. For the most natural-looking result, you should try to avoid getting it on the scalp - especially around the hairline, although I found this quite tricky, as it’s messy to apply. However, as most of us are only doing Zoom calls at the most at the moment, I think anything that’s not blindingly obvious is ok. Once applied, I gave my hair a quick blow-dry, and was pleasantly surprised with the results. Especially when considering how deep my root was! The product was quite claggy on first application but, once dried, it feels a bit like having dry shampoo in. You can still see the greys, but it takes the edge off, making them appear more salt and pepper, and definitely softening any harsh lines.

Number three is the L’oreal Magic Retouch. This is one I was yet to try before this retouch review - so I’m equally as keen to know how it performs. Unlike the others with their brushes, this comes something similar to a mascara wand. Which, to my surprise was actually very easy to use - and particularly helpful for catching all of the stray hairs around the hairline. Although, inevitably a little slower for the amount of root growth I had. Like the Josh Wood product, it was wet and quite sticky to apply, so needed a quick blow dry to set. However, the upside to the liquid products is that I did find them to temporarily dye the hair - even after washing. Although as messy as the other two products; the L'oreal Magic Touch brush was as equally as thorough once massaged in.

Although I can’t say that these products are my ‘three of the best,’ as I haven’t tried others on the market, I am confident that they all do a good job. To conclude, I would list them in the following order: Firstly: Color Wow, Secondly: L’oreal Magic Touch, Lastly: Josh Wood. They were all great, but Josh Wood was a little more difficult to apply, despite being the most long lasting. L’oreal was easy to apply, but would definitely take longer to disguise a more harsh line as the wand is so small. Of course, that makes Color Wow my favourite - which I was actually using before anyway (typical!) It’s the easiest to apply, requires the least amount of styling, and sits on your hair almost unnoticeably. In fact - if you’re someone with an oily root, it even offsets this a little; acting almost as a dry shampoo would. All three, however, had good longevity - even coming into their own on the second and third day when the colour was absorbed properly. So I was pleasantly surprised and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend if you come across them on your government-approved weekly shop, or doing an online order.

I hope this has been useful to you. Stay safe, and let me know your thoughts!

Lockdown Check in

LESC Update

Eight Makeup Bag Everyday Essentials

On this week’s blog, I collaborated with Florrie White; a friend of mine and an A-List make-up artist. Previously, Florrie did a list of the ‘Top Eight Make-Up Everyday Essentials’ for my book ‘Look Like The Leader You Are.’

So, today we’re going to go through those items and specify which products Florrie Recommends. 

Character Pieces and Core Pieces

This week, I wanted to talk to you about the difference between core pieces and character pieces in your wardrobe. But more specifically, why it’s so important to make sure you have plenty of core pieces before you buy the character pieces. Check out my IGTV on Instagram for the full video, or continue reading below for my thoughts on the subject…

Now, if you don’t know what I’m talking about when I refer to core and character pieces; take some time now to consider your current wardrobe. Is it something you find quite difficult to get dressed from? If it is, you probably have a situation where you have plenty of character pieces and less core. 

As I refer to it, core pieces are the basics. Anything really simple. For example, a white t-shirt that’s completely plain. No ruffles, no logos (no matter how small), or buttons etc. If it has any of these things, it’s not a core piece. I’m referring to those items that are so plain, they go with absolutely everything.

Whereas a character piece is an item with something extra. Even if it’s, let’s say, navy, and could be considered quite simple, it has some form of detailing; making it harder to create an outfit from. For example, a basic jacket, that happens to have contrasting buttons. Those buttons qualify it as a character piece.

The reason this came to mind to discuss this week, is that I recently did a wardrobe session with a client who struggled to correctly identify her core pieces. When I asked her for her plain core pieces, she would repeatedly show me something that was not core, and instead, had some level of further detailing.

This made it really easy for me to see why she struggled to put outfits together. Why she repeatedly found herself stood in front of her wardrobe full of clothes but consistently felt she had nothing to wear. There were so few items that were devoid of extra detailing or features, that it made the daily routine increasingly harder as they didn’t go with anything as an outfit. 

So, when we went shopping, we focused on the basics. A lot of the character pieces she already owned were great, so she didn’t need much on that front, but we found her core items to build outfits from. 

This is something I want you to start thinking about with your clothing. If you’re somebody that’s always standing in front of their wardrobe and often having to put things on, take them off, repeat, you are probably missing the thing that would make an outfit work. I want you to consider whether you have very simple items, that will pull everything together. If you don’t, I want you to compile a shopping list to rectify this. 

I know when you go shopping on the weekend or evenings, those are not the things that call you from the rail - or are hung on the mannequin - they’re the things that aren’t that fun to buy or try. But, they are the things that are going to make everything work for you. They are the things will make your wardrobe effortless. I want you to really look at what you own, and see how many items are completely plain. Those are the things you should be looking for. They’re the core pieces. 

I hope you find this useful. If you have any questions on this or anything relative, please do let me know!

Setting a Styling Budget

At the moment, I’m doing a lot of enquiry calls with potential new clients, and am consistently being asked about what their budget should be. As you can imagine, it’s actually a question that only you can answer really. I can tell you what I think you should spend, but ultimately it’s your choice. 

To guide you a little, however, I’ve got some pointers below:

When writing my book, the general consensus I came across is that, in terms of your image and style, you should be investing around 5% of your net salary. Particularly where it concerns your work wardrobe. The total 5% can account for anything your image is made up of - whether it be hair, nails, grooming, general self-care - not just buying clothes. 

Again, what people have got to spend is totally personal. People’s outgoings and values are going to be completely differing, but it’s good to consider what that number that would look like for you and your salary.

But really think about what 5% would be for you, and be realistic about what you currently invest. See if you’re spending way over, or falling far short. If you’re really far from that amount, it may be a clue that you’re underinvesting in yourself. It’s not set in stone, but it’s a great indicator.

The next thing to do is to really look at where you are in your career. A lot of women I work with are looking to invest in their wardrobe, as they see it as a career move. It helps with their confidence which will, in turn, help them position themselves better at work. Whether they’re looking to be promoted, or already have been, they want to prove they are ready for the new responsibility; using their clothing to signal so. 

Another thing to consider regarding budget, is to see where you’re currently spending your money. If my clients have a good salary and budget, but are buying low high-street, I challenge them on this. It’s not about how much you spend, but how much you invest. When doing a wardrobe review with a client who’s existing wardrobe is very high-street based, it’ll often require a more significant budget than someone who already has invested in pieces at a mid-range level; as then we can just supplement.

If you find you are severely underinvesting, have a think about whether you could take some money out of your salary or savings to rectify this in the long run.  

I divide shopping into three levels:

• Basic High-Street,

• Quality High-Street/‘Midrange’

• Quality brands

When you know what your price point is, you can then look at what level you can invest in your wardrobe. If it is on the lower end, and you need to focus on high street, you can pinpoint what would be clever pieces to invest in at a midrange level. Certain items, such as coats, are worth the investment as they’ll last so much longer. Whereas basics, with no ‘wow’ factor, can be bought on the high-street.

Do your research. It’s worth finding out what the different price points are for different items. For example, a silk shirt on the high-street could be between £40 at H&M - £70 at & Other Stories. If you were to go up a level, into quality high-street, that price would jump up to £100-£150. Whereas something higher-end, such as Joseph or Boss could be £250+. This knowledge will work in conjunction with your budget and determine where’s best to invest. 

Finally, throughout this blog, I have referred to ’investing’ rather than ‘spending’; something I urge you to also do. A lot of women have resistance on this front, often due to their upbringing or background, whereby they have been taught to buy clothes frivolously. But I urge you to put that to one side. If you are buying clothes you love and are confident to wear, it’s an investment in your career and in yourself.

But also, I see that when people have clothes they value and care for, they look after them more. They hang them up at the end of the day, wash them with care, make things last longer - which is beneficial for everybody, including the environment.

I hope you find this useful! If you have any questions, let me know. There’s much more information on this subject in my book - so check that out here. But also, I’m here to help 1-1, so don’t hesitate to get in touch!

10 WAYS TO STOP WASTING MONEY ON CLOTHES YOU’LL NEVER WEAR

Top 5 Wardrobe and Grooming Hacks

For this week’s blog, I’m sharing with you my top five time-saving wardrobe and grooming hacks - that I have sworn by for years. Make sure you check out my IGTV to watch the full video, and read below for links and images…

Having worked with a lot of very busy women over the years, one of the most frequent questions I get asked is how they can get out of the house in the morning as quick as possible, whilst still looking their best.  So, I decided to dig out an old video outlining my advice to these women, in the hope that it can help someone on here also.

Please do let me know your thoughts. Feel free to share your wardrobe, grooming or general life hacks also!

1. A Steamer;

In particular this ‘Pure Steamer’ from Amazon. If you’re someone who has to travel a lot for work, it’s small so ideal for those clothes that get creased in your suitcase! It also heats up really fast, removes creases even quicker, and takes away the need for setting up an iron board. Steamers work particularly well with for ‘drapey’ fabrics; silk etc. 

2. Dry Shampoo;

In particular, Batiste. Although this may seem obvious - it’s surprising how many people are still unaware of this product. I know there's loads of other brands out there now, but this is the one that I always go back to. One of my favourite features is their hair colour specific products - as you can see, I use the one for brunettes, to ensure there’s no white residue left of my hair. However, I know they also have variations for different shades of black hair, brown hair and blondes. It obviously also minimises spending so much time washing your hair, which is perfect for gym-goers like me, or just those prone to greasy hair. 

3. Lint Roller

Whether it be pet hairs, dandruff, unidentified fluff; everyone needs a lint roller to keep their clothes looking smart. You can buy these anywhere - eBay, amazon, even H&M.  It’s a must have for your daily grooming routine!

4. Root Touch Up

This one’s not for everyone, but a life saver for some. If you're lucky enough not to have any grey hairs yet, well you can disregard, but if you do have grey hairs, listen up! It’s called Wow - a root touch up powder. I get my hair done every five weeks, but by week four I usually begin to get grey patches at the front of my hair and along the parting. It’s almost like an eyeshadow; a powder and small brush. Sweep it along the hairline, comb out and it instantly reduces any
grey areas. 

5. Electric De-bobbler

Mine is John Lewis, but they can be bought anywhere, online or otherwise, as they are all quite standard. If you have items in your wardrobe that look a little tired and worn, this could be exactly what you need to give them a new lease of life. Whether it be bobbly scarves, jumpers, coats - save yourself replacing them every season and give them a little of care instead.  It can take a bit of time, so be sure to have a glass of wine and a box-set at the ready also. It’s also oddly satisfying. 

Lizzie Loves Lipsticks

Personally, I’m someone who doesn’t really wear lipstick very often, as I don't enjoy having to apply, or maintain, it all day. However, there a few that work for me and compliment my more low maintenance lifestyle - so I thought I’d share with you all!

Due to the unfortunate lack of smell-o-vision, I can’t share with you some of their most attractive features. However, please be assured that in my opinion, they all have a great scent, and more importantly - across the board, none of them feel as though you have anything heavy on your lip.

Nude to red, lower to higher end; I’ve found the perfect ‘formula’ (excuse the pun) of lipsticks that are appropriate for almost any occasion. So, if like me, you’re looking for a few go-to lipsticks that aren’t going to have you stray too far out of your comfort zone - be sure to check these five below out…

If you have any questions or thoughts on the above or otherwise, don’t hesitate to get in touch. I’d love to hear from you!