Get to know me - A candid chat kindly interviewed by War & Drobe
Its absolutely no secret that I am OBSESSED with headbands designed by War&Drobe, I have been wearing them with pride for years now and telling everyone and anyone I possibly can about the brand and how much I adore, Nina, who designs and makes each one with love, by hand.
Its also no secret that I’m not actually engaged but of course, would love to be (lets not freak Jonny out here) but when Nina asked if I wanted to model her second bridal collection (over an espresso martini may I add) I quite literally jumped for joy, threw my arms around her and of course said YES with so much love an excitement she may as well have proposed to me.
I can also confirm that it has well and truly kickstarted bride obsession (aka millions of daydreams about my non-existent wedding) So far, I have three dresses and three headbands conveniently made by Nina. I won’t share my dress ideas but will share my fave headbands that’s for sure! Starting with my absolute best The Floral Crown headband pictured above and just below.
I also wanted to share with you a gorgeous interview Nina did with me to kick start my style subscription for the year. I feel very lucky to have you as my subscribers and love sharing secrets about the real me that I wouldn’t usually on the gram here as well as my fresh and inspiring style blogs.
Before I share it with you, I’d love to big up Nina and her talent. Not only does she have the most magic eyes for design and exquisite taste, but she is also the most friendly, welcoming, and inspiring lady and someone who I am so pleased that I have in my life. Even if you arent getting married, I urge you to check out her non-bridal collections here too.
Nina’s Entry;
For this journal entry, I wanted to do something a little different by interviewing stylist Sian Clarke. We recently collaborated together for part two of the bridal collection: Something New and I thought it would be a great opportunity to introduce you to the magic of Styled by Sian. Over the years I’ve picked up invaluable tips from Sian that have changed my wardrobe and dressing habits for the better. Sian is not only the a Personal Styling expert who works with clients one-on-one to transform their confidence, she is also a celebrity stylist as well as colour lecturer at The London College of Style. So it’s safe to say she’s someone we can learn a lot from!
Q. I’m always fascinated to know what draws people to their chosen careers. What inspired you to become a stylist?
A. Firstly Nina, thank you so much for your gorgeous comments, you have summed up the beauty of my role perfectly. It’s such an honour to work with clients and get people feeling confident and looking fabulous. It may sound slightly cheesy but I think Personal Styling found me (after lots of hard work) I started my early career as a print designer, I then moved into fashion and editorial styling (which I still love) but something was missing and I couldn’t put my finger on it.
I have 3 things I am obsessed with (in a healthy way!) I am blown away by people, they are so fascinating and every person is so different from any other I’ve met. The second obsession that I love (more than anything) is helping others feel amazing. The joy I get from watching them develop makes me lost for words which for me is incredibly rare! Finally, I am also obsessed with clothes and how they can help us let the world know who we are without having to speak. We can tell the world how we are feeling or even project how we want people to see us through how we dress and to me, that’s a kind of magic power. However, I never thought I could combine my love of all three until one day I accidentally stumbled across an advert at The London College of Style to train as a Personal Stylist and as soon as I read the caption my heart started racing. I saved up to do the course and within 2 minutes of being there I knew I had walked into my calling and the rest is history! There’s been a lot of hard work in between of course but I just knew I had to become a Personal Stylist.
Q. You taught me the valuable lesson that wearing black too close to my face brings out the dark circles around the eyes (a debt I will never be able to repay!). What styling mistake do you most see people making that they could change right here and now?
A. Ahh yes, the daily battle with teaching people about black will be one that I will continue to spread the word about forever! Only 10% of people in the UK can actually pull off wearing black because of its intensity and high contrast.
My other biggest battle with client’s faux pas, is people not understanding their body shape, which is no fault of theirs because we’re not educated about shape and proportions and never learn about the best way to dress for our figures. Most people hide away in big baggy clothes and actually it ends up emphasizing areas they’re trying to hide. For example, big baggy jumpers add bulk and hide your gorgeous waist. Something else that a lot of people do is avoid tucking in their tops because they are trying to cover up the tops of their legs. What actually happens here is attention is drawn to your thigh and shortens your legs because the fabric hits you in the wrong place. What you want to do is wear high waisted bottoms and tuck your top in so you get an extra 4 inches of legs (aka legs for days) and your amazing waist is shown off so you look taller and slender.
Q. Could you share some practical advice on how to better organise our wardrobes so we can get the most of the garments and accessories we own?
A. Rotate, rotate, rotate and make what I call a clothing routine. Start by editing your wardrobe. It can be very overwhelming and emotional so if you aren’t sure where to start, I have a blog over on my website that will help you to get in the zone which you can find here. Take your time with it – it should be fun and feel like a real cleanse afterwards.
When you organise your wardrobe start by putting all of your coats and jackets on the side where they are hardest to get to. Next to them place the dresses/jumpsuits followed by bottoms (I recommend skirts and trousers followed by minis) and finally long-sleeved tops/blouses, short sleeves, and camis. Then, design a clothing routine. For example:
Monday – Dress and leather jacket with boots
Tuesday – Skirt with jumper and belt with trainers
Wednesday – Trousers with Blouse and boots
Thursday – Mini skirt with cosy knitwear and boots
Friday – Dress and trainers with blazer
Saturday – Jumpsuit and trainer
Sunday – Jeans and a nice top
After doing this for a few weeks it will become second nature and you can then experiment with what you feel best in. It will also mean you wear all of your wardrobe; most people only wear 20% of their wardrobe so it’s much more sustainable and saves you from panic buying and never wearing them.
Q. With the way we see fashion being revolutionised, could you recommend some ways in which readers can make more sustainable fashion choices?
A. Absolutely! Renting is the way forward, it’s huge and I believe it will continue to take over and develop the way shoppers think and buy. Places like My Wardrobe HQ and Hurr even have shops you can go and try the outfit on so you know you will love it. They are particularly great for times like Christmas and NYE parties when you are most likely not going to wear the dress again. Renting also helps reduce your carbon footprint. I also can’t sing about vintage and pre-loved shopping highly enough, its benefits go on forever and with vintage you know that no one else is likely to own the same piece. The idea that you’re keeping the previous owner’s memories alive in something pre-loved and giving it even more memories always makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside! Shops like Good London and Loot vintage are my go-to.
Q. You modelled part two of the bridal collection so I have to ask, which was your favourite headband?
A. Oh Nina, this is like asking me if I have a favourite chocolate. I can’t give you one it’s impossible but I can give you my top three!
Floral Crown… might be my actual fave. I love the texture, volume, and the drama. I mean what an entrance, I also think it will be great for a bride who isn’t too ‘dressy’. I adore the Forever Headband – the shape is perfect for any length of hair and will compliment people with thick hair or lots of it. I love how classic it is and how it will never date. My final fave is Treasures Crown – this ticks all the boxes, glam, classic and jaw-dropping. Simply stunning!
I hope you have loved reading this as much as Nina and I loved collaborating - keep your eyes out for more exciting plans! Happy new year
Stylish wishes,
Sian and Nina x
Personal Stylist based in London. I am a colour analysis expert, wardrobe stylist, and personal shopper. I specialise in body shape style, wardrobe edits, and personal shopping for clients. I am also a virtual stylist. I do online styling, online style advice, virtual body shape workshops, virtual wardrobe edits and online personal shopping. Fashion Stylist in London. Personal Stylist in London. London stylist.