GUEST POST: Style Tips for Mums on the Run, by Claire Lopez

Hi everyone, my name is Claire and I am a Stylist and Personal Shopper. Visit my website here to find out a little more about me. Here are my top tips on how to make you all feel great about the way you look, whatever motherhood may throw at you. As a mum of two, I know exactly how different you can feel after you have had a baby, how your lifestyle changes and how your pre-child wardrobe can feel totally wrong for your new life. Stilettoes are definitely out and comfy trainers are in! How we look and the way we feel about our appearance has a huge impact on our overall self-confidence but as busy mums it is often the thing that we most neglect. Dragging a buggy, the endless kiddy paraphernalia around the shops (let alone the actual children!) doesn’t exactly make for a stress-free or productive shopping trip. And the good news is that this is not where you should start putting together your wardrobe.   1. Start with what you have already got   Before you even think about hitting the shops you need to do a thorough evaluation of what you already own. All you need is a full length mirror so that you can see yourself in your clothes when you try them on and then off you go. You need to try everything on, piece by piece and ask yourself the following questions: Do you love it? Do you feel confident wearing it? What do you wear it with? Does it flatter your figure? Does it fit well? Does the colour lift you? Does it fit your lifestyle?   2. The good, the bad and the ugly If the answer is yes to most of these questions then give the garment a final once-over to check it doesn’t need any washing, dry cleaning or mending. If it is fine then put it in the ‘Good’ pile otherwise put it in the ‘Bad’ pile to be dealt with as a priority. If the answer to most of the questions is no and you haven’t worn the garment for well over a year then it is time to say good-bye and these items need to go into the ‘Ugly’ pile ready for the charity shop or EBay so you can fund your new purchases. Once you have got all you ‘Good’ clothing and accessories together then you need to put these back in the wardrobe by both type and colour to make it easier to get dressed. If, like most people, your wardrobe is a mess with clothes falling off hangers then it might be a good idea to invest in some non-slip velvet hangers. You can buy these cheaply from Amazon or Primark. This may seem like a laborious process but this is the only way for you to see what exactly you may be missing. Write a shopping list of missing items as you go. In stylists’ terms this is a “Wardrobe Detox” and this should be your starting point.   3.You don’t need a huge wardrobe Honestly, you don’t. What you need is a capsule wardrobe with pieces that can interlink to create several outfits and different looks. If you keep reading you will see that I only have the following eight pieces of clothing/shoes in the images:

• Denim jeans
• Black trousers
• White t-shirt
• White shirt
• Black jacket (ok you may have spotted I have two but you really only need one!)
• Cardigan
• Trainers
• Black shoes

These items alone make six outfits when you also add a few different accessories into the mix. The key is to start with the basics and build up from there.   4. Now on to the fun bit: how to jazz up your everyday outfits The majority of my clients tell me that they want to be comfortable whilst looking effortlessly stylish.  This may sound like a tall order if you spend a few moments every morning throwing on your clothes as you walk out of the door, whilst wolfing down your breakfast and gathering up children, bags and buggies as you leave! But if you just follow the two tips below then you will automatically start to look more put-together. Layering: more is more. The one benefit of having a fairly season-less climate is that our weather practically demands that we wear multiple layers and this is great because layers can make a bland outfit into a great outfit. So let’s take a pretty basic outfit of white t-shirt and jeans. Then add a light weight cardigan. This not only adds some colour but also provides texture and interest. Lightweight layers that fall in the right place can also be slimming, just remember not to have garments finishing at your widest point. Then add a scarf and Bob’s your uncle – a put-together look. Accessories: never underestimate the power of accessories. Like most of us, I live in a lot of neutrals - black, navy and greys – but a splash of colour in a scarf really brings the look alive. Equally a bit of jewellery can have the same impact. So back to our basic white t-shirt. If we just add a scarf alone the colour really lifts the outfit. Then add a brightly coloured belt. Then add some jewellery – it doesn’t have to be overpowering. Subtle bracelets and necklaces look just as nice and it depends what you like to wear. 5. How to go from day to evening Easy peasy. Back to the good old accessories which will take your outfit from daytime casual to stylish evening with only a few quick changes. Ideal given you will probably only have five brief minutes squeezed in between bath time and putting the kids to bed to get yourself ready – sound familiar?! So back to that basic white t-shirt and jeans, this can be the basis of your going-out outfit but with a few additions/changes it looks totally different.

• An easy black jacket you can chuck on is a vital part of any wardrobe instantly smartening up any outfit.
• Black pointed shoes – these can be flat or heels but a point looks modern and has the added benefit of lengthening the leg. These from Office.
• Clutch bag – forget the huge bag you normally carry around full of nappies, wipes, snacks and spare clothes. You only need a clutch bag when you are out and about for an evening and have fun with your accessories. Bright colours or prints look great. Check out Accessorize.
• Statement jewellery – swap your daytime jewellery for a statement necklace and bracelet or some great earrings to add a bit more glamour to your outfit.

Now off you go to sip some cocktails! Similarly if you have a more officey look for the daytime this too can be taken into the evening by adding a jacket, some jewels and a different bag. Adding these types of accessories to a little black dress would also look great. So that’s all from me on the styling front. I hope these tips have been useful and if you have any wardrobe dilemmas then do get in touch. If you feel like you need some guidance dressing and shopping for your shape, detoxing your wardrobe or even hosting a styling party then just drop me an email or visit www.stylebyclairelopez.co.uk.

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