I chose a colour analysis with Maggi, because it was clear from her website and social media that she knew what she was doing. This is especially clear when you look at the before and after photos of her clients which are amazing!
I was blown away by Maggi’s knowledge. I now know what colours suit me, and can’t wait to experiment. I am looking forward to Maggi helping me with my style and hair. She makes you feel at ease, and is clearly, an expert.
Rebecca Headd Launceston, Cornwall
Finally, we have some sun! Now is a good opportunity to have a good declutter for your summer wardrobe.
The question is, where to begin! I can hear you screaming and panicking, not knowing what to keep, what to get rid of, what works for my body and style and finally, not knowing how to put it all together. Well, if it makes you feel better, we all feel this way. It is so overwhelming building the perfect capsule wardrobe; it takes time and knowledge, to get it right.
So many of us, hate shopping. Not knowing what to choose, what suits us and what colours work together. Nothing tends to fit us properly, so we either go home with nothing or buy some random piece which doesn’t work with anything else or sits in the wardrobe with the label on; sound familiar? Hardly any of us are happy with our bodies; our confidence being affected massively.
Well, I am here to help! Below, are some fab tips on what you need to do before creating a perfect capsule wardrobe. I have provided some basics to help you shift your mind set into positive thoughts. Before you do anything, take a photo of what your wardrobe looks like now. This is so powerful to look back at in 6 months time.
So, are you ready to begin again?! Let’s go!
1. Organisation
The first thing to do, is to put all your clothes into piles on the bed.
Knitwear, trousers, skirts, t-shirts, dresses etc.
Bring all your shoes out, and put them into neat sections with flats, heels and trainers.
2. Condition
To have a polished look, you need to have clothes that are in good condition. Wearing tatty, beaten up clothes is not the answer. Look at your garments carefully. If they have holes or are worn, faded, stained in anyway, then put into a pile to throw or charity.
This includes going through your shoes. If they have turned up toes, totally soleless, scratched or full of mud, get rid of them!
The garments that are ok to keep, use good quality wooden hangers and shoe trees in shoes and boots, to keep the shape and take out the moisture, keeping them fresh and good condition.
3. Comfort and Fit
One of the most important things on a day to day, is to feel comfortable. If you don’t feel this way, you won’t enjoy wearing your outfits, and it will seriously, affect your day.
You will know the garments that feel uncomfortable to wear as soon as you put them on. This could be the fabric being too stiff or itchy. It could be the fit is too tight? It could be the other way, and the garment is too baggy, which bothers you. Go through and clear them.
If you have gained weight for whatever reason, what you need to ask yourself is, am I going to lose that stone?
If the answer is yes, then great. When you have reached your target, then go out and purchase clothes.
Be honest with yourself! If you are not going to lose the weight, that is fine. Be happy with your new size and ensure that you have pieces in your wardrobe that fit you well and flatter your shape.
Don’t forget your shoes. They are the hardest item to get right in your wardrobe. If they feel uncomfortable, whether they are too high or they rub or cut in the wrong places, or just generally uncomfortable to wear, then give to friends, sell to a dress agency or give to charity.
You will never want to wear shoes, if they are uncomfortable.
4. Up to date
One of the problems I see in people’s wardrobe, is there is always clothes, shoes and accessories, that have been in there since the 1980’s. My clients give me a great tale of when they wore it and get a little excited.
If you would like an up to date modern wardrobe, you have to move on!
Having modern, classic pieces in your wardrobe is going to make you look fresh, young and modern. I am sure, we all want that!!
5. Fear
If you have been good and achieved numbers 1-5 WELL DONE!!
This is great, you have done so well. Give yourself a pat on the back.
You might have experienced many emotions whilst clearing your clothes. Some of my clients feel a failure that they did not get it right or have spent so much money on clothes that were not right. When I first started doing this exercise, I felt the same.
I need to say that this is very normal to feel this way. You need to remember, that you didn’t know! If you haven’t had the education of what to do, then you cannot achieve the perfect capsule wardrobe.
You can now turn this round to a positive and clear out the old and start with the new you! It feels fabulous when you get it right.
6. Memories
There will be clothes that you have in your wardrobe that mean something. Maybe, from a loved one, funeral or wedding. This is not going to be part of your day to day wardrobe. A suggestion is to put these clothes in a memory box or in another wardrobe with a suit cover so they will be protected.
7. Other
You will have other clothes that again do not take part in your main capsule wardrobe. This could be gym wear, walking gear, gardening or cleaning. These clothes can be put somewhere nice and tidy away in a drawer or another part of the house.
8. Visible
The amount of wardrobes I have gone into that have 4 garments on one hanger or hidden shoes and scarves or areas that you cannot get to.
If you cannot see the items, you will not know that they are there so you won’t be wearing them.
When you put the pieces that are right, back into your wardrobe, ensure that they can be seen.
This will also make it easier when mixing and matching your garments.
By doing the above, will help your mind feel less overwhelmed before getting to the stage of knowing your colours, style and body shape. We all need to do the above twice a year, for our clothes and wardrobes to be updated and fresh.
The next stage of your capsule wardrobe is to inject colours that are right for your skin tone, hair and eyes, then look at your clothes and keep the ones that project your style preference. We are then looking at your body shape.
Join me on the ‘capsule wardrobe part 2’.
Working with Maggi was a lot of fun and felt very collaborative. Her knowledge and experience meant that I now understand a lot more about the science of why some items of my clothing or outfits work and why some don’t.
My wardrobe is now much ‘lighter’ both in colour in quantity. I’ve managed to upcycle some garments, which has saved me money. All my clothes and shoes now easily fit in 2 double wardrobes with room to spare!
I bought a gorgeous velvet coat in a dusty blue, and I absolutely love it.
Sadie Exeter
Congratulations Maggi you worked your magic!
I am a 78-year-old woman, who has a tricky body, with not only my proportions, but also from having surgery. Accumulating 6 wardrobes of clothes over the years, I had lost my way and needed help.
Over two days, Maggi helped me with colour, style, and eliminated 150 garments that were not suitable for me. I now have a newfound knowledge about myself and find shopping exciting and productive. My self-confidence has gone through the roof.
My daughters are hugely impressed, the local charity shops are delighted, and my long-suffering husband has a new wife after 57 years! I am so grateful!
Judith Stephenson Newton Ferrers, Plymouth
Maggi has been absolutely great at helping me feel more confident choosing outfits that suit my body. I really had no idea where to start before I met with Maggi but she gave me useful, practical advice about colours and styles. I came back recently to talk solely about swimwear and she helped me narrow down the options to the ones best suited to me.
I feel so much more confident shopping for clothes and choosing outfits. Thank you so much!
Cherry Bedford, Sawmill worker Lapford
Loved my style session with Maggi. After a long time focusing on my career and having a busy family life, I wanted to regain a sense of self and build a small wardrobe of outfits that I would help me feel like me, would be quick and easy to pull together day by day and for those special occasions, and help give me a sense of confidence that I was looking my best.
Maggi was very welcoming and interested in taking time to get to know me so that the whole session felt very personal and tailored. Maggi has a wealth of knowledge and a passion for what she does and an engaging approach that made the session relaxing and fun.
Sarah Doctor South Devon
THE SEASONAL METHOD – When a range of coloured fabrics are placed across your chest it becomes immediately obvious which colours enhance your looks and make you glow and which colours drain you, doing nothing for you at all. From this test Maggi can determine which of the four seasonal colour categories you personally fall in to.
The colour profile is LIGHT, BRIGHT, WARM
The natural look of Spring is
VIVID, LIVELY, GOLDEN, FRESH, SUN-KISSED
The colour profile is LIGHT, MUTED, COOL
The natural look of Summer is
ELEGANT, SOFT, DUSTY, ASHY, DELICATE, TRANSLUCENT, ‘English rose’
The colour profile is DEEP, MUTED, WARM
The natural look of Autumn is
RICH, EARTHY, BURNISHED, TAWNY
The colour profile is DEEP, BRIGHT, COOL
The natural look of Winter is
DRAMATIC, BOLD, STRONG, ICY, STEELY
Danny and Sandy from Grease
Select an outfit that suits the occasion. If you are going out in the day that is less formal, then wear an outfit that is smart/casual. If you are going out for an evening meal, then the outfit needs to step up to a more smarter outfit.
Wear clothes that show off your personality. Image is a form of communication – let your date see who you truly are. Do not choose an outfit because it looks good on the mannequin, or seen on someone else, the outfit needs to reflect you.
To look good; the fit is key. The garments need to skim the body – not too tight or too baggy. You don’t want to look a sloppy joe.
Your date will sum you up in seconds. Ensure that your overall look, including your hair and accessories are modern and up to date. Examples are: a current hair cut, (not loads of product in your hair) modern clothes (not from the 80’s) not forgetting the shoes.
There is nothing worse than trying to over do it. Wearing a white suit, shiny tie, short red dress, showing lots of cleavage, lots of make-up, and covered in perfume is not a good idea. Your date will be concentrating on what you are wearing (in the wrong way) instead of listening to what you are saying.
Choosing the correct colours for the date is key. If you want to impress your date, it is not a good idea wearing overall black or wearing harsh, serious colours like black, white and red. You want to come across as kind, approachable and trustworthy – so wearing softer colours like pink, lilac and grey (if you are cool) and off white, aqua and natural colours (if you are warm) will make a massive difference.
Impress your date and think of the basics. I know it sounds silly, but not a lot of people think of little basic things like: washing your hair, blow drying and putting some product in to finish off your style. Clean clothes and clean you. Smooth skin with applying a moisturiser and light perfume.
Stand up tall, look confident and smile. Look at your date in the eye and give them a big happy smile; it’s easy and makes a massive difference. You might be shaking inside, but learning how to calm your body down, breathe and relax will help. Most of all, enjoy your time together and have fun!
If you would like to learn more please contact Maggi email info@maggigreen.co.uk
I have recently retired, and after years of wearing corporate work clothes, was left with little idea about how to dress for me. I booked a classic style and colour analysis with Maggi and it was just what I needed.
A precious few hours were spent focusing on me and, whilst that was initially slightly scary, I found out more about my style choices and colours than I thought possible. I left with not only a style and colour personalised booklet, but more importantly, the confidence to be the best version of me. I loved every minute!
I was so impressed by Maggi’s wealth of knowledge. She is very professional but also friendly and approachable and I was able to talk quite freely to her about what I wanted from the sessions. For me, what makes Maggi stand out as an image consultant was her interest in me as a person and her passion to empower me to be confident in who I am.
Claire Goddard Retired teacher Cullompton, Devon
Thank you, Maggi, for such a fantastic day with you! I am relatively confident in my body, but you filled me with so much more! Your inspiration and priceless knowledge of how to embrace what I have, look my best and all the options I have open to me to honour my body and true nature, through the clothing and accessories I wear, is a true gift.
First of all, you and your home are both beautiful, I felt at home and welcomed so warmly by you. How you break down the session is fabulous. The system that you’ve created flows fantastically through all different elements that create the full style of a person, and with so much new information, the clear and flowing nature of the way you share that is really helpful.
I have had a style and colour done by someone else before, but came away confused and still not sure on how to look my best. With you, your clear passion and living & breathing of style and colour is so clear, it shines from you. And so beautiful to see how it lights you up sharing that knowledge with others.
I have come away from our session together, even more confident and comfortable in my own skin & nature. Excited to try all the new shops and brands that I didn’t know existed to expand my wardrobe with pieces that truly are my style, and just recommending to everyone to have a session with you. This knowledge is invaluable investment in to oneself, not just on a physical level but on a deeper level of using clothes and fashion to show the world the true you, whereas before, it felt and often see many others use clothes and fashion to hide behind, rather than as a true extension and expression of themselves.
With gratitude,
Mary Jewellery Designer, Wareham Dorset