PERSONAL SHOPPER TIPS: HOW TO PLAN YOUR SHOPPING ONLINE AND MAKE IT REALLY WORK FOR YOU

My gut tells me online shopping will be the preferred options from the majority of consumers over 2021. Online shopping can be "tricky" so, while I absolutely understand that people feel safer and want to avoid stepping into a physical store (and also, most of them do not allow us to try things on during these times) I'd recommend being careful with shopping online, trying to search specific items and avoid random/compulsive purchases. So here are some tips to help make sure your online shopping experience is a good one!

Write a list

My first tip is to write a shopping list and follow it while researching items. Start your list by going through your Spring wardrobe and find the items you feel are missing that can extend your outfits. Do you have a need for new tops, or camisoles, perhaps you may need a few replacement light cardigans – whatever you feel you may need to add to your wardrobe that would actually work with your current collection will ensure you have a list that works rather than a haphazard approach to shopping.

Which clothing brands do you love?

We often gravitate to certain brands that work for us, and our wardrobe will show us those brands. So, while you’re writing your list, find out the brands that seem to pop up regularly. With this in mind, you can then visit their online stores for their new collections or sale items, that match your shopping list!

What cuts work well for your body?

Our body can look amazing in certain styles, and with a knowledge of the style of jeans you love most, to the dress types that you feel amazing in, figure out the cuts and styles you love to wear and this will help you when searching for items online.

For example, if you feel fabulous in square neck tops – look for clothes with a similar neckline that you know you’ll feel confident in. Perhaps you need a new pair of jeans (now we are finally being given the opportunity to go outside with friends once again!), consider the style of jeans you like, as well as the leg length and waist size, which you can replicate with your next purchase. Flared jeans are coming back into fashion, so if you’ve been desperate to get a pair, now is a great time to invest.

What colours will suit your current wardrobe and personal style?

Another really important part to remember when it comes to shopping is to know the colours you love to wear, and that work with your wardrobe. Many online shops allow you to categorise by colour as well as type, so use this option so you’re not distracted by items that just won’t work with your current wardrobe!

Know your budget

My final tip is to consider your budget. Fast fashion works well for quick required pieces, but with so many of us still being wary of going out quite as much, you may want to step back and consider your budget. With a higher ticket price, you will often find a much better item – and if this means waiting a little while before investing in pieces that you will love, or waiting for a sale, then you will find your wardrobe has more clothing that you want to wear more often. Invest in a few important pieces while online shopping that stay within your budget, to treat yourself, but also to know that they will be worn with love & will work with multiple items in your wardrobe (if you’ve done all the other ideas in this list!).

If you are feeling a little overwhelmed by the thought of shopping online, or perhaps you have bought clothes in the past that you’re not using, please get in touch – I can help you with my online personal style masterclass where we will work together to create a perfect personal style for you. With this in hand, your shopping (online and offline) will be a much more enjoyable experience!

SEVEN SECONDS TO IMPRESS - HOW TO MAKE YOUR SEVEN SECONDS REALLY WORK FOR YOU

Did you know it can take just 7 seconds to make up your mind about whether you want to engage with someone, or not?

This can be very scary numbers for some of us, but what if you knew that those 7 seconds that someone had for you, they knew straight away who you were, your personality, your passions, and that they want to connect with you more? These 7 seconds can be essential for when you run your own business, work in a corporate office, have a date to go to (!) or any interaction really, and it also matters on video too.

I recently had an online talk with videographer and YouTube expert, Eugenia Zagoruyko of uFocus, where we shared our tips on how to impress in just 7 seconds using video. With her fantastic tips for getting everything right on your video, and with my tips on styling, we had great feedback from the attendees of the talk, to help give them the confidence to get started with their videos for their business!

I wanted to share some of the tips we shared, in terms of styling advice & video advice, so you can potentially get started with building your confidence, and know that the next time you meet someone new, those 7 seconds won’t worry you.

TIPS FOR IMPRESSING IN 7 SECONDS ON YOUR VIDEOS:

Some of the top tips Eugenia shared with the group were:

1. The light is important! Your camera will take on the light in a different way to how you see it with your eyes. Don’t have a bright light behind you, as people will be distracted by the bright light behind you, and lights above you will cause difficult shadows. Have a light in front of you to help light up your face.

2. Consider your background. As minimal distractions for people as possible is important, but don’t feel you have to have just a white background. You can show off your personality with your surroundings but help ensure that you are still the star of the video.

3. Set up your camera for a feeling of conversation. People look at you through your videos and feel as if they are there with you, so the perfect framing is with your face and shoulders. It helps viewers to feel as if you are close enough to have a conversation with them.

4. Take off your glasses – the effect is twofold here. Firstly, when you have your lights set up for your video, they can often reflect off your glasses, and can be distracting. It also helps you to prevent yourself from being distracted by yourself whilst you are filming!

5. Ground yourself. Take a moment before you start your video to ground yourself, smile, and take a breath. This will help you get prepared and in the zone prior to recording. When you finish, smile, count to three, and then you have enough time to stop your video comfortably.

PERSONAL STYLING TIPS FOR IMPRESSING IN 7 SECONDS ON VIDEOS:

Now here are my top tips for styling yourself for your videos, to help you feel confident and built rapport with people in just 7 seconds!

1. Consider how much people are seeing of you on your videos. Most of us only show our face and shoulders in our videos, so these are the most important parts of your outfit.

2.  More make up is often best. Video cameras pick up things differently to our eyes, so you will need to apply a little more make up that you usually would in your day to day life!

3. Bring the attention to your face through your styling. Steer away from too vibrant colours and consider minimal accessories, unless your brand is all about extravagance! Bring people’s attention to your face so they can listen to what you are saying, rather than fluttering between your clothes, your accessories, your background, and then your face and what you are speaking about.

4.  Consider the best colours for your skin tone. Try to understand what are the general characteristics of your face, for example light colours, which means lighter colours work best on your skin; vs darker colours work great on a darker complexion. For a more bespoke colour analysis to help you really know what works best for you on camera (and in person!) a colour analysis can truly help.

5.  Video is no different than in person. Although we want to be comfortable and embrace the joys of working from home, it is important to consider these video meetings, and professional videos as if we were meeting people in real life. It’s important to give the commitment to the videos as you would a talk, a meeting, or a business event. It can also help to make you feel uplifted and ready to take on the video!

I hope these 10 tips help you prepare for doing more videos whether for meetings, networking events, or when you decide to start filming for your business. To see the full video, head to my YouTube channel.

A huge thank you goes out to Eugenia of uFocus, for sharing such important and useful tips, and for all the time you have given. Please visit her website for more details on how she helps clients with videos, and her upcoming workshops.