8 USEFUL STYLE LESSONS To Know For 2023! Style Tips I Learnt Last Year

8 useful style lessons to know for 2023! From finding a unique personal style that suits me, to experimenting with colour, here's my top style lessons from last year.
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Items Featured (in order of being featured)
Blouse I'm Wearing - found on sale at David Jones, alternative options
AU sites bit.ly/3WbtCdJ or bit.ly/3Xo5Hce
US bit.ly/3kbCnXX
Pearl Earrings I'm Wearing mejurifinecrew.sjv.io/MXJRkJ
Get 10% off your first Mejuri order here mejurifinecrew.sjv.io/MXJRkJ
Reformation Green Dress - Size 0, similar bit.ly/3H3Rqfk
Tibi Oversized Blazer Size XXS bit.ly/3w7U6Cx
a very good dupe of blazer bit.ly/3H2ZDAt
Sezane Stripe Knit XS seza.ne/QhddDkqUXC
& Other Stories White Trousers 36 - similar pants in beige bit.ly/3XbkXJS
& Other Stories Cream Blouse With Cowl Neck 34 bit.ly/3WsnwGl
& Other Stories Cream Blouse With Cowl Neck (US site) bit.ly/3QKmi7R
& Other Stories Navy Bias Skirt - 36 bit.ly/3COOwc6
& Other Stories Navy Bias Skirt - 36 (US link) bit.ly/3w546fN
Lee Mathews Light Blue Skirt - sold out, this one is a bright blue but it's still got the bias cut bit.ly/3Xyhvc0
Dresses I Tried On (In Store) are from Ganni (just for fun) bit.ly/3QI2yBU or bit.ly/3GGL97V
Arket Red Trousers 36 bit.ly/3H8HAco
Arket Blue Trousers 36 bit.ly/3H7H6TE
The Curated Navy Coat M bit.ly/3GEsytn
Tibi Check Coat - old, this Sezane coat has a similar colour palette bit.ly/3kn1wPq
The Curated Cashmere Grey Mockneck Knit XS bit.ly/3w2aHHV
Red Blazer - Vintage
Sezane Cream Vest XS seza.ne/QhqYPprjH6
Chloe Tess Bag - Small bit.ly/3izlZQR
RESOURCES I Mentioned
Learn more about your style essence - these are some incredibly helpful resources I've been reading up on to learn more about this topic theconceptwardrobe.com/7-style-essences/complete-style-essences-guides#7-style-essences and gabriellearruda.com/the-7-style-essences-explained/
Merriam Colour Analysis kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5DblKl_o7-cnKs
Seasonal Colour Analysis theconceptwardrobe.com/colour-analysis-comprehensive-guides/color-analysis-which-color-season-are-you
Timestamps
00:00 - 00:16 Useful Style Lessons To Know
00:17 - 02:39 How To Find Your UNIQUE Style
02:40 - 04:48 Purchase Better
04:49 - 06:11 If In Between Sizes, ALWAYS Go Up
06:12 - 08:12 Understanding Clothing PROPORTIONS
08:13 - 10:09 Find Your Style ESSENCE
10:10 - 12:18 How To Find Better DUPES
12:19 - 14:12 UNIQUE & STATEMENT Pieces
14:13 - 17:19 Understanding Your Best COLOURS
17:20 - 17:44 Outro
Sizing
For reference, I am 160cm or 5'3. I wear an AU 6, XS. EU 34 and US 0 (I take one size down in US sizing). I am more pear shaped and often need to size up one size for pants for it to fit well at the hip. For jeans I am usually a W26.
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Disclaimer: Affiliate links are used above. This does not change the price of the item for you however I will receive a small percentage. This video is not sponsored. For business enquiries, contact me on [e-mail]

[@athag1]

Trinny’s closet being “not completely minimal” has got to be the understatement of the year! 😂

[@AD-wm9if]

The fabric weight is crucial. For me, I learned that I don't like light fabrics or too heavy fabrics (aside from denim jeans and leather jackets.) Like I can't wear a light crepe skirt, a mid weight viscose is much better. My style has changed a lot since I found that I can find tailored, non stretch, mid weight fabrics and they are much better for me than elastane blends. It's revolutionary to have worked out, ok I hate paisley and florals, but houndstooth & Glenn plaids work really well for me.

[@stelaidrizi]

I feel the same way about this entire paragraph

[@bastelkiste2242]

You're absolutely right about the " purchase better " rule! And for me it goes along with the rule " get rid of the items that do nothing for me". Also I learned a lot about my best / worst colors the last year.

[@DailyHelenJ]

Absolutely :) Thank you so much for watching xx

[@notaclue822]

I appreciate that you stress the fun in having unique pieces. I find it joyless to limit myself to basics for the reasons you state.

[@DailyHelenJ]

Thanks Shirley :) I do love a statement piece, makes everything in a wardrobe that much more interesting!

[@ashleyjohnson9428]

I think it’s interesting how many fashion KZbinrs don’t incorporate essences/kibbe body type into their videos. 80% of the general fashion guidelines and rules do not even apply to me because I have a Gamine essence and body. Both of the systems have helped me find and navigate my personal style with more clarity. I wish more of fashion KZbin educated themselves. I tried fighting my body for so long and the systems haven’t limited me, but rather enlightened me and reaffirmed years of intuition.

[@psygeek961]

Do you have any Gamine youtubers you enjoy? I'm a natural gamine mix - too feminine stuff and too 'neutral' colored stuff looks off on me

[@szfrj]

I feel the same! Love the flamboyant natural principles (kibbe) now I know why I look ridiculous in cropped anything. I can decide much quicker is something is for me or not ❄️❄️

[@DailyHelenJ]

Thanks Ashley, I agree they can be very helpful rather than limiting :) I've been obsessed with learning about this topic and cannot wait to dive deeper in.

[@kseniakiseleva8551]

Agree. And to build on that, many KZbinrs do not understand their Kibbe body type and buy clothes that just do not fit properly. Helen, you mentioned you prefer relaxed fit and dropped shoulders in your knitwear, but, assuming that you’re soft gamine, these styles are not the best choice for your frame. I remember your outfit in the recent Arket haul - fitted red jumper and jeans - it looked absolute knockout on you!

[@DailyHelenJ]

Hey Ksenia :) I don't believe I'm Gamine. I think a lot of Asians are petite and could seem to fit into this category. I feel SN (which I was typed to be) makes a lot of sense for me and then testing the clothing, also makes sense on my frame. Thank you so much, I do love that knit :)

[@halinameson2946]

Great interesting info. I’m one of those people that buy the same thing over and over. And don’t take the time to analyze the details. You have made me a fashion “Sherlock” ;)

[@kat_thefruitbat]

I so appreciate when you talk about style elements such as drape, silhouette, texture, color, print, etc. and how/why it’s so important to figure out your personal preferences for each of them! ❤ Also, as with anything you discuss, you always explain everything so well and are so thoughtful to include such helpful visual examples! 👏 Love and appreciate you and all your thoughts, ideas, positivity, inclusivity, creativity, intentionality, and expertise you share with us all! 😊

[@DailyHelenJ]

This is so incredibly kind, I really appreciate it :) It's always my pleasure but I'm just so happy you enjoyed it and found it helpful xx

[@simpleMarian]

I really love fashion ,clothing and styling them. I don't really go for what is on trend, i wear what makes me happy.mix and match everything .

[@33Jenesis]

I save a photo (stock or one I take) for every single item I purchased on my phone in category folders. I can see what I bought; color, style, occasion, season. I return similar items, items never worn after a while, items don’t match my life, or items not working with existing items. I am especially tough on shoes, bags, and jewelry (because they are more expensive).

[@tinkerbellss4533]

amazing video, especially the unique and statement pieces part!

[@janelleespinosa6247]

This was one of your best videos! Great work and learned so much! I love watching Trinny also, plus I use all of her products !

[@DailyHelenJ]

Thank you Janelle, I appreciate it! :) She is so fantastic, I am always inspired after one of her videos. I've never tried her beauty products but will be trying to get my hands on some when I go to the UK.

[@hellolindasau]

I always feel inspired after watching your videos 🥰 thanks for the insights and advice

[@mii-chin143]

The style map is such an interesting idea! I'll probably do one as well soon since I'll be moving and will need to go through my entire closet 😅 Shat you said about sizing is something I've always done, but it's also something that's given me way too much headache.. Since comfort is key imo I usually choose the looser fit but sometimes end up realizing that it's too loose to the point where it won't sit where I want it - this usually applies to pants and skirts since the waist measurement is what fluctuates the most during the day, time of month, and year, and also throughout life! However, today I'm glad that I chose to size up in a lot of pants, or chose elasticated waistbands (this especially since I gaind quite a few kilos over the holidays 🙈) Also, style essence is very interesting. Something I thought about, and that also comes to mind when we talk about cold or warm undertones, is that even though I usually follow this when choosing which colours I look good in, I often "ignore" it when it comes to jewellery. For instance, I have a yellower skintone (since I'm Asian) but cooler or olive undertone, as well as black hair (no visible brown tones which makes it look "cooler"). Therefore I often wear cooler colours and tend to avoid warm hues, but for jewellery I've been experimenting more with gold lately, and mixing it with silver or white gold. I can sometimes feel that wearing too many cool colours as well as cool toned jewellery can bee "too cool" and so I like to contrast with warmer gold, or a warmer shade of eg. brown. What I'm trying to say is that in regards to essence, I think it's interesting to try to understand your own so you can either play to its strengths or choose to do the opposite to create contrast.

[@DailyHelenJ]

Thank you so much. Congratulations on the move, you sound like you have an exciting year up ahead :) I 100% agree with what you're saying, found myself in a very similar situation with the sizing and elastic makes life so much easier. Love hearing your thoughts here and I also love to contrast my jewellery, using gold with cool outfits and silver with warm. Creates a nice pop :)

[@irenelem7038]

Thanks for your insightful video! I might just try out one of those guides. 😍

[@athag1]

So much food for thought! Discovering Merriam’s Artistic Licence was a game changer for me in understanding colour. I haven’t explored essences. The idea seems sound, but something in me rebels against it. I should be celebrating my curves in flowy florals, but instead I feel my best in semi-structured clothes. A plaid shacket is still on my dream list.

[@ZurditaDinamita]

Essences are pretty fun IMO, and no restrictive at all! Obviously minimizing a whole personality to 1-3 words is very simplistic, but it can be a nice guide when you're absolutely lost (like I was lol)

[@joyce3003]

Awesome video as always! I'm still trying to find my personal style in 2023, but knowing these tips will be so helpful in getting there

[@patjohnson6147]

Thank you for the information on essences! I'm excited to learn more and hopefully it will help me when shopping!

[@phoebeyip235]

This was so helpful! I checked out those quizzes and found out I’m gamine and warm and delicate. Thanks for sharing the links/videos!

[@thestylethegirlandthewardr6198]

This video is incredible!! Your content is immaculate ❤️

[@AD-wm9if]

100% accessories are the style signature. I have what looks like a pirate belt from Etro that takes a regular white shirt and skirt outfit and brings it to swashbuckling lite. I have steel skull rings that I bought from a small shop in Japan that add the edgy element to a black jeans outfit. Or like I have a rose D&G scarf to put over basic black dresses and skirts to add a high contrast, dramatic element to dressed up outfit. Accessories are where it's at--this kind of includes shoes, because shoes set the tone for the whole outfit.

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

The most common style mistake I see (US) is wearing a size, or more, too small. It’s really unflattering, pulling, gapping and strain lines just make one look fatter. It’s especially common since the lockdowns, when many of us gained 10-15 lbs, including me. Naturally, we want to wear our old favorites again, but I just put those items aside until I got back to my usual size. I’m enjoying them as much as brand-new clothes now that I’m back to size, having to squeeze into too-small clothes is depressing. We should either try to get back in shape or accept our new size and move on, or we end up with double wardrobes: one we really wear and one we don’t. I would give it a year, though, before settling on a larger size. I regretted doing that in my 30s, rather than trying to attain my previous lower weight. It’s next to impossible to lose weight after menopause, I have to exercise vigorously AND starve!

[@DailyHelenJ]

It's a great idea to maybe put certain things aside and reach for them again when the fit is right :) Thanks for watching Kimberly :)

[@_inflection3209]

Definitely learned something here. I always wondered why I'd find a photo inspo , or, I'd buy one thing love it--- buy something similar in a different color and it wouldn't work the same. I'm pretty aware of fabric content, but didn't put into consideration that the drape is different lol lots to think about.

[@sussie9895]

Another video just filled with so much knowledge! Thank you so much! I'm glad to hear you mention Merriam, I'm quite surprised she doesn't have a bigger following. I'm surprised to hear you have Natural Essence - I think we have some similarities in appearance so I'm wondering if I'm way off with understanding my Kibbe/Essence. Do you think you could do another video talking a little more about your Essence?

[@lifeontheledgerlines8394]

These types of vids are always my favorites amongst yours :) tysm for all the advice! Another essence system I think you might find interesting is Style Thoughts by Rita's channel and her system which is based on the idea that style is composed of both intention and execution, and based on those two things there are a few categories and suggestions she might have for you. It's a small and niche channel but I have a feeling you might find it to be up your alley

[@DailyHelenJ]

Thank you :) These are some of my favourite to make. I just searched Style Thoughts by Rita up and her channel looks right up my alley right now! Thank you for the suggestion, I've been binging and looking into anything related to essence/kibbie systems and her content looks very very interesting.

[@lifeontheledgerlines8394]

@@DailyHelenJ I hope you find value in her content! I've been going down kibbe and kitchener rabbit holes too which have brought about some insights (fabric weight and structure mainly) which will hopefully help me make better purchases moving forward. Keep up the great content!

[@DevinaHeriyanto]

Please check Gabrielle Aruda's video on the essences. Her elaboration is top notch and she has some suggestions into incorporating essences into our body types and lifestyle, so that it becomes more accessible.

[@DailyHelenJ]

Oh she's fantastic! I watched her Natural essence video and LOVED IT! Thanks for the great recommendations Devina xx

[@jumplc]

Very useful advice! The Merriam Colour Analysis is very interesting, will definitely try it out :)

[@DailyHelenJ]

She's great, I'm a fan of what she does :) Thank you so much I'm glad it's useful :))

[@Martina_E]

I like your channel as well as Trinny & Karen!

[@brainblastinn]

Wow, i always thought you were a kibbe flamboyant gamine, with a strong natural essence lol But i love the idea of incorporating all of these systems into your wardrobe! So far just knowing my keywords and kibbe type have helped so much when shopping, as you can pinpoint what will work for you more easily. I only just figured out my kitchener essence blend yesterday (classic-ingenue with a hint of romantic) so i'll be working on finding pieces that match my style keywords (clever, feminine, classic), color story (dark or true winter), and kibbe type (soft classic). Will have a fun time shopping this year!

[@l.fu.4300]

Same here, would have guessed for flamboyant gamine!

[@DailyHelenJ]

Thank you! :) I just did a little research into flamboyant gamine and I have a lot in common but still land on SN as being my ID for now. Mostly because the width of SN resonates with me - in shoulders/hips and also the recommendations for SN make a lot of sense to me, so I think this is my ID. But who knows, I think we can kinda take more than one and adapt as I've seen people do, especially with the essence system.

[@hannahcrenshaw2727]

Can you please share what you’re wearing on your lips? It looks like it’s your signature, would love to hear where it’s from!

[@danread89]

Awesome video

[@DailyHelenJ]

Thank you xx

[@sophielog1876]

Love the idea of a style map! I did something similar and hung it inside my wardrobe and it is so helpful :)) And since you seem to be interested in style systems - I can totally and wholeheartedly recommend you to check out Style thoughts by Rita! She has developed a really well thought-out system that does not tell you what to wear but is all about the style logic (HOW you get dressed) and your style „heart“. I think you would love it, it makes so many decisions so much easier!! :)

[@brickhouse8213]

I love Rita's system!

[@dreamingofmidsummer]

Where did you get your color analysis done?

[@mansoor3159]

Wow Lumiere what a beautiful style you have and I really love your style so so so much you are my inspiration and I wish you reach 70K Subscribers very very soon!💕💫☺️

[@DailyHelenJ]

Thank you so so much :) xx

[@norak8080]

I'm no expert by any means, so you can completely disregard my opinion. but I think you have a dominant yin essence, my guess would be ingenue and maybe romantic. natural might be in your blend, but it isn't your most striking characteristic imo. I'm soft natural as well and I could never make sense of me being a natural even though I have a very soft and kind of even (as opposed to irregular) face. the essence system made it click for me (I'm classic-romantic with maybe a bit of natural) and I didn't feel lost in my Kibbe typing any more bc I don't have many natural facial characteristics. I feel like this could be the case for you too!

[@emmanuelleh7218]

Would love to learn more about the ressources you use to learn about styling like the essence principle from John Kitchener you explained.

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

I actually prefer the dress with the fitted bodice on you, you lose your shape in the more relaxed, straight-fit one. I agree about soft, drapey fabrics, I love them. I don’t even like denim, I can’t stand stiff, thick, rough fabrics like that.

[@DailyHelenJ]

Thank you :) I kind of like that dress but the shoulders were VERY dramatic irl. Agreed on denim tops, they can be a little hard to wear when it is very thick and structured for me.

[@emmy8526]

Alternatively, we can wear the colours we like. We don’t need to pay for another service, creating another woman-only appearance-related expense, in place of developing our own opinion, taste and judgement. What colours do you enjoy looking at? What colours look good on you in your opinion in the mirror and in photos? Which ones cheer you up and gladden your heart? There’s your answer. Not a knock on Helen whose style was just as good if not better before the consultations, but really this bland categorization went out once for good reason after the 1980s. The books are in the vintage shops.

[@emmy8526]

Anyway, I think all the other ideas in this video were great.

[@DailyHelenJ]

Oh I agree that we should DEFINITELY wear the ones that cheer us up and make us happy :) I guess this is personal but I like most colours and if it's a decision between a slightly warm blue and a slightly cool blue, I'll probably like both. So at that point it makes sense for me to consider which one is a bit more harmonious. It's a possible consideration to make the better purchase but by no means essential for everyone. But above everything, we need to love it!

[@Biancaleigh693]

For me. Learning my colours has helped my confidence, reduce money waste on clothes I won't wear, and really made my wardrobe so much easier to mix and match. However confidence is the thing that has been greatly influenced by colour analysis. Same with kibbe and Kitchener's theories. It can feel from the outside to be a restrictive systems but for me at least. Has set me free from outside judgement and really learn who I am and what looks best on me. Sorry if this doesn't *edited here. Forgot the key word doesn't* makes sense. But, for example, I love orange in clothing but every time I wear it. I become depressed because it looks awful. However, when I wear a more burnt golden orange. It looks so much better on me. It really helps.

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

Isn’t it annoying being shorter? Every top or dress I try on is too low-cut, I’m sick of it. I don’t want to wear high-neck tops, I just want more modestly cut V- or square-necklines, I don’t want to show everything. I almost always put darts in the back of the neckline, to raise it up, but it doesn’t look very professional. I can only size down so much, I have a larger bust that must be a accommodated. H&M are the worst brand in this respect, everything is cut for women 6 feet tall.

[@DailyHelenJ]

Absolutely true! Everything is a little too low cut once it's on me haha.