Style Workshop Recap

Over the weekend, after lots of planning and hard work, the day of my Style Workshop Seminar was suddenly upon me and what a whirl wind it was! My biggest goal in creating this event was to leave the women, both attendee's and those involved in the speaking and planning process, feeling inspired, excited and supported. I am a passionate advocate for encouraging women to go out into the world with confidence, to embrace their creativity and ultimately to be proud of the person they are.

Becoming comfortable in our own skin and feeling free to express ourselves is not only liberating but so vital to our overall happiness and success.Talking about styling - colour, texture, wardrobe basics and body shape is a great starting point but it is just one component, it is the technical piece of the puzzle but the practical is the fun part. It is my aim to provide the technical advice so women can gain the confidence to have fun with the practical process of styling themselves.

At the beginning of the seminar I mentioned White Ribbon and why I believe in this cause so passionately. I am thrilled to have been able to make a donation to support this incredible organisation with some of the proceeds for the workshop. I 'm incredibly thankful the women who came along to the event enabled me to to do this!

The lovely and talented Acacia Tsekenis from Acacia Makeup provided a makeup demonstration, creating a basic makeup look on model Arianne. Acacia explained what products she uses, the importance of 'less is more', contouring and highlighting. She discussed what tools to use and why it's ok to sometimes break the rules!

Switching back to wardrobe, I ran through styling basics, including body shape, colour analysis, tweaking an outfit and what style can do for us in terms of confidence and success. Models Ashleigh, Clare and Eryn came out in basic outfits and I explained how to use a few simple tricks and pieces to make an outfit pop. I touched on the importance of detail, whether that be contrasting fabric, the right neckline, how jewellery or an affordable accessory can create an entirely different look and the importance of visual balance when styling an outfit.

Eryn Cass, Claire Mackey & Ashleigh Wilson

Following a quick canapes break and meeting some of the beautiful women who came along to support the event, we sat down again to listen to the first guest speaker- Jemma from A Stylish Moment. Jemma talked about how she came to work in the fashion industry and the launch of her social media management company Dak & Co. She discussed the organic growth of her blog, explaining how a simple idea and hobby bloomed into a successful business with a large following both locally and internationally. Jemma has created a platform to connect with women all over the world through her own style, created simply by being herself and utilizing her talent and creativity. Her story is an inspiring one - she is a passionate advocate for Canberra and a real life example of taking passion and turning it into success.

Jemma Mrdak

Next up we heard from the fun and bubbly Alicia Xyrakis, owner of Braddon boutique Rebel Muse. Alicia talked about trends, confidence. having fun with fashion and why it is so important to support local business. The key message Alicia delivered was the power in being yourself, not taking fashion too seriously and experimenting with style. Alicia's vision and business savy is incredibly inspiring and I know Alicia's energy and confidence lifted everyone in the room.

Alicia Xyrakis

The final speaker was Emma Knieriem, one half of swimwear and intimates label Lil & Emm. As Sheree Lily was overseas (in beautiful Santorini no less - jealousy abounds), Emma talked about the birth of Lil & Emm, why their friendship is fundamental to the success of their business, how they develop their designs and their achievements so far. Emma's described the lifestyle hub they aim to create, with an online destination covering health, beauty, fashion and visual inspiration. Emma is an incredible local success story, she is humble, hard working, driven and professional - I am really excited to see where Emma and Sheree Lily take Lil & Emm in the future with so many opportunities on the horizon and consistent business growth, these girls are ones to watch!

Emma Knieriem

All in all, the Style Workshop was about women, fashion and confidence - it was a space to stand up and say "you are amazing, you can chase your dream, you can wear something new, you can use your voice, you can evolve and push the boundaries, you can continue to discover who you are and have fun with that journey". I am proud of everyone that was involved in this event and thankful to everyone who came along. I am already planning my next seminar, focusing on business start up's and entrepreneurial ventures in the fashion industry and also looking at running a more specific styling how-to seminar sometimes in Spring.