Clare, Mum of three, Company Director
I always had plenty (loads) of clothes, but fast forward through to my 40s, several children and a life of school runs and standing in playgrounds and I realised I needed some serious help. Shopping held no fun, mostly revolved around nappies, Hello Kitty and dinosaurs, a look I felt would not suit me.
I had seen Mel’s blog and had started stalking, I mean, following her as I liked the way she wrote, and I kept going back to her website. I lost 10kg and that was it, I had no clothes that fitted me, and the time had come. I sent out my SOS to Styled by Mel.
A few weeks later I was perched on a stool in Mel’s place, having my colours done. This was all some kind of black art to me, and was a mixture of relaxing and unnerving as Mel wafted coloured swatches of material around and stared at me. I was duly identified as a summer and given lots of advice and my own swatch set to take shopping. Being entirely out of my comfort zone I refused to leave until Mel agreed to come shopping with me.
First of all Mel came to look through my existing wardrobe. I did quite well (I thought) preparing and had dug out ALL my clothes (wardrobe, under the bed, in the attic..) and had even done a first weed through, ditching old and unloved items to go off to the charity shop and find new, more appreciative homes. So I was feeling confident when Mel arrived with her clothes rail and her clip board.
It seemed that I owned plenty of items that were unflattering either in shape or colour. Mel demonstrated this by getting me to try items on and pointing out (very politely and kindly) what was wrong with the clothes – they made me look washed out, grey, or did nothing to my figure making bits look bigger or swamping other bits.
Luckily there were a few outfits that passed the Mel Test, and they remained on my rail, looking smug and relieved as we bagged up all the rest. I insisted on hanging on to only one dress which Mel had advised against. We also had a little pile of clothes to be adjusted by local seamstress Gill at Make and Mend.
With my depleted wardrobe, the shopping trip was very much needed. I have to say that I wasn’t looking forward to traipsing around Watford, even with Mel for company. However, we had a fabulous day. Mel had researched loads in advance and had planned which shops we’d head for and items to look out for. I soon realised there was a pattern: Mel holding up an item, me looking at it and not being that impressed, Mel making me try it on, me realising Mel was 100% right. There was also a reasonable amount of giggling and innuendo in the changing rooms. A few tea breaks, a quick snack and then the day was over and I was delivered home with my haul.
And I’ve been wearing items from that haul ever since. I’ve never had more compliments about how well I look, and I feel so much more confident, more me and less frumpy/mumsy.
I’ve told lots of people about Mel and many assume that she must have taken me off to lots of designer shops for swanky outfits. But actually we shopped at H & M, Next, FatFace, Monsoon, M and S… just your normal high street shops. I can’t recommend the whole experience enough! So much so that I have booked already for next season so Mel can make sure that even over winter I am properly StyledByMel.
A short version of my recommendation would be “Mel knows her stuff and she also happens to be a lovely person.” She made all of this fun and a pleasure.
Oh, and the one dress I insisted on keeping? I put it on one day, realised Mel was right, it looked dreadful, and I packed it off on its way. She’s the boss.
I always had plenty (loads) of clothes, but fast forward through to my 40s, several children and a life of school runs and standing in playgrounds and I realised I needed some serious help. Shopping held no fun, mostly revolved around nappies, Hello Kitty and dinosaurs, a look I felt would not suit me.
I had seen Mel’s blog and had started stalking, I mean, following her as I liked the way she wrote, and I kept going back to her website. I lost 10kg and that was it, I had no clothes that fitted me, and the time had come. I sent out my SOS to Styled by Mel.
A few weeks later I was perched on a stool in Mel’s place, having my colours done. This was all some kind of black art to me, and was a mixture of relaxing and unnerving as Mel wafted coloured swatches of material around and stared at me. I was duly identified as a summer and given lots of advice and my own swatch set to take shopping. Being entirely out of my comfort zone I refused to leave until Mel agreed to come shopping with me.
First of all Mel came to look through my existing wardrobe. I did quite well (I thought) preparing and had dug out ALL my clothes (wardrobe, under the bed, in the attic..) and had even done a first weed through, ditching old and unloved items to go off to the charity shop and find new, more appreciative homes. So I was feeling confident when Mel arrived with her clothes rail and her clip board.
It seemed that I owned plenty of items that were unflattering either in shape or colour. Mel demonstrated this by getting me to try items on and pointing out (very politely and kindly) what was wrong with the clothes – they made me look washed out, grey, or did nothing to my figure making bits look bigger or swamping other bits.
Luckily there were a few outfits that passed the Mel Test, and they remained on my rail, looking smug and relieved as we bagged up all the rest. I insisted on hanging on to only one dress which Mel had advised against. We also had a little pile of clothes to be adjusted by local seamstress Gill at Make and Mend.
With my depleted wardrobe, the shopping trip was very much needed. I have to say that I wasn’t looking forward to traipsing around Watford, even with Mel for company. However, we had a fabulous day. Mel had researched loads in advance and had planned which shops we’d head for and items to look out for. I soon realised there was a pattern: Mel holding up an item, me looking at it and not being that impressed, Mel making me try it on, me realising Mel was 100% right. There was also a reasonable amount of giggling and innuendo in the changing rooms. A few tea breaks, a quick snack and then the day was over and I was delivered home with my haul.
And I’ve been wearing items from that haul ever since. I’ve never had more compliments about how well I look, and I feel so much more confident, more me and less frumpy/mumsy.
I’ve told lots of people about Mel and many assume that she must have taken me off to lots of designer shops for swanky outfits. But actually we shopped at H & M, Next, FatFace, Monsoon, M and S… just your normal high street shops. I can’t recommend the whole experience enough! So much so that I have booked already for next season so Mel can make sure that even over winter I am properly StyledByMel.
A short version of my recommendation would be “Mel knows her stuff and she also happens to be a lovely person.” She made all of this fun and a pleasure.
Oh, and the one dress I insisted on keeping? I put it on one day, realised Mel was right, it looked dreadful, and I packed it off on its way. She’s the boss.
