Academy of Professional Image

Want your clothes to last longer and to look good for longer? You invest good money in your clothes. You’ve spent precious time and energy shopping for them and finding pieces you love. So you want them to last.

Not only is this good for your bank account, it’s good for the planet.

Now, many of your clothing labels may have a “Dry Clean Only” tag, which has been unnecessarily added to the garment. This is to reduce manufacturers’ liability, as they may have wanted to skip pre-washing and pre-shrinking the fabric before making the garment, which lowers their costs. Or maybe they don’t want to have to hear from customers who throw their viscose clothing in a dryer after washing and shrink it, because viscose is a delicate fabric.

Want Your Clothes to Last Longer? Washing Matters — Inside Out Style 9 types of clothing need to be washed in delicates bags to make them last longer, you already know about bras, but did you know about activewear?

A reader recently asked me a great question: “I love feminine and romantic styles of clothes, but I’m really low-maintenance. How can I incorporate these together when I feel like they’re opposites?”

Can You Be Feminine and Low-Maintenance? Yes—Here’s How — Inside Out Style How can you create a feminine look whilst still being low maintenance and easy to wear, practical yet look stylish?

We don’t just see colours – we feel them. And surprisingly, what we call a colour can have just as much impact as the colour itself. Colour names and perception are deeply intertwined. Just like the difference between “camel” and “caramel,” the words we associate with a hue shape whether we find it appealing, wearable, or even flattering.

This isn’t simply marketing fluff. It’s backed by psychology, perception science, and decades of experience helping real women connect with their true colours.

What’s in a Name? How Colour Names Influence Your Style Perception — Inside Out Style Colour names and perception matter more than you think. Discover how naming colours like caramel vs. camel changes how we feel, wear, and relate to our wardrobe.

Styling striped shirts by personality dressing style is a fun and expressive way to take a classic wardrobe piece and make it completely your own. Striped shirts may be timeless, but that doesn’t mean they need to look identical on everyone. By aligning your stripes with your personality style, you transform a staple into a signature.

Here’s how to approach styling striped shirts by personality so they look and feel true to you.

How to Choose and Style Striped Shirts Based on Your Personality Dressing Style — Inside Out Style Styling striped shirts by personality helps you wear this classic piece in a way that reflects your unique dressing style and feels like you.

It’s so easy to feel drawn in by trends, styles, and that “Instagram-perfect” wardrobe you see everywhere. You’re not alone in feeling this way. But here’s the thing: chasing trends or building a wardrobe based on someone else’s style criteria will only leave you feeling more disconnected from your personal style. Let’s break this down and get you back on track!

Simplifying Your Style and Finding Wardrobe Bliss — Inside Out Style How to simplify your wardrobe and stop buying clothes that you never wear by defining your personalised style criteria

If you’ve ever stood in front of the mirror wondering how to make a caramel-toned (or camel) jacket work with your body, lifestyle (and your flats because comfort is key to feeling stylish), you’re not alone. In fact, this was one of the questions I got in my recent 7 Steps to Style members Q&A session, so I thought I’d share with you here as well.

Many women over 40 find themselves at a crossroads: craving ease and comfort while still wanting to look polished, proportional, and confidently put together. If you have a casual lifestyle, prefer flat shoes, and want to feel taller and more streamlined—without resorting to restrictive fashion “rules”—this guide is for you.

Let’s walk through how to style your high-hip length caramel jacket in a way that honours your body, your values, and your life.

How to Style a Caramel Jacket — Inside Out Style Camel or caramel, light browns are in trend and a great neutral that works with many other colours, but how do you style your caramel jacket?

Have you ever stood in front of your wardrobe feeling completely uninspired?

Do you find yourself wearing the same outfits on repeat, not because you love them, but because you don’t know what else to wear? If you’ve ever wondered why style feels so much harder than it should, you’re not alone. Many women—especially those over 40—struggle with style confidence.

Life changes, our bodies evolve, and suddenly, the clothes that used to work just don’t feel right anymore. But here’s the good news: your style struggles aren’t a reflection of you. They’re just signs that something is missing from your approach. And the first step to fixing it is understanding what’s holding you back.

What's Holding Back Your Style? Take the Quiz and Find Out — Inside Out Style Discover what's holding back your style and how you can start improving it straight away when you know the reason why

Let’s be honest: a style rut isn’t just about clothes. It’s about identity, confidence, and self-perception. If your wardrobe feels stuck, tired, or out of sync with the woman you are today, you’re not alone. But the good news? You can get unstuck.

Inspired by Dan Rockwell’s leadership wisdom, here are seven powerful style reframes to reignite your style journey and escape your style rut.

7 Universal Laws for Escaping Your Style Rut — Inside Out Style Feeling stuck in your wardrobe? Break free from your style rut with these 7 powerful steps to refresh your look and reignite your confidence.

Have you ever stood in front of your wardrobe trying to figure out what to wear, and you hear it whispering to you, “you’re fat… you’re frumpy… you’re so unstylish”?

We need to talk about wardrobe manipulation. Yes, that sneaky way your closet quietly undermines your confidence and decision-making. The kind where you’re five minutes from a Zoom call, towel on head, and nothing feels right. Your clothes whisper, “It’s not me, it’s you.” And you start to believe it. Let me be clear: it’s not you. It’s your wardrobe manipulating you.

Wardrobe Manipulation: My Closet Tried to Manipulate Me—and I Let It — Inside Out Style Discover how wardrobe manipulation chips away at your confidence and how to reclaim your style power with intention and clarity.

Have you ever considered changing your hair colour but hesitated because you feared high maintenance, costly salon visits, or ending up with a shade that just doesn’t suit you? Choosing a flattering hair colour doesn’t have to be complicated—especially when you use your personal colour palette as a guide.

How to Choose a Flattering Low Maintenance Hair Colour — Inside Out Style How to choose the best hair colour for you, one that flatters your complexion and is low-maintenance so it's easy to look after