After spending the last couple of weeks:

👩‍💻 playing around on Illustrator

🎨 sketching ideas

✍️ experimenting with different styles

🩱👙and deciding my first printed garment NEEDS to be swimwear, seeing as swimwear season is approaching for most of us…

…it was time to get more direction.

(You can find week 1 here, and week 2 here)

So this week’s mission:
✔️ create a moodboard for my swimwear print direction
✔️ develop ideas I’d genuinely want to wear
✔️ and continue learning how to digitise my hand-drawn ideas in Illustrator

And honestly?

This week felt like things finally started clicking into place.

Using everything we explored inside this month’s Style for Sewists masterclass, The Pattern Personality Masterclass, I created a quick visual reference for my own pattern style first:

Because before creating prints, I needed proper clarity around:
✦ the types of patterns I’m naturally drawn to
✦ the level of boldness I like
✦ and the overall feeling I want my prints to have

And once I had that?

The ideas started flowing much faster.

I ended up creating two very different moodboards to explore:

IDEA 1: Hand-drawn stripes + geometric elements

IDEA 2: Playful, storytelling prints with a more artistic feel

And honestly? I’m very drawn to BOTH right now.

So with my moodboards in front of me, I started sketching.

And one thing became VERY clear:

I want my prints to feel hand-drawn, expressive, and slightly imperfect.

Not overly polished.
Not overly digital.
Not too “perfect.”

Which is why right now I’m loving the process of physically drawing ideas by hand first before digitising them.

Brush in hand.
Ink everywhere.
Letting things be imperfect.

It feels much more me.

Some of the ideas definitely weren’t “the one”…

…but honestly, I think this stage is less about creating perfect prints and more about learning how I like to create.

Because every time I stop trying to make something amazing immediately and instead focus on experimenting and learning the process…

…I make far more progress.

(Thank you Arlo, my very creative 2-year-old, for reminding me how important play is 😅)

I also spent more time practising digitising my artwork so I can start building muscle memory inside Illustrator before the first Q+A session for the print design course I’m taking later today.

And the biggest challenge I’m running into right now?

Trying to keep the organic, hand-drawn feeling once the artwork becomes digital.

Because THIS…
is exactly the part I don’t want to lose.

So next week’s mission?

Figure out how to bring more of that imperfect, artistic energy into the digital side of the process.

Luckily, I’ve got a Q+A later today as part of the print design course I’m taking, which should hopefully speed up the learning (and experimenting 😅). That’s exactly why I love learning through courses and classes - it speeds up the process and makes it a lot smoother.

And maybe…

just maybe…

I’ll create my first proper print.

Let’s see where week 4 takes us.

Subscribe to receive week 4 straight into your inbox 💌, plus weekly posts to help you discover and define your personal style, so your precious time, money, and energy go towards building a wardrobe full of clothes that genuinely reflect your personal style and world for your lifestyle too.

Subscribe now

See you on Friday for this week’s Style for Sewists post, where we’ll be bringing your pattern personality more to life in your wardrobe and outfits so your clothing goes from safe to full of life.

Sending love,

P.S. My yearly swimwear-making obsession is officially beginning again 🌊

So if creating your own swimwear is on your dream sewing list too, come join us inside Take the Plunge, my 4-week in-depth swimwear sewing, fitting, designing, and drafting course, especially because I’ll be running 2 bonus swimwear creation clarity studio sessions in June.

Find out more and join us here: https://thesewingretreat.podia.com/take-the-plunge-dive-into-summer-and-overcome-the-fear-of-creating-swimwear

(Like I used to!)

Then this masterclass is for you.

Because deep down, you know patterns could add the personality your wardrobe has been craving.

But the problem is, you’re not always sure:

• What level of boldness actually feels like you

• How the pattern work with your design

• or how to make prints feel intentional instead of overwhelming

That’s exactly what we’re changing inside this month’s Style for Sewists masterclass.

In this 45-minute masterclass with workbook to support, you’ll start defining your Pattern Personality, so you can confidently choose patterns, textures, scales, and placements that genuinely suit your style, your lifestyle, and your body.

Patterns will stop feeling risky…

…and start feeling like part of your elevated signature style

Read more

After years of thinking about it, I’ve finally started designing my own printed fabrics.

Not for a trend forecast.
Not for a client brief.
But for my own wardrobe and personal style.

And honestly? It's already giving me even more clarity around my pattern personality- noticing the types of patterns, scales, and techniques I naturally love… and the ones I really don’t.

In case you missed it you can find week 1 here.

On Friday, upgraded Style for Sewists members will begin discovering their Pattern Personality inside this month’s masterclass.

We’ll be exploring how prints, textures, scale, and pattern placement can completely change the feeling of an outfit, so patterns stop feeling overwhelming and start feeling intentional.

But before the Pattern personality masterclass drops on Friday, I wanted to bring you along for week 2 of my own print design journey…

And in case you missed last week, I shared where this whole journey is starting from, here

Week 2: Creating my own printed fabrics - and what I’ve discovered

So I started writing this thinking: I’ve barely made any progress.

It just goes to show that we often think more time equals more progress… but really, the time is irrelevant - it’s the clarity and confidence evolution that matters.

So this week….

• I received my fabric samples from the printing company, so now I can decide which fabric to print on and get a real sense of how the colours will actually come out

• With the challenges shared inside the sketchbook membership I’m part of, I tried drawing some quick ink clothing designs and adding patterns to them. I thought it’d be a complete flop, but actually I was surprised! What do you think?

• And lastly, I carried on playing with Illustrator. I even managed to turn this fingerprint painting I did with Arlo (my 2.5-year-old son) into the print below!

It’s not quite my colour story yet, and it’s not exactly the kind of print I’d want in my wardrobe…

But there was something really exciting about bringing a painting to life as a repeating print I could actually get printed.

And here's what I'm starting to notice:

I’m naturally drawn to organic, hand-made looking prints over polished, computer-generated ones.

Which is leading me to a slightly uncomfortable realisation:

I love designing prints.

I don’t think I love digitising them. 😅

The hands-on, tactile, messy part of the process? That’s where I come alive. Which, now that I think about it, is exactly how I feel about pattern drafting too. I know how to draft digitally. I always choose to do it by hand.

So maybe one day I’ll just paint and design the prints, and hand the digitising over to someone else.

Or maybe this is my sign to start painting directly onto fabric instead.

Watch this space. 👀

And now…

This was actually meant to be this week’s task 😅 but honestly, I didn’t quite get there.

What’s become VERY clear though, is that I need more direction.

Because without knowing what I’m actually designing for, it’s really hard to know what I’m working towards.

So my thought - design a print that would suit my swimwear style, get the design printed on swimwear fabric and make a swimsuit or bikini with it.

Because I’ve wanted to create a printed swimsuit and bikini for literally years.

Because swimwear season is coming.

AND because I have a swimwear-making obsession

And becuase pattern elevates the simplist of designs - perfect to elevate any swimwear!

And because sharing this process with my Take the Plunge students is going to be genuinely useful for them too 🌊

(Speaking of which, in June I’m running two bonus workshops for Take the Plunge students. If creating your own swimwear has been on your dream sewing list… now is the perfect time to join us 👀)

Explore Take The Plunge here

So next week’s mission:

✦ gather print inspiration
✦ develop swimwear print ideas
✦ and see if I can turn them into something I’d genuinely want to wear 🌊

Subscribe now

Sending love,

P.S. Upgraded members, your Pattern Personality masterclass drops this Friday. See you there

It’s actually letting yourself discover it. And then owning it

Because 99% of us are so deeply programmed to listen to what everyone else thinks we should wear, the trends, the rules, other people’s opinions, that we genuinely can’t hear our own internal voice anymore.

At a human level, we’re wired to fit in. It’s survival. And that same wiring programmes us to dress for everyone else’s approval, often without even realising it.

So this list below isn’t a set of rules about what not to wear.

That would go completely against everything I believe in over here.

This is a list of reminders for how to approach your style so you’re actually discovering, defining and owning it from your heart and soul. Not from everyone else’s opinions.

4 things to avoid as you’re discovering, defining and owning your style:

1. I would stop asking what anyone else thinks

Your partner. Your friend. Your family. Your dog.

Yes, your dog. Because I’m fairly sure they’d give you a look, and suddenly you’d be standing there thinking I knew it, it really is too much and taking the whole outfit off.

When we’re building our style from the inside out, we have to drown out the other voices, especially at the beginning. And the simplest way to do that?

Just don’t ask. Simples.

2. I would stop choosing theory over feeling

Technically, the colour works. Technically, the silhouette is flattering. Technically, you’ve followed the theory - the odd numbers, the complementary colours, your colour season, all the rules.

But that’s the thing. You’re following, not feeling.

When the following is supported by the feeling, absolutely, go for it. But when your body is shrinking because the theory says so?

Trust that feeling. That is your personal style speaking. It knows more than the rules do.

3. I would let go of perfectionism

Style isn’t perfect. Expression isn’t perfect. We’re not perfect as human beings, so let’s stop trying to do the impossible.

Just like every garment you make teaches you something, every outfit does too. That’s not failure. That’s style evolving.

Get curious, not perfect. You’ll enjoy it so much more, and it’ll feel so much more like you.

4. I would stop following everyone else’s rules

Chanel always said: “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.”

And it’s only recently that I’ve realised why that never quite sat right with me, despite Chanel being an inspiration for my style.

Because it’s not me. It’s not my style.

If anything, I’m adding another piece of jewellery, although I keep losing ear cuffs at the moment. I think they’re getting caught on my helmet, so I only have so many pieces I can add.

I’ve seen plenty of people whose style I admire wearing 20 bracelets, ‘clashing’ prints, bold colours head to toe, and looking completely, effortlessly stylish.

Because they’re owning it. And that ownership is what makes it work.

Rules are a starting point, not a destination.

Style is about supporting yourself in feeling fabulous. Not following a formula someone else wrote for someone else’s life, body and style.

Being stylish, and making clothes that feel like you, starts with trusting yourself enough to find out what that actually means.

It’s like discovering which herbs support you; nobody else can tell you how they make you feel. You have to try them, notice, and trust your own body’s response.

Tell me, is there one of these that resonated with you the most? Or something you’d add to the list? Drop it below, I’m curious 👇

Sending so much love,

Because playing with prints and patterns can take an outfit from simple to striking

…from flat to full of life

…from nice to interesting

…from safe to expressive

And this month? I’m finally doing it!

AND this also marks the start of this month’s theme over here.

After defining your silhouette in March and your colour story in April, we’re now stepping into something even more expressive.

Print and pattern.

The size, the scale, the type, the placement, and how all of it comes together to shape your style in a way that feels truly yours.

So whilst we’re discovering how to use prints and patterns to bring more life, personality and intention into what you wear.

I’m taking it one step further.

I’ll be designing my own prints, having them produced, and turning them into pieces I can actually wear.

And I want to bring you along for the entire process.

Think of this mini series as a behind-the-scenes look at how ideas turn into printed fabrics, and those fabrics turn into clothes you genuinely love wearing.

Here’s what this looks like so far:

I’ve just joined Kristina Forest’s Design and Print Your Dream Fabrics course, and yes, the timing is almost suspiciously perfect.

Kristina is walking us through designing prints digitally, digitising hand-drawn artwork and getting it all printed onto actual fabric.

I told her what I was plotting over here this month, and she very kindly offered $20AUD off for anyone who joins with the code THESEWINGRETREAT

Join here and enter THESEWINGRETREAT for $20AUD off

I’m currently in module 2, getting a head start, before Kristina officially kicks off 4 weeks of support on 11th May.

And because apparently one rabbit hole isn’t enough, I also joined a sketchbook membership.

The kind that makes you try mediums and styles you’d never normally go near.

It’s getting me thinking about prints in completely different ways. And I am here for it.

The irony of all of this?

I studied print design at the London College of Fashion.

And I have never once designed a print for myself.

Everything was for trends. For clients. For briefs.

Never for me.

So this, right now, is actually the first time I’m designing something completely custom to my own style.

About time. 😄

Where I’m at after one week:

• Illustrator is open. My fingers remembered the shortcuts. It felt like riding a bike.

• My sketchbook is filling up with ideas I wouldn’t normally have tried.

• And everything, the membership theme, the course, the sketchbook focus, is coming together to add much more playfulness to my style, something I’ve been craving for a long time.

If you’d love to see where this takes me and also start bringing your own outfits from simple to striking, join us inside the Style for Sewists membership.

Subscribe now

And tell me, have you ever designed or printed your own fabric? Or is it on the dream list? Tell me in the comments.

We can have an idea of the colours we’re drawn to.

But when it comes to actually combining the two, that’s where things start to feel unclear - like knowing all your favourite ingredients but having no idea what to cook with them.

And when that happens, something feels off, even if you can’t quite explain why.

Maybe the colour is bold and the silhouette is dramatic and together they’re just… too much.

Maybe it looks great on paper, or the pattern drew you in, but the moment you put the finished piece on, it doesn’t feel like you.

Maybe you’ve followed all the right style ‘rules’ and still know, deep down, you’d never actually reach for it.

That feeling?

That’s the gap between knowing your style and owning it.

And that's exactly what this post is about, going from discovering your silhouette and colours to actually using them together to create looks that feel like style.

Your style.

Everything from both of these themes lives in the membership directory, easy to find, easy to revisit whenever you need a style upgrade (full access for paid members) :

Bringing your silhouette and colour story together - a look inside my process

The easiest and most inspiring way I can share this process is by walking you through my own.

This isn’t a formula to follow exactly; it’s an invitation to see how one person brings it all together, so you can find your own way.

If you prefer to hand-draw, draw digitally, collage, or something else entirely, please do that. The method doesn’t matter. The noticing does.

So here’s my process:

1. I started with my silhouette story

First, I went back to my Silhouette Story workbook (shared below the masterclass) and noted down my silhouette story, then I found some inspiration to bring it to life visually, so I could really see what it looked like, not just describe it.

2. Then I defined my colour story

Even though there are many colours that could balance my natural colouring in the way I desire, not all of them speak to me.

So here 👇 I've placed a selection of colours that feel like me, some that feel safe, some that make me feel empowered, others grounded, and a few that are a little bit of a stretch for my colour boldness and where I’d like to take it.

Because, as I shared in the masterclass, colour isn’t just about what looks good, it’s also about supporting how we want to feel. And sometimes, how we want the people around us to feel too.

Then I found some colour inspiration to bring the palette alive and start to understand how I’d actually wear these colours.

Where possible, I tried to find inspiration used in silhouettes that speak to my silhouette story, so I was already starting to combine my colour and silhouette story together.

3. I started playing

With a clear foundation in place, it was time to start playing with more intention. I could see I wanted to be bolder, especially with colour combinations and balance.

So I began exploring my palette, looking at which colours I’d love to bring together and what stories I could create with them.

What I noticed doing this:

• I like similar colours together and playing with colour variation combos, rather than high contrast combinations

• I really only want to use 1-3 colours in an outfit, any more feels too much for me

• I tend to lean towards my brighter colours right now because of my surroundings, warmth and vibrancy feel natural when you’re surrounded by rice fields, palm trees and tropical greens. If I were in the UK in winter, I’d probably lean more towards my deeper, darker tones with some cream.

If I wore that same palette in London, it would feel and read very differently. This is something photographers, directors and designers are always thinking about. It’s worth thinking about too - Do you want to contrast them? Blend in with them? Or maybe a mix?

4. I compared where my style is now to where I want it to be.

Now it was time to look at everything together and notice the gap.

I pulled together pictures of what I actually wear and reach for most. It’s a powerful way to see where your wardrobe is now versus where your style story is pointing.

Taking photos of your outfits every day is a great practice to get into to support your style evolution.

Even though there’s no black (I spoke about my no black rule here), and some brighter colours in there, I can see I want to inject so much more vibrancy into my looks.

It still feels a little safe, and I say that for me, not as a judgment. My silhouette is there. It just wants to be a little more playful.

So when I’m choosing my next fabric, designing and drafting my next piece, choosing what to wear, or planning my next make, I know to lean towards the more vibrant colours from my palette where possible, and more playful silhouettes.

Because that’s the thing. The more aware we become, the more intentional we are. And the more intentional we are, the more our style story defines itself and evolves with us.

One other thing I’d love to do to bring more vibrancy to my looks is to incorporate more prints and patterns, and that’s exactly what we’re exploring in May.

Because I know for many of you, prints feel exciting but also a little scary. And that’s exactly the right place to start.

3 ways to bring your colour and silhouette story to life

Now that you have a clearer picture of where you want to take your style, it’s time to start making it real, not just imagining it.

This process is exactly how I’ve been learning on my own herbal medicine journey. First, I explored each herb individually, understanding each herb, how it felt, and what it could offer. Then I started to understand which ones could support me. And then I began creating blends, the perfect balance for each day, each feeling, each moment.

Style works the same way.

You start with the individual elements. You learn to understand them. And then you begin to blend.

And that’s where we are now. We’ve discovered the ingredients we want to use, now we’re in the kitchen. Tasting as we go. Noticing what combinations light us up and which ones fall flat. Not following someone else’s recipe.

Writing our own.

Read more

Colour can be the difference between an outfit that feels thrown together…
and one that looks considered.

It’s the difference between a cake that’s been quickly iced without much thought,
and one where every detail feels intentional.

So if you want to use colour in a way that feels stylish rather than accidental, this post is for you.

And as always, this isn’t about rules or getting it “right”.

It’s about bringing awareness to how you use colour, so it supports your style, rather than working against it.

How to use colour in your outfits in a stylish way

1. Start with the feeling

Style is a feeling.

And colour is one of the fastest ways to create that feeling.

Every space you walk into has a mood, often shaped by colour.

Clothing works in exactly the same way.

So instead of asking:

“What colours suit me?”

Start with:

• How do I want to feel in this outfit?

• How do I want others to experience me in this outfit?

For example, if I want to feel more grounded, I tend to reach for softer or earthier colours.

If I’m holding a workshop or going into a meeting, I lean into more bold, expressive colours.

And what “bold”, “expressive” or “grounded” looks like is personal.

If a colour doesn’t feel right for you, even if you’ve been told it “suits you”, that matters.

Because style isn’t just how something looks.

It’s how it feels when you wear it.

2. Choose your colour variation intentionally

We’ve all heard of colour analysis.

And yes, it’s super helpful to understand how colour interacts with our natural colouring.

But there’s a missing piece.

You don’t just have to match your natural colouring.
You can also choose to contrast it, or play with it intentionally.

Think about different style expressions:

• soft and harmonious

• bold and high contrast

• deep and dramatic

• pops of unexpected colour

None of these are more “correct” than the other.

For example:
If a colour feels like “a lot” on you, it doesn’t have to be the whole outfit, it could be a bag, a shoe, or a small detail.

The key is choosing your colour depth, softness and contrast intentionally, based on the feeling and expression you want to create.

This is exactly what we dive into inside this month’s masterclass, where I guide you step-by-step to define and work with your own colour story.

3. Place colour with intention

There’s a difference between slapping on a load of icing, where all the colours mix together into a muddy mess…

…and considering how one colour will balance the strawberry, and work with the main yellow icing.

One is simply getting the icing on.
The other is decorating the cake for the occasion it’s meant for.

So, when it comes to how you use different colours and colour variations, think about where they’re sitting in your outfit:

• Near your face — this is where colour has the most impact

• Through your body — how colour is carried across your silhouette

• In your jewellery — a subtle way to introduce or play with colour

• Your shoes, bag or hat — if they’re a statement, where is that colour repeated?

And how are those placements interacting with each other?

This isn’t about matching, it’s about intentionally choosing how you want to play with colour.

When you’re intentional with colour, everything starts to come together, even the simplest outfits.

4. Control how much colour you use

This is about proportion.

How much of each colour are you using?

And how bold do you want the overall outfit to feel?

A great way to be more intentional with this is to consider how bold you want your style to feel.

This is a concept I developed that I use with my students to help them clearly understand where they are, and where they want to go, with their style boldness.

Your style boldness may not sit in just one place; in fact, it probably won’t. It can shift and evolve.

I like to think of it like this:

For example, if I’m going about a normal working day, I’ll stay within my safe to slightly bolder range, perhaps playing a little more with stronger colour proportions.

Whereas if I’m heading to an event, I’ll really lean into my style boldness.

But if I’m feeling more anxious and need that extra sense of support, I’ll go for my safest level of style boldness.

When you understand where you are, and where you want to be, on your style boldness scale, being intentional about what you’re wearing, making, and buying becomes so much easier.

It starts to act as a personal style filter for you.

There’s no right or wrong, only what feels aligned with you.

If this has you seeing your colour choices differently, we’re exploring this much more deeply inside the membership this month, where I guide you through defining and working with your own colour story in a much more personal way.

I’m curious, is there a colour you rely on without really questioning it? Drop it in the comments.

Sending so much love 💛

But if we stop there, it’s like having the ingredients, without knowing how to combine them into a dish you’re giving out the recipe for.

That’s why I’m continuing the conversation from my recent post about stepping away from black inside this month’s Studio Session.

During the workshop, we go deeper into what’s really behind the colours we choose, and how, with this new awareness and understanding, you can begin to build a coherent colour story.

And from there, start creating outfits that feel just as intentional as they look.

The full workshop is available to upgraded members.

Inside this workshop, we get clear on:

• the colours you’re naturally drawn to

• the variations that support how you want to look and feel

• how to balance and place colour so your outfits feel cohesive, intentional, and truly yours

Read more

No more black. No more making black clothes. No more buying black clothes. And wearing black as minimally as possible.

Why? Because honestly, I was bored with black.

I had four pairs of the same Topshop black jeans, that’s how much I relied on black!

For date nights - a black top with my black jeans.

For work - a silk shirt with my black jeans.

And when I wasn't wearing my black jeans, you'd find me in a mini skirt with black tights and a black top.

If I wasn’t wearing black somewhere in my outfit, something felt off.

I fully relied on black. No matter the occasion.

As I began my no-black challenge, I quickly discovered I had a slightly different challenge to tackle first…

I needed more non-black clothes before I could even properly start.

Because part of my aim wasn’t just to stop relying on black, it was to bring BOLD, bright colours back into my wardrobe. The way I’d loved to dress as a teenager and as a child!

A pink pair of trousers…

And a self-drafted red dress were just the beginning of this new colourful season of my life.

At this point, there was no understanding behind the colours I was choosing.

It was literally a case of: " That looks good, I’ll get it.

Then colour analysis became a big thing, and of course, I went down the rabbit hole. I even got my own analysis done.

And somewhere down that rabbit hole, I came across a reel that stuck with me.

It said something like 90-92% of people don’t actually suit black.

Now, that was shared from a colour analysis angle, which was the rabbit hole I was deep in, but it stayed with me.

The more I flexed my colour analysis knowledge, choosing nail colours, buying fabric, picking clothes, the more I began to understand what I actually wanted to understand:

What colours are we drawn to? And which ones make us feel most alive?

What I started to notice was this…

And black… this has been my most recent lightbulb moment since I set myself this challenge, which is now just second nature.

The reason there’s such a big narrative around black being the best colour for everyone is actually science.

Black absorbs light rather than reflecting it.

Which means it doesn’t just flatten the garment, it reduces the light reflecting back onto your face too.

So while it can smooth out shape, it can also dull your natural depth and glow.

It can be so easy to rely on black, and setting myself this challenge really helped me break free from that reliance.

Now my wardrobe is full of colour in the most magical, freeing and grounding way. Not in the scary way I thought it would be.

Some people want their skin to look deeper and more dramatic. Others want to look brighter and more alive. And others more pale and matt. There’s no wrong answer, only yours.

If you’d like support exploring your own colour story more deeply - beyond just a seasonal label - this is exactly what we’re diving into inside the Style for Sewists membership this month.

Sending so much love,

P.S. I’m curious… How much black are you currently wearing? Is it a deliberate choice, or just what’s happened because it feels easiest? I'd love to know

And to be even more honest, I’ve given up wanting to.

Not because it wouldn’t be lovely, but because it’s not my goal.

My goal isn’t to be a fashion illustrator.

My goal is to get my clothing ideas down clearly and efficiently so I can get to work making them and enjoy wearing them.

So if, like me, you want to get your clothing ideas down quickly and have them be clear enough that you’d happily show someone else, this post is for you.

And if you’ve been working on your silhouette story inside the Style for Sewists membership this last month, this is your next step. Getting those silhouette ideas out of your head and onto paper so they can become your next pieces in the making.

What I’ve discovered over my years of drawing up clothing designs is that there are really two steps to this process:

If you miss step 1 then step 2 feels super hard when you’re like me

So that’s how I’ve split this post.

PART 1: Different ways to create a template to design with

The quick triangle-diamond method

This is a trick I’ve developed over the years, and it’s beautifully simple.

Step 1: Draw an upside-down triangle for the bodice (do this in pencil if you’re hand-drawing so you can rub them out later if you want)

Step 2: Draw an overlapping diamond beneath it and use that as your base

I like to make the proportions roughly match my body, so the triangle is slightly narrower than the hips for me, and quite long, but have a play and see what feels right.

Then simply draw over the top. I often slope the shoulders slightly, and that’s it!

The download and trace method

There are so many croquis templates you can download for free, just search croquis template on Pinterest. Print one out and trace over it (layout paper is brilliant for this, it’s what architects use to layer drawings) or cut it out, mount it on card and draw around it.

You can also draw over it digitally using something like Procreate, which leads me to the next method.

The digital croquis method

Same idea as above, but on your tablet. I love doing this in Procreate because I can set the croquis as a separate layer and turn it on and off as needed. Procreate is a paid app, but it’s a small one-off fee and absolutely worth it.

The buy-a-template method

You can also simply buy ready-made templates to draw around, so simple and saves a lot of time!

These are just two options I found quickly on Amazon:

👇Illustration style templates: https://amzn.to/4s8dFF9*

👇 Technical drawing style templates: https://amzn.to/3QizaWw*

*Just so you know, these are affiliate links. If you buy through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only ever recommend things I’d genuinely use myself.

The Fashionary method

I’ll be honest, I’ve never personally used the Fashionary app because I’ve always used Procreate for digital drawing. But I have seen it in action, and if I were starting fresh with digital design, I would absolutely use it, especially because I am obsessed with their Fashionary sketchbooks as you can see 👇 (sadly, I lost this one travelling :(, I hope someone else is now adding to it)

The AI template method

We couldn’t talk about design methods without mentioning AI! I shared this in one of my most popular posts, and it’s the best FREE way to create the most accurate drawings of your ideas and how they’ll look on your body.

The idea is simple: you ask AI to create a representation of your body so you can design specifically for you.

Find the full details here - it’s method number 1:

The MyBodyModel method

For when AI isn’t cooperating, or you’re simply not an AI fan, this is the other most accurate way to see what clothing actually looks like on your body.

You sign up, enter your measurements, and it generates your unique template to design with. You can then use it digitally or print it and draw by hand. Visit their website here: https://www.mybodymodel.com/

PART 2: How to use your template to design

Once you have your template, the fun really begins, and honestly, this part, you just need to try. Everyone finds their own way.

Some people love drawing by hand. Some go digital. Some let AI do the designing. Some collage inspiration images together.

My best advice? Search your method on Pinterest and just start. You’ll know what feels right when you find it. 🌿

I’ve created a board here that has plenty of ideas to get you started (including templates): https://uk.pinterest.com/sewingretreat/fashion-illustration/

If you’d love to turn your designs into sewing patterns…

If you’re now scribbling ideas down like crazy, but that’s where it ends, even though you know how to sew, chances are you’re missing the one thing that bridges the gap between your sketch and your finished garment.

The sewing pattern.

That’s exactly what we tackle inside Design Confidence, my online drafting course, where your clothing ideas become real sewing patterns exactly to your designs!

The 2026 live round starts April 13th. Find out more here

When you've had a play with the methods shared, come back and tell me what worked for you.

Sending love,

This is the home base for upgraded members of the Style for Sewists community - but if you’re not yet on the paid tier, consider this your invitation to see exactly what’s waiting for you inside.

Every month we explore a new theme together, going deeper into the elements that make up your unique style so that every piece you design, draft and make (and buy) reflects who you actually are, not who you think you should dress like.

Below you’ll find everything we’ve explored so far & a little teaser of next month’s theme.

Bookmark it and come back whenever you need it

Most content is exclusive to upgraded members, but there are a few golden gems for everyone that you’ll find below.

Think of it as your monthly round-up - a way to catch up on everything, easily find Studio Sessions, Inner Style conversations and any other posts shared around the monthly themes, and if you’re not yet inside, a window into what’s waiting for you on your style discovery journey.

Your Silhouette Story

Think of your silhouette as the architecture of your outfit.

You need the building before you can do the interior design.

Get the structure right and everything else, the fabric, the colour, the details, can flow.

Get it wrong, and even the most exquisite fabric can’t save it.

Everything to support you in discovering your Silhouette Story:

🔒 Paid members only

📹 Studio Session masterclass: Discovering your silhouette story

A deep dive into understanding what makes up your unique silhouette so you can start designing and making with real clarity. Find it here + includes a workbook

🎧 Inner Style conversation: Discovering your silhouette story is one thing, owning it is another

Because the inner work matters just as much as the outer. This is where we go deeper. Find it here

Available to all:

✍️ 8 ways to honour your silhouette story when designing and making your own clothes

Practical, inspiring ideas to bring your silhouette story into every make - available to all subscribers. Find it here

✍️ A new way to discover, play and refine your silhouette - using AI

A bonus method for exploring silhouettes visually before you cut into anything precious — available to all subscribers. Find it here

Colour Confidence

Colour can completely change how you feel in your clothes.

The right tones can make you feel energised, elevated, comfortable, confident, expressive…

while the wrong ones can leave you feeling flat, disconnected, or like the outfit is somehow wearing you.

But discovering your colour story isn’t just about seasonal colour analysis or “rules.”

It’s about discovering:
✦ the colours you naturally feel drawn to
✦ the tones that work with your natural colouring in the way you desire
✦ and how to build a wardrobe colour story that feels cohesive, wearable, and personal to you.

Everything to support you in discovering your Colour Story:

🔒 Paid members only

📹 Style Masterclass: Discover your silhouette story

A deep dive into discovering the colours, tones, and colour combinations that make you feel most like you, so shopping for fabrics and creating outfits starts feeling far more intentional. Find it here + includes a workbook

✍️ How to use colour in your outfits in a stylish way

A practical guide to help you use colour in a way that feels balanced, expressive, and intentional, so your outfits feel elevated rather than overwhelming. Find it here

Available to all:

✍️ I banned black from my wardrobe, and here’s what I discovered

A personal reflection on how removing black changed the feeling of my wardrobe, my style confidence, and the colours I naturally started gravitating towards instead. Find it here

Your Pattern Personality

Patterns can completely change the feeling of an outfit.

The right print, texture, embroidery, or woven detail can take an outfit from:
→ safe to expressive
→ simple to interesting
→ nice to full of personality

But discovering your Pattern Personality isn’t about following fashion “rules” or choosing prints because someone says they suit your body type.

It’s about discovering:

• the level of pattern boldness that feels like you

• the types of prints and textures you naturally gravitate towards

• and how to use pattern intentionally so your wardrobe feels more expressive, cohesive, and personal.

Everything to support you in discovering your Pattern Personality:

🔒 Paid members only

📹 The Pattern Personality Style Masterclass

A deep dive into discovering the patterns, prints, textures, and visual details that bring more personality and intention into your wardrobe, so patterns stop feeling overwhelming and start feeling like part of your signature style. Find it here + includes a workbook

To be continued…

As I share more monthly style themes I’ll be updating this directory so everything is in one place for you to find.

More themes coming throughout 2026 - fabrics, design details, print and pattern play, holiday style, and so much more.

Save it to easily revisit the themes as your style evolves as you evolve.

Sending so much love,

P.S. If you don't think you're stylish, know this:

It's not that you don't have style.

It just hasn't been named, refined or given space yet, and that's exactly what we do inside the Style for Sewists membership. 🌿

Your silhouette is one of the key foundations of your style, the part that makes choosing or drafting your patterns so much easier.

We’ve explored this through:

• our monthly Studio Session: Discovering your silhouette story

• a playful post on 8 ways to honour your silhouette

• and a deeper Inner Style conversation - because discovering your silhouette is one thing, but owning it is another

And today, I want to give you one more way to play with it - using something you might not expect.

This is a method for discovering and refining your silhouette, for the AI lovers and the AI curious alike.

The idea came to me while I was playing around with one of my next makes.

I started draping my idea in the mirror, but the piece of fabric I had was so big and heavy that I thought, “Let me just use AI for a second.”

And yes, I know there’s nothing quite like touching fabric, manipulating it, pinning it, and experimenting in real life.

But AI gives us the chance to explore silhouettes and fabrics we don’t yet have access to, or to play with ideas before committing to them.

To get the best results from AI you’ll need the following:

• A few clear photos of yourself

• The words you decided on during our studio session that make up your silhouette story (upgrade to access this here)

• A few inspiration images of silhouettes/outfits/pieces you love

These help tell AI what you want to explore and refine.

3 simple ways you can use AI to explore, play and refine your silhouette story

Method One: If you already have a garment or outfit and want to test a variation of the silhouette

Sometimes we have a garment we like, but we’re not quite sure which part of the silhouette is working or not.

Or we want to explore a different silhouette for a future make, or evolve our silhouette story and test ideas very quickly.

This is where AI becomes a really useful tool.

All you need to do is share an image of your outfit and ask AI to generate new versions using different silhouettes.

I’d recommend incorporating your silhouette story words (you can discover these in this month’s Studio Session for paid members), and also trying out silhouettes that feel a little more unusual, just to see how far you can push your silhouette story.

For example:

I tested this out with this shorts set I made last year:

I’m still not completely sold on shorts, if I’m honest. Yes, they’re super practical when it’s hot (especially riding a scooter), but I always come back to preferring the look of a skirt.

So I shared a photo of me wearing the set and asked ChatGPT to alter the silhouette of the shorts, and here’s what it created:

In just a few minutes, I could already see that I actually like the more fitted version on me. I thought it would feel too tight, but it turns out I really like it.

So next time I make a pair of shorts, I might try this silhouette to see if I can finally fall in love with them. And I love the balance of the overall silhouette too, with the fitted bottoms and loose jacket.

Don’t forget to try the back too.

Start taking photos of the back of your outfits when you’re trying them on or wearing them, so you always have something to work with.

You might not see your own back, but it still shapes how your outfit feels.

Method Two: If you’ve seen a silhouette you love or have an idea, and want to see how it would look on you

You’ve pinned like crazy, seen an outfit you love on a show, or scribbled down an idea…

And wished you could try it on to see if the silhouette actually suits your style.

Well, now you can.

Simply share a photo of yourself alongside the garment(s) you have in mind, and ask AI to show what it might look like on you.

Then, take it one step further and ask it to adjust the silhouette so it better reflects your silhouette story.

For example:

I’ve been sitting with a few ideas for a while, so I shared them alongside a photo of myself to see how they might look on me.

Just by generating these, I could already see a few things:

• The romper-style outfit makes my body look even less like the silhouette I’m drawn to, so even though I think it’s fun, I wouldn’t make it

• All of the silhouettes feel slightly heavy on me (which is partly AI), so I’d refine them to be more fitted

Even that quick analysis helps me continue refining my silhouette story — seeing more clearly what I want more of, and what I want to avoid.

And all of that without wasting materials, time, or energy.

Method Three: If you have a fabric and want to explore which silhouettes could work for it

Sometimes we fall in love with a fabric but have no idea what silhouette we want it to become

(although as you discover your silhouette, you’ll find this happens less and less).

Or we have an idea… but want to double-check it before committing.

This is where AI becomes incredibly useful.

It allows you to explore possibilities without making a toile or cutting into your precious fabric.

All you need to do is:

Share an image of your fabric, your silhouette words, and any optional inspiration images — drawings, pins, or outfits you love — and ask AI to generate a few garment ideas.

To get the best results, I also recommend sharing how much fabric you have, as this really helps guide the outcome.

For example:

The garment that inspired this whole post started with this idea 👇

The fabric I had was too thick to properly drape and experiment with, so I thought, Let’s get AI to help.

As you can see, I was able to quickly try out different ideas; this took me about 5 minutes in total.

Refining your silhouette language

One thing you’ll notice when using AI is that it helps you refine the language you use to describe your silhouette.

If you’re not specific enough, it tends to generate more generic results, so the more specific you can be, the better the outcome.

If you want to go deeper into discovering your silhouette story to help you be more specific, you can access the full Studio Session inside the paid membership here:

Subscribe now

One final tip:

If the colours, prints, or design details feel distracting, ask AI to generate the images in black and white.

That way, you can focus purely on the silhouette and proportion, which is really what we’re exploring here.

AI can become a surprisingly powerful sketchbook for your ideas.

Not to replace the magic of fabric, pins, and experimentation, but to help you explore silhouettes visually before you even start sewing.

Think of it as another creative tool in your style studio.

Sending love,

In this Inner Style Session, we go deeper into what may be shaping how safe you feel to fully discover and own it.

Because often, it’s not that we don’t know what we like…

It’s that something inside us doesn’t feel safe being seen in it.

Read more

Since this month’s theme for upgraded members is all about discovering their Silhouette Story, I thought I’d bring a little snippet to all of us and share some love.

At the heart of every outfit is the silhouette.

The shadow.

The outline of your complete look, head to toe.

Yes, when we’re talking about style, everything is included because it all contributes to your overall silhouette, but today we’re focusing on honouring your silhouette story through the clothes you wear.

If you’d love to discover what your own silhouette story is, we explored exactly how to do that in this month’s Studio Session inside the membership. You can access the full workshop when you upgrade here:

Subscribe now

When we first start creating the silhouette of an outfit, consciously or unconsciously, we often assume it’s dictated purely by the fabric we’re using.

But actually, there are so many ways we can create and shape our desired silhouette.

When you begin exploring different ways to honour your silhouette story, something interesting happens: your clothes naturally start to carry more personality, confidence, and style.

And that’s exactly what we’re diving into today.

8 ways to honour your silhouette story when designing and making your own clothes

1. Fabric type

Fabric is one of the most powerful tools we have for shaping a silhouette.

Yes, it’s the most obvious way to honour our desired silhouette.

But before we dive into some of the less considered ways to influence silhouette, it’s worth pausing for a moment to think about the different elements within fabric that affect the silhouette it creates.

For example:

• the weight of the fabric

• the structure it holds

• the way the fabric moves or drapes

• whether it’s sheer or opaque

• whether it has texture, holes, or cut-outs

• whether it’s something like a crocheted or open fabric

Each of these elements changes the way a garment sits and looks on the body, and therefore the silhouette it creates.

In the examples below, notice how the different fabrics alone completely transform the silhouette.

2. Colour & print placement

This can be such a fun and playful one.

You may have already created a silhouette through your fabric choice, but colour and print can completely change how that silhouette is perceived.

They allow you to guide — or even trick — the eye.

I’m sure you’ve heard the classic example of horizontal vs vertical stripes.

Even when a garment is exactly the same shape, stripes can quickly influence how we read the silhouette.

• Horizontal stripes emphasise width

• Vertical stripes emphasise height

So even if a garment is fitted or oversized, the stripe direction will still influence how the silhouette feels.

But stripes are just the beginning as you can see in these examples here:

You could:

• Use contrasting colours to define the silhouette more clearly (like in the first image)

• Use colour blocking placements to shift the perceived proportions (the 2nd image is a great example of this, creating a more defined waist)

• Use bold prints or patterns to create a trompe-l’œil effect that completely plays with the eye (as you see in the 2 right images)

Colour and print don’t change the physical garment, but they can completely change how the silhouette is experienced.

3. Seam and hemline placement

Seam and hemline placement can have a surprisingly powerful effect on your silhouette.

The more subtle the seams and hems are, the more subtle the silhouette will feel.

The more defined the seams, hems, or panel lines are, the more defined and architectural your silhouette becomes.

Simple seam placement and hem shaping choices can alter the silhouette in quite dramatic ways.

For example, in the examples below, you can see how seam lines can create panels that influence a more unusual silhouette, while playful hem shapes guide the eye and shift the silhouette, offering completely different style expressions.

4. Design details

Think pockets, collars, cuffs, pleats, gathers, darts, sleeves, necklines, belts, lapels, peplums and more.

These are the elements of a garment that can subtly influence your silhouette, quietly support it, or dramatically reshape it; the choice is yours.

5. Hidden structure

If you think of clothing from the 1800s, the fabrics used were often quite similar. What dramatically changed the silhouette was the structure hidden underneath - corsets, crinolines and bustles.

Now, you may not be looking to recreate an 1800s silhouette (I certainly won’t be any time soon while I’m riding my scooter), but hidden structure is still a powerful tool we can use today to emphasise or support our silhouette story.

For example, I might add boning to a bandeau-style top (like this one below). Not only does it help hold the garment up, it also helps the silhouette retain its shape.

Or I might add shoulder pads to give a look a more structured, defined silhouette like the middle example below.

Hidden structure is one of those quiet tools that can completely change how a garment sits on the body, without anyone necessarily seeing how it’s done.

6. Your undergarments

This is an element we all too often forget, but it’s a key one.

What you wear underneath your clothes plays a huge role in shaping the silhouette you create.

Since being pregnant and living in a warm climate, bras have mostly gone out the window for me for a few reasons. But that has also meant my silhouette, and the way I honour the silhouette story I desire, has had to adapt.

For example, if I want to create the illusion of a fuller bust but I’m wearing a bralette instead of a push-up bra, I might use some of the other tricks we’ve discussed to support my desired silhouette story.

So if you know you’ll be:

• braless with the outfit you’re creating, try the toile on without a bra.

• wearing a push-up bra or shaping underwear, wear them when you're trying on your toiles

7. Cutouts

We’re always thinking about what we can add to a garment, but we rarely ask the opposite question:

What could I take away to create the silhouette I desire?

Cut-outs can dramatically change how a silhouette is perceived.

They might be true cut-outs, where the skin is revealed, and the shape of the garment is interrupted.

Or they could be created through contrasting textures or colours, especially in cooler climates where leaving skin exposed might not be practical.

Either way, removing sections of a garment can guide the eye in powerful ways and subtly reshape the silhouette you’re creating.

8. The finishing touches

Imagine this: you add a 12-inch fringe to the bottom of a top, a pompom trim, chunky zips embellishing a garment, buckles connecting two sections, or topstitching in a contrasting thread.

These finishing touches might seem small, but they all help to inform the silhouette of the garment.

They can draw the eye downward, emphasise certain lines, add weight or movement, and subtly change how the overall silhouette is perceived.

Sometimes it’s these small details that quietly transform a garment from simple… to striking, or just add that subtle detail that honours your silhouette story in a quietly confident way.

That was a lot of ideas.

So what I recommend doing is taking your silhouette story and choosing two or three methods to start playing with as you create your desired silhouettes.

You’ll find that your outfits instantly begin to carry more personality, intention, and your unique style.

If you’d like to be guided through discovering your silhouette story, upgrade and watch the full Studio Session inside the membership, where I walk you step-by-step through the process.

Watch the workshop here

And if the sewing pattern is the missing puzzle piece to bring your clothing ideas to life, that’s exactly where my signature course, Design Confidence, comes in.

Inside this in-depth online drafting course, you’ll develop true creative freedom by learning the processes and techniques to confidently go from:

idea → sewing pattern → finished garment

The 2026 live round begins April 13th.

Find out more and join us here

Alright, this was a super fun one to share with you.

I’d love to know, which of these methods do you already use when creating your clothes, and which one are you excited to experiment with next? Drop your answers in the comments below.

Sending so much love,

We’ll then bring everything together so you can confidently create your own desired silhouette story with clarity and intention.

This isn’t about fitting into a body-type box or following outdated rules.

It’s about:

💞 uncovering the elements that shape your silhouette story,

💞 understanding how to create them intentionally with your body,

💞 and noticing where your silhouette story may be ready to evolve.

Read more

But before we touch any of that, there are three elements that matter far more.

The three foundational elements that make up your unique style

Your lifestyle

Style that doesn’t support your lifestyle is like wearing heels on a hike, technically possible, but working against you.

If you’re not noticing or deciding where you’re going in life, what you’re doing, who you’re with (or who you’d like to be with), how can we create stylish looks that work with your lifestyle rather than against it?

Style only works when it works for your life.

Your body

If we don’t really have a relationship with our body, how can we style it in a way that lights us up?

It’s like choosing the frame before you’ve seen the artwork.

Your body isn’t something to work around; it’s something to work with.

Your taste. Your intuition.

Style is different from fashion.

Fashion isn’t personal, style is.

Style is your intuition and taste expressed visually through the way you present yourself.

The more you know yourself, the clearer your unique style becomes.

These 👆 three elements are your lenses; everything else runs through them.

The key elements that shape your unique style

Now that we’ve got the foundational elements clear, let’s define the key elements that actually make up your unique style.

Because once you can break style down into its core components, including the ones that are so often forgotten, no matter how important they are, you can clearly see:

What you already understand about your style.

What you’d love to explore more deeply within your style.

And what will move the needle most in refining your style.

1️⃣ Silhouette

Silhouette is a conversation between fit and proportion.

It’s the overall outline of your garment, the balance and relationship between its elements.

❌ And over here, we don’t define your body as a fruit to “discover” your silhouette.

❌ We don’t say, “If you have X body, you must wear Y.”

Instead, we explore silhouette through body awareness and silhouette desire, so you can discover YOUR silhouette story, rather than be put into a restrictive box 📦.

Your silhouette is rarely just one thing. It’s made up of multiple elements working together in different balances.

Choosing patterns, buying clothes, or even drafting, hacking, or upcycling becomes so much quicker and far more confident when you understand those elements and how they balance in each silhouette.

Next week, I’ll be sharing this month’s Studio Session where we’ll be discovering your Silhouette Story together.

This workshop 👆 will be available to those of you on the paid tier.

You can upgrade here if you’d love to discover your silhouette story and how to apply it to your outfits with us.

2️⃣ Fabrics

Specifically, the type of fabric.

This can be the difference between feeling like a sweaty mess… and feeling comfortable, regulated, and elevated in your clothing.

Fabric choice isn’t just aesthetic, it’s functional.

Natural fibres generally regulate temperature and breathe better.

Synthetics often trap heat and moisture.

When you choose your fabrics based on how the fibres behave as well as how they look, that’s when you’ll feel mentally and physically most comfortable in your clothing.

And after all, style is about a feeling. If you feel good in your fabric, you’re already supporting your style.

And you don’t need to memorise a billion fabric names.

What you do need to understand is:

• The fibre composition you prefer

• How do you like fabric to feel against your skin

• How it behaves on your body

• And whether you love how it looks and drapes for the outfit you’re creating.

Colours

More importantly, the tones that make you feel good.

Often it’s not about pink or blue.

It’s about the tone.

Warm or cool.

Soft or clear.

Muted or vibrant.

That’s something I’ve noticed more and more through hours of colour research and experimentation.

When you understand the tones that light you up, choosing fabrics, prints, and even lipstick becomes so much easier.

I’ll be diving deeper into colour discovery and confidence as one of the upcoming themes inside the paid Style for Sewists Membership in the next few months.

Subscribe now

Prints & Patterns

Maybe this one doesn’t feel relevant to you.

Or maybe it’s something you’d love to incorporate a little more… but it feels daunting.

Or maybe you’re already all about print and pattern play!

But wherever you are on your print journey, having clarity around where you are now — and where you’d like to be — can completely shift the energy of an outfit.

Print can make something feel:

Playful.

Powerful.

Romantic.

Or chaotic.

So even understanding why you don’t want to use print and pattern helps inform your style identity.

And if you are incorporating prints and patterns, understanding the scale, colour story, and placement makes all the difference.

One thing I’ve noticed over my years of developing prints and patterns — and designing my own when I studied surface design at London College of Fashion — is this:

The more clarity we have around the prints and patterns that create our unique style, the bolder and more intentional we become in our choices.

Often, we want to use print and pattern — we just don’t know how.

With clarity comes the confidence to play.

(We’ll also be diving into this inside the membership later in the year.)

Design Details

✔️ You’ve got the overall silhouette.

✔️ The fabrics are sorted.

✔️ Colour, print, pattern decided.

But what about the zipper pull?

The buttons?

The trims?

The clasp?

These are the small details that take an outfit from “anyone’s” to unmistakably yours and STYLISH!

They’re the quiet signatures.

The difference between a garment that looks nice… and one that feels personal.

When you start paying attention to the finishing touches, your style shifts from assembled to intentional.

And the often-forgotten elements that shape your style

Accessories

Shoes, jewellery, bags, belts - the finishing touches.

I’m sure you’ve seen it so many times: a simple outfit elevated instantly with the right accessories.

An outfit that felt “nice” suddenly feels much more personal.

They’re often the easiest way to infuse individuality into your look.

I love buying accessories on my travels. Not only do they carry beautiful stories (far better than another fridge magnet), but they’re also unique to you and your experiences.

Quick tip: if you have gold-plated jewellery and the plating has rubbed off, find a local jeweller who can replate it. It’s often far more affordable than replacing it, and gives your pieces a new lease of life.

Hairstyle

You can have the perfect outfit and the perfect accessories… but if no thought has gone into your hair, the look can fall flat.

This was me for years whenever I was heading to a special occasion.

I’d sorted my everyday looks… but the more elevated moments? I’d somehow forgotten about them.

Luckily, I had the perfect friend to show me what was possible.

She would get her hair done for every event. Her overall look always felt polished and intentional.

Mine felt unfinished.

Now, for special occasions, I either get my hair done or take the time to style it properly myself.

And even in everyday life, playing with different hairstyles completely shifts the energy of an outfit — something I want to experiment with even more.

The only challenge? Making sure it works with my helmet… 😅

Presentation

This one is simple, but powerful!

You can have the perfect outfit, but if it’s creased, crushed, or pulled straight from the back of the wardrobe with no care, it loses its impact.

I once went to a beautiful friend’s Indian wedding, and the outfits were stunning, but so many still had deep packet creases running through them. I couldn’t stop noticing the lines.

Presentation matters.

Steam it.

Press it.

Prepare it.

For special occasions, check your outfit at least a week before.

Style isn’t just what you wear.

It’s how you wear it.

Style isn’t built in one dramatic transformation.

It’s built through awareness.

In noticing.

In small refinements.

In INTENTION.

And if you’d love structured guidance as we explore each of these elements more deeply, beginning with your Silhouette Story next Friday, we’d be honoured to have you join us inside the membership.

Upgrade here

Sending so much love,

How light affects us.

How the seasons shift our energy.

We adjust what we eat in winter.

We change our routines in summer.

We open the windows when the air feels heavy.

We talk about how the people we spend time with affect us.

How the design and colour of a room affect us.

How the location we live in shapes us.

But we rarely talk about clothing in the same way!

And yet… It’s what we place on our bodies every single day.

So if everything else in our environment can support or drain us…

Clothing can too.

Certain fabrics can agitate or calm the nervous system.

Certain fits can create tension, or ease it.

Certain colours can increase visibility, or soften it.

And since this week, we’ve shifted into the Lunar Year of the Fire Horse, I wanted to share something a little different.

Not my usual logical clothing creation and style discovery process, but the meeting point between spirituality and clothing - two worlds I deeply love.

And no, it’s not about dressing like a Fire Horse.

Rather, it’s about supporting the fast and expressive tone of the year.

What is the energy of the year of the Fire Horse?

Before we explore how clothing can support us this Lunar year, we need to first understand the energy we’re moving through.

In the Lunar zodiac, each year is shaped by two influences:

• The element (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water)

• The animal

Together, these create the overall energetic tone of the year.

This year combines Fire and Horse.

The Horse on its own is fast, independent, expressive and forward-moving. It loves freedom, momentum and visibility.

Fire amplifies all of that.

So the Year of the Fire Horse carries energy that is:

• Fast-paced

• Passionate

• Expressive

• Courageous

• Forward-driving

It’s a year of movement. Of leadership. Of being seen.

But powerful fire energy needs direction and containment, otherwise it can become scattered or overwhelming just like a wildfire!

And this is where our clothing comes in.

Because clothes can:

• Contain energy

• Ground speed

• Hold expression

• Reduce decision fatigue

• And support visibility without draining us

If this all sounds a little abstract, don’t worry, we’re about to make it practical.

To do that, I’m breaking the year down into four key energies: fast-paced, forward-driving, passionate and leadership, and exploring how our clothing can channel the momentum without tipping into a wild forest fire. 🔥

So, let’s get into it.

How our clothing can support the FAST-PACED energy of this year

We’re fast-paced. We’re making decisions quickly. We’re taking action.

And that can feel exciting and productive.

But it can also become too much and overwhelming, leading to burnout very easily.

So how can clothing help support and regulate this energy?

1️⃣ Choose adaptive outfits

If you’re moving from Muma mode → CEO mode → workout mode, your clothes need to move with you.

Think layers. Pieces that transition easily. Looks that can shift without a full outfit change.

Layered dressing is something I swear by, once you start, you won’t stop.

2️⃣ Wear fabrics that support comfort at speed

Fast pace = heat.

Choose breathable, natural fibres: wool, linen, bamboo, cotton.

Avoid synthetics that trap heat and leave you feeling flushed and irritated.

When your body feels regulated, your energy follows, and speed feels safe.

3️⃣ Reduce outfit decision fatigue

Fast years don’t need extra micro-decisions.

Plan your outfits ahead, even loosely.

For me, it’s often decided in the shower or the night before.

Less morning friction = more energy to show up as the woman you want to be.

4️⃣ Know what works for you

When you know your style, you choose faster.

You buy faster.

You make faster.

You dress faster.

No second-guessing.

The more clarity you have on what makes you feel your best, the less chaos fast seasons create.

(This is exactly what we’re doing inside the Style for Sewists Membership - upgrade to join us)

Subscribe now

How our clothing can support the FORWARD-DRIVING energy of this year

This energy may sound similar to the fast-paced energy, but there’s a nuance to it.

Think of it like this:

Fast-paced energy is like a horse galloping, focused on the power of each step.

Forward-driving energy is the direction the horse is running, the path it’s committed to, the distance it’s covering.

This forward-driving energy is what happens when our daily moments compound, and it creates momentum and growth.

So how can clothing support your momentum this year?

1️⃣ Create yourself a (stylish!) uniform

Don’t panic, I don’t mean school vibes.

I mean creating go-to formulas for different scenarios.

When I’ve got an important meeting, these outfits are my go-tos.

When I’m picking up the kids and heading to my workout class, it’s these options.

When I’m off for a dinner date, I’m wearing this vibe.

It removes friction.

It supports consistency.

It reinforces the direction you’re moving in.

And don’t forget, what makes your ‘uniform’ truly useful is thinking about how it adapts across a series of events.

Can the same base outfit move with you?

Can you layer or remove pieces as you shift modes?

For example:

You drop off the kids, work from a café nearby, then head to your gym class, how can you combine pieces so they work across all three moments?

Or you’re commuting to work, in the office all day, then meeting your partner for brunch followed by drinks, what layers or swaps make that seamless?

Forward-driving energy isn’t about reinventing yourself three times a day.

It’s about building outfits that evolve with you.

And yes, if you notice gaps, pieces you need to complete your signature formulas, those are your next pieces to make and/or buy. 💞

2️⃣ Plan for your momentum

Momentum is growth.

It’s evolution.

We don’t want to evolve in who we are and where we’re going… and then suddenly feel stuck because our wardrobe doesn’t support it.

That’s where overwhelm creeps in.

So instead of:

“Oh no, my holiday is next week, what do I wear?!”

Think ahead.

If you know you’re going to Australia in August, give yourself time now to design, create or buy pieces that support that version of you, without panic-making or panic-buying (speaking from experience 🙃).

Or if you know you want to:

• Make new friends

• Go out for dinners

• Step into more visible roles

Create outfits now that support that future.

This is exactly what this Studio Session here supports you in doing:

How our clothing can support the PASSIONATE energy of this year

Passion. Expression.

Honestly? We probably all need more of this.

It brings colour.

It brings life.

It brings fun.

But this can also be one of the hardest energies to balance.

Because it’s subtle when it tips.

Passionate dressing can quietly turn into performance.

Expression can become pressure.

And suddenly you’re not expressing… you’re trying to keep up.

So how do we lean into this energy without it feeling like a performance?

The best way is through these 2 questions:

1️⃣ How can I share more of who I am through my clothing?

That might mean:

• Adding a touch of colour

• Or adding a LOT more colour (if that genuinely energises you)

• Being more adventurous with your silhouette

• Introducing one bold detail, texture, print or notion

But think in focus, not frenzy.

One clear statement.

One expressive detail.

One strong colour story.

Not fighting fire with more fire.

I find thinking of style as a boldness scale helpful when it comes to being more expressive. Think of how bold you are at the moment and where you’d like to be, and let yourself evolve into that new level of boldness.

(I’ll talk more about this in the Style for Sewists membership)

2️⃣ Am I wearing or choosing this because it makes me feel good…

or because I think it’s what I should be wearing?

One gives you energy.

The other quietly takes it.

And this year, we want expression that nourishes, not exhausts. 💞

How our clothing can support the LEADERSHIP energy of this year

When we think of leadership, we often picture CEOs, politicians, and celebrities.

But leadership isn’t a title.

It’s how you lead your life.

Your children.

Your health.

Your creativity.

Your business.

Your standards.

It’s about:

• Being seen without performing

• Wearing what feels honest rather than “impressive”

• Letting clothes support confidence, not self-consciousness

And yes, leaders need outfits that support them.

So how can we embody this leadership energy and balance this in our clothing?

1️⃣ Set the tone

Leaders don’t follow, they lead, so instead of trying to follow trends and fashion (unless that’s truly you)…

• Follow your intuition.

• Follow what feels aligned.

Choose calm authority over trying to keep up with trends.

(And if you find the intuition piece tricky, don’t worry, you’re not alone. 99% of the time, it is the hardest part. That’s why I support you in hearing and trusting your intuition inside the Style for Sewists Membership through our Inner Style Sessions - Upgrade to join us 👇)

Subscribe now

2️⃣ Choose quality

No matter what you’re doing, leaders choose quality.

• Good quality fabrics.

• Beautiful finishes.

• Thoughtful details.

Leadership energy feels considered.

3️⃣ Consistency builds credibility

This one is subtle.

If one day you’re wearing something completely thrown on with no care, creased (and not intentionally), toothpaste down the front, and the next day you’re in a full power suit, the energy feels disconnected.

True leadership isn’t about wearing the same thing every day.

It’s about consistent intention.

The woman leading her life is wearing a power suit one day and elevated matching loungewear the next, but both feel aligned. Both feel deliberate because they are, and that’s true leadership energy.

4️⃣ Fit matters

It doesn’t matter how great an outfit is if the fit is sloppy; the whole look feels sloppy.

And as clothing creators, we notice this more than most.

So give your makes (and your purchases) the fit checks and tweaks they deserve.

Adjust the hem.

Refine the waist.

Fix the strap.

P.S. if fitting feels overwhelming, start here :)

5️⃣ Presentation matters

• Iron your clothes.

• Steam them.

• Care for them.

Simply respecting your clothes already says I’m going places! I’m leading my life.

I know that was a lot of ideas.

So here’s how I’d suggest you take this and start implementing some of the ideas most related to you:

First, ask yourself: Which energy feels most out of balance for me right now?

Leadership?

Self-expression?

Forward-driving?

Fast-paced?

(For me? It’s 100% fast-paced. I want to do everything. 😅 So I’d start by looking at which ideas from that section I can begin implementing.)

Then ask: Which energy would I most like to embody more of?

Those 👆 two areas are your starting point.

Choose 1-3 ideas to begin incorporating. When that starts to feel natural, layer in another.

Over time, you’ll find you’re intuitively ebbing and flowing with the energy, instead of being pulled around by it.

• Spent hours sewing something, it didn’t quite hit the mark, and to the back of the wardrobe it went.

• Stood in front of your wardrobe thinking, “What do I even have to wear?”

• Wandered around a fabric shop unsure what actually suits you (while your partner patiently waits…)

Then this is your starting point.

And you’re in exactly the right…

Read more

Think of these like the seasoning you add to a dish your making - they take your dish from “fine” to “give me the receipe.”

FYI - They’re written with sewing and hacking/drafting in mind, but they work just as well when buying clothes, too.

STYLE TIP No.1: STRAPS

Two key things can make or break your straps when it comes to style:

1. Placement

When straps sit too close to the centre of the body, they visually chop up the silhouette and feel more practical than intentional.

(Which they might be, but we’re going for practical and polished.)

👉 A more stylish strap placement is slightly wider, closer to the shoulders.

This opens up the body, elongates the neckline, and just feels sleeker.

And if you’re wondering if those straps are now going to be sliding off all the time? Just angle them in at the back for comfort + style.

2. Width

Straps can easily look a little homemade and clunky if the width is off.

👉 A more elevated look usually comes from going either wide or narrow, not that awkward in-between size.

The key - pick a lane.

STYLE TIP No.2: LENGTHS

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a pair of shorts, trousers, a skirt, a dress, or even a sleeve; length matters when it comes to creating stylish looks!

It’s actually similar to straps: if you land on an awkward, not-quite moment.

Not quite long enough to be long, but not short enough to be cropped. It can end up looking… well, awkward.

And dare I say it? A little mumsie. Just a bit sad.

Or worse, it can look like it doesn’t fit, and it wasn’t made for you.

I know this all too well thanks to my tall, lanky body!

I’ll try on a pair of trousers and technically they could be called cropped… but really, they’re just too short.

Not-short-enough-to-be-cropped, but not-long-enough-to-be-full-length either. Just awkward. (Cropped-cropped-cropped, you get the idea 😂)

👉 But when a length is intentional, when it’s clearly meant to hit where it hits, it instantly looks more stylish. Even dramatic.

It doesn’t have to be complex: it just has to be deliberate. Cropped, short, long…etc.

STYLE TIP No.3: THE FIT!

Of course, we had to talk about fit, it’s everything when it comes to looking stylish. 👏

And you might be thinking,

“Sarah, please don’t. I know, I know… but it’s so complicated!”

It’s simpler than you might think, truly.

Once you understand why things aren’t fitting quite right, everything starts to click!

That’s why I’ve created a completely FREE Fitting Series to walk you through it all:

✨ Why your clothes might not be fitting

✨ What to actually look for

✨ And how to start perfecting the fit, with clarity and confidence.

✨ Just watching this will have you making better-fitting clothes in no time.

(P.S. I probably don’t need to say this… but just in case you need a little nudge:

Clothes that fit well = clothes that feel good = clothes that boost your confidence. Every. Single. Time.)

👉 [Start here]

STYLE TIP No.4: Necklines!

You might be spotting a trend here…

If you’re going for a high neckline, go high!

If you’re going low, go a little cheeky low! 😉

It’s those in-between, not-sure-what-they-are necklines that can look awkward or unintentional.

✨ The key? OWN IT.

I personally love a high neckline, it works with my smaller b❤️bs. I’m not trying to pretend I’ve got cleavage, I don’t! Instead, I wear what feels good and looks intentional, and that’s what makes it stylish.

STYLE TIP No.5: FABRIC!

Fabric really is make or break.

It can make or break your comfort.

And it can make or break how stylish (or cheap) a piece looks.

Think of it like this: what’s the difference between a basic white tee from Primark and one from Chanel?

Fabric.

Same cut, totally different feel.

One’s a synthetic, sweat-inducing blend.

The other? A cotton-silk mix, properly prepared so it won’t twist sideways after one wash, and soft enough that you never want to take it off!

✨ If a fabric is scratchy or irritating, it doesn’t matter how ‘nice’ it looks from afar; you won’t feel good in it, and that’s the whole point of style.

So please, choose good fabrics.

Fabrics that let your body breathe, that move with you, and that stand the test of time.

You’ll feel 1000x more comfortable, and look way more elevated.

Oh, and one more thing:

Please don’t go for the stiffest, most creased “non-crinkled” linen you can find. Look for a washed linen or linen blend, something with softness and drape.

✨ Stylish doesn’t mean looking crumpled on the beach in a creased shirt + shorts combo.

Stylish means looking polished, even if you’re choosing a distressed fabric using the raw edges, make it look intentional.

We’ll dive deep into fabric choices inside the Style for Sewists Membership in the coming months. Upgrade to the paid membership to join us - or subscribe for free to keep receiving weekly posts like this directly in your inbox 💌.

Subscribe now

STYLE TIP No.6: NOTIONS

If I offered you a plastic vase or a glass one, the same design, which would you choose?

SIMPLES- The glass one. ✨

It’s the same with your notions:

• Buttons

• Zippers

• Thread

• Elastic

• Bias tape

• Snaps, hooks & eyes

• Interfacing

• Ribbons or trims

The smallest details can be the difference between “homemade” and “handmade boutique worthy.”

💡 I’ve seen entire garments transformed just by swapping the buttons. Think: wooden, coconut shell, shell, glass, or even vintage buttons, charity shops are my favourite place to find them!

The same goes for zips, a metal puller instantly gives a more refined, intentional look than a standard plastic one.

I’m not saying never use plastic (as you can see above, I found some beautiful buttons that are plastic!), but what I am saying is: skip the cheap-as-chips generic ones.

And here’s something fun (and a little woo, but backed by science 👀)…

Different materials carry different energetic vibrations. Plastic has a low frequency, while natural materials and metals are higher. That means your notions aren’t just aesthetic, they could be impacting how you feel too. Mood-boosting buttons? Why not!

I’ll be diving into this fascinating area more soon inside the Style for Sewists membership. It’s truly incredible once you learn how style, energy, and wellness connect. 💞

Subscribe now

As you might have noticed with all of these tips… the real secret behind them is INTENTION.

That’s your 0.5 tip! (I did promise you 6.5 tips 😄)

Whether it’s strap placement, dress length, neckline shape or fabric choice, when you intentionally choose those things, the piece instantly feels more stylish. Because it wasn’t random. You considered it. You made a choice.

And when we make decisions with intention, we back them with confidence. And style is all about confidence.

That’s why someone can wear the most unexpected outfit and still look amazing, it’s the confidence, the clarity, the intention behind it.

✨ So here’s the real magic:

When you know your style identity, your colours, silhouettes, fabrics, prints, and details, then designing, sourcing the perfect materials, and drafting/hacking/finding the perfect pattern with intention becomes second nature.

And that’s exactly what we’re doing inside the 💞 Style for Sewists membership. The founding member offer goes live tomorrow, Valentine’s Day! 💌

Alright, lunch is calling…This one was such a fun post to create!

Let me know below which of these tips you are going to play with first, and are there any you’d add?

Sending love,

P.S., as always 🥰 - The screenshot version:

Last year, I was planning to create a Style for Sewists course, but something didn’t sit quite right. So I let it go, trusting that if it was meant to happen, it would unfold in its own time.

And piece by piece, it has.

Now the time is right, and the pieces have all fallen into place — including this one: being here on Substack, the perfect space to hold it.

But before we get into the “why” behind this membership…

Let’s talk about what we’ll actually be doing inside the Style for Sewists membersip…

It’s simple, but so powerful.

Together, we’ll explore and discover your unique style identity: colours, silhouettes, fabrics, details, prints, and more, and build the confidence to wear it all with pride.

Why discovering your style identity* will help YOU 💞, especially as a sewist!

1. Knowing your style identity supports your health ❤️‍🩹

Have you heard of dopamine dressing? (There’s a great quick post about it here) Basically, it’s all about wearing clothes that help you feel good, not just look good.

And it matters:

💥 Up to 90% of illness is linked to stress.

So, if your outfit helps you feel even 2% better? That’s a win for your mood and your health.

And really, style is about creating a feeling with your clothes.

It doesn’t matter if you call it dopamine dressing or not…

✨ When you dress in a way that supports how you want to feel, it shifts everything - your mood, your confidence, even your health!

It’s like giving yourself an immune-boosting shot with your breakfast. 🍊✨

Not just a mood lift, it supports your whole wellbeing.

There are so many studies that back this up.

At the start of the week, I was dragging myself to the gym 🏋️‍♀️ or a reformer class, awkward, a bit embarrassed.

My workout clothes? Worn out, stretched from pregnancy, and almost see-through.

Then I sewed a new set. Nothing fancy, just a simple two-piece.

Suddenly, I wanted to go. To show up. To move. To be seen.

That’s the power of wearing something that feels like you.

When you know your style identity, colours, fabrics, silhouettes, prints, patterns and more, you know how to make even your everyday pieces lift your mood.

Whether it’s a workout set or your comfiest work-from-home outfit, they become your secret immune boosters and daily stress savers, simply because they boost your mood!

💞 We’ll be discovering all these elements together inside the membership.

2. Knowing your style identity will help your bank balance 💰

Or you’ll spend the same but won’t have all those unused fabrics, trims and notions! Instead, they’ll be turned into your dream wardrobe

You’ll find with the Style for Sewist membership you’ll…

✨ Know what colours light you up → so you stop spending on “nice” fabrics that sit in your stash for years, untouched.

✨ Know your best silhouettes → so you stop pouring time and money into patterns that look good on paper but never get worn.

🛍️ Shop with clarity, even under pressure → whether you’re in a dreamy fabric shop abroad or racing through a button store with a toddler in tow, you’ll choose the right thing the first time (no panic-buys, no regrets!).

Picture this:

You’re on holiday… you’ve spotted a fabric shop. Or recently for me, a button shop!

The choice sends you into excitement and panic at the same time.

Your husband doesn’t want to be there, your toddler wants to take every single one of the thousands of button tubes out, and luckily, the woman running the store loves kids so is helping to distract them for as long as possible, but you know you’ve got to be quick!

Before I knew what colours I liked, what size buttons suit the pieces I make and my body frame, and the patterns/details that work for me (florals? no. geometrics or animal prints? YES), i would have either panic bought wasting money and never using materials or bought nothing and been disappointed.

Instead, in a matter of minutes, after the mild panic and excitement, I’d chosen the perfect buttons for me and even found some trims.

3. Knowing your style identity will help you save a LOT of TIME & ENERGY - especially as a sewist

Let’s be honest, no matter how “quick” a project is, it’s at least an hour. And even that’s pushing it if you ask me!

🧵 Finding or drafting the pattern

🧵 Sourcing fabric, trims, notions

🧵 Setting up your space

🧵 Cutting it out

🧵 Sewing it all up…

Let’s be real, most makes take 4+ hours (and I’m still being conservative!).

So if you’re finding that the clothes you’re making end up being meh, or worse, you try them on for the first time and… that’s also the last time?

Back of the wardrobe they go.

❌ What a waste of your time and energy.

And sadly, I say this from experience. I used to find it so frustrating that I actually stopped sewing clothes for a few years, I focused on quilting instead, which felt way more satisfying at the time. (So much so I started entering competitions, and even won prizes! 🏆)

✨ But now? Knowing my style identity means:

✔️ I don’t waste time making things I won’t love

✔️ I design and make each new piece with intention

✔️ I know what to tweak, which patterns to pick, and exactly which features to draft (you don’t have to be a drafter, but a bit of pattern hacking goes a long way when you do know your style identity).

✔️ I make slower - - - yes, slower - - - because I know it’ll be worth it.

Some pieces take me months to finish, whether I’m waiting for the perfect idea, the right buttons, or even the right machine needles for that dream fabric… like this one 👇

Inside the membership, we’ll make sure every make (purchase and upcycle) is worth your time, your energy, and your love. 💞

4. Knowing your style identity will help you feel more comfortable in ALL your outfits - especially as a sewist!

I’ll keep saying, especially as a sewist, because honestly, we have such a HUGE advantage, we get to choose!

And if you draft your own patterns? You literally have unlimited choice. 📐

Even if you don’t draft from scratch, I highly recommend learning to tweak or hack your patterns as you discover your style identity.

That way, you can truly honour your style, rather than squeezing yourself into someone else’s.

But where were we? Oh yes… comfort!

Let’s talk about your comfort:

🧵 Physically you’ll be more comfortable in your clothes - because you’ll know which fabrics, finishes, and fits actually feel good on your body.

For example, synthetic fabrics are a BIG no for me (except for swimwear!). I don’t like armholes that are cut high; they make me feel hot and restricted. And I always prefer a high-waisted skirt over one that sits on the hip.

💖 Emotionally, you’ll be more comfortable in your clothes - because you’ll feel confident in how you look, having designed your clothes to highlight what you love and gently soften or shape what you’d prefer to play down.

For example, I know I like to have my tummy covered, especially since having a baby. It just makes me feel better.

It’s about choosing - with intention. And that’s where clothing comfort (and confidence) live. ✨

5. Knowing your style identity will support you to live more BOLDLY!

Look at shows like Queer Eye (I cry every episode!) or Trinny & Susannah back in the day - so often the final spark someone needed to finally do the thing they’ve dreamed of for years… was discovering their style.

At the beginning, they’d show up “smaller,” apologetic, unsure.

By the end? They’re glowing, standing taller, taking up space. Their energy becomes contagious - and you know clothes played a BIG part in that shift.

🦸‍♀️ Think about any superhero - they ALWAYS have an outfit. Because dressing the part helps you feel the part.

No, you don’t need to dress like Superman or Iron Man. But when you discover and wear your own superhero outfit (aka your true style identity), you become your own superhero.

Maybe that means feeling confident speaking your truth to your partner.

Or maybe it means selling up and moving to a villa in Tuscany. 😜

This is about so much more than clothes.

Yes, we’ll be discovering your style together inside the 💞 Style for Sewists membership, but really, we’re unlocking the next version of you. 🔓✨

The one who brings her vision board to life.

Who becomes her own superhero, and a superhero to those around her.

Look the part, feel the part!

👆 All of these reasons (and so many more!) are why I’m creating the Style for Sewists membership.

💌 Ready to discover your style identity - your colours, silhouettes, fabrics, patterns, prints, details, and so much more?

💘 Doors open this Valentine’s Day

💝 Founding member price available until 22nd February

This isn’t just about designing clothes, it’s about designing a wardrobe that helps you live life to the full.

One that supports you to take up space, feel confident, and finally do the things you’ve been dreaming of… because you can.

P.S. The screenshot version