✔️Professional Stylist
✔️Business owner
✔️Mum
✔️Teacher
✔️Wife
✔️Keeper of the peace
✔️Content creator
✔️Expert in WFH styling
✔️Master juggler
If you are anything like the mums in our ASI community, your CV just got a whole lot longer in the past 6 weeks of lockdown. This Mother’s Day, while unconventional for most, we celebrate all the mums out there! We’re taking the time to highlight some of our incredible ASI stylists as we sat down (virtually) for a Q&A on all things styling and mum life.
Meet Juvelle of @stylebyjuvelle who continues to show us what ultimate girl boss x mum life looks like. After completing her Advanced Certificate of Creative Styling at Australian Style institute, Juvelle has gone on to become an ASI mentor and successful personal and editorial stylist with her own styling business Style by Juvelle. Today we learn Juvelle’s insider stylist tips for busy mums and the one thing she wishes she was told before becoming a mum.
Happy Mother’s Day Juvelle.
ASI: Now that you’re a parent, how has that shaped your styling career?
J: Becoming a parent has definitely changed my mindset. I used to work 7 days a week for months on end happily, however with a young boy this isn’t sustainable. Luckily styling is a career that allows for flexibility so I can still have a successful styling business (in both personal and editorial styling) with a child. I have also found that like attracts like, so after becoming a mum I found more parents reaching out to me than ever before for personal styling.
ASI: Typically, what goals do mums look to achieve in a style consultation?
J: For women especially, our bodies change with the process of becoming a parent. So, often my goal is to reeducate my clients on what styles are most flattering, how to highlight their best features and the best fits to look for. I have also found that wash and wearability takes a higher priority in parent’s wardrobes. 80% of wardrobes should be worn 80% of the time and for this to happen when children are around, clothing needs to be able to withstand sticky fingers, paint, dirt (the list goes on & on) so clothing that withstand a high rotation. It should be said, many parents have a pre- determined mindset that comfort and style don’t mix. That you can’t be a mum and stylish. So, I help show clients how to get their style mojo back while still being comfortable in everyday situations.
ASI: With all this time on our hands, some of us are really reflecting on our personal styling. What would you say to other mums out there reflecting on their style at this time?
J: It’s funny, the minute you become a mum there is this perception that you can’t wear certain clothing or necklines or hem lengths… says who? There needs to be a shift from “what I think I should wear” to “what do I feel my best in?” For this, ask yourself a few questions like, what do I feel my best self in? How do I want to look? Whose style do I like? By asking these questions it helps you define your style and allow you to feel your best. Dress for you and what makes you feel good and you can’t go wrong.
My other key advice would be that the most extensive wardrobes aren’t always the best! You don’t need lots of clothing to have endless possibilities, in fact well curated wardrobes have pieces that mix and match well and multiple ways of styling. For this, a wardrobe edit is worthwhile doing – it allows you to get rid of the clothing that doesn’t fit, is in poor condition, doesn’t feel great on or you don’t love anymore. By getting rid of clothing that doesn’t suit anymore it reduces the overwhelm in your wardrobe by leaving you with only the good stuff.
ASI: Is there one piece of advice you wish you were told before becoming a mum?
J: Nobody knows what they are doing, we’re all just making it up as we go along. And I think there is a perception that once you become a mum, whether you are a working mum or not, your life has to be in complete balance for you and your family to be happy. That is a lot of pressure! Instead I tried to think of “balance” as a sliding scale rather than a typical weighted scale, if you concentrate on having the two sides in perfect balance you’ll always feel like you are failing (it’s impossible to have everything in equilibrium). It’s knowing that if you do have days that are more work orientated not to feel guilty. It’s great for my son to see me happy and fulfilled with a work life balance.
ASI: What’s one thing every mum should have in their wardrobe?
J: Ok this one is hard as I firmly believe a specific must have item is different for everyone based on their own personal style, however I would say that everybody needs a “mood boosting” item of clothing. For some of my mum clients it is a top in their favourite colour or a pair of heels or even a pair of great fitting jeans. For me it’s a blazer, I could be wearing sweatpants and yet if I put on my favourite blazer I feel polished and put together (even if in real life nothing is together!)
ASI: What style wisdom did your mum pass down to you?
J: My mum taught me that great style isn’t about how expensive an item is, style is how you wear it and is attainable with any budget.
I have realised I have already started passing on advice to my son without even realising it. Style is about expressing yourself and having fun and even at 2 years old my son has started doing this. I give Harrison choices when it comes to dressing for the day so he gets to decide what he feels like wearing and at 2 years old this just simply comes down to clothing he loves or thinks is fun. I must admit some of the outfit choices are questionable… often dinosaurs and animals take precedence and interesting colour or print combinations but at the end of the day he feels great in what he is wearing (he often tells me “Harrison is cool”) and that is the most important lesson I could ever pass on.
ASI: How are you celebrating Mother’s Day this year? #isolation
J: Normally Mother’s Day means brunch out with all the family however this year it will most likely be brunch at the “Home Cafe” and lots of time spent with playing at home (most likely with cars and trains) with my son and to be honest as long as I get a good coffee in the morning I am perfectly happy with that scenario.
View more of Juvelle’s work and styling services on her website or head to her Instagram for daily styling content that keeps us entertained and educated on all things fashion and styling.
Interested in becoming a Professional Stylist? View all our courses here.
