Emma Smith Personal Stylist

Are you joining in with Secondhand September? I make a conscious effort these days to buy preloved & vintage.

I have always loved vintage, I have some lovely pieces from my mum & other stuff I have collected over the years, in fact on Sunday I went out in a Lee denim jacket that I have had since
I was 17 & I still love it (Oooh... if jackets could talk!)

All these tops were all bought this year & are
from some fantastic preloved & vintage sellers.

White Crochet Top (Vintage) Lottsalove on Vinted
Red Blouse Rixo (Preloved) Preloved of Brighton
Blue Mexican Style Top, (Vintage) Rehab Vintage
Cream Cardigan, Vita Grace (Preloved) Lovelys Vintage

As well as selling on Vinted & Depop I have just started my own page on Instagram selling preloved clothes it is called Smith and Thrift. Please head over to instagram & give the page a follow.
There are lots of lovely summer things & I am adding to it all the time. https://www.instagram.com/smithandthrift/

I am featured in the June edition of Essex Life talking about Summer Styling. I will soon be doing a blog including some gorgeous summer pieces so keep your eyes peeled.
Here is the article, please have a read (my bit starts at the bottom of the first column)
And if you would like some help with your summer wardrobe, please get in touch [email protected]

Read my latest blog...

Body Confidence Let’s talk about body confidence, these two words are something as women, we find hard to take on, I am not sure if it was the fault of fashion magazines initially using overly thin models ba…

What's with this ridiculous photo of me aged 17 got to do with styling & fashion ?...Well I have just written a blog about body confidence, please read it below. By the way this was me at a wine festival in Rimini, you paid for a jug & you could fill it with wine as many times as you wanted to, I know!😲

Body Confidence Let’s talk about body confidence, these two words are something as women, we find hard to take on, I am not sure if it was the fault of fashion magazines initially using overly thin models ba…

It's been a while!
I was on the radio twice this week discussing shopping trolleys, (not the metal ones) but the ones that Dot Cotton might have wheeled through Walford. Gen Z have now embraced the trolley trend because they are super practical, versatile & you can choose funky patterned, chic or cool. I have always referred to them as Sholleys, little did I know that Sholley is an actual business, they started in Roman Road & are now based in Clacton. If you want to buy a trolley, you can find them at John Lewis, Argos, Ikea & even Primark. Listen to me chatting to Naga Munchetty on BBC Radio 5 live discussing Trolleys link below I am 1 hour, 24 mins in https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001xwvp
Trolleys... Sabichi (cats) £25, Rad Union (pink) £130, Ikea (centre pic)£27, Argos (spotty)£25, John Lewis (stripe)£59.95

Gift Vouchers for all my styling services are available, please message me or email for more info - all contact details are on this page 🎁

Do you buy preloved ? If you are after a knit for the festive season then you need to read my latest blog...

New to you Christmas Knits There is no doubt that fast fashion is having a huge impact on the world & fashion is high up on the list for one of the biggest polluters for producing greenhouse gas emissions. Last week, jus…

Last week I was on BBC Kent talking about preloved Christmas jumpers, inspired by that conversation, I have written a blog featuring some gorgeous preloved knits. So if you are looking for a Christmas knit... look no further x

New to you Christmas Knits There is no doubt that fast fashion is having a huge impact on the world & fashion is high up on the list for one of the biggest polluters for producing greenhouse gas emissions. Last week, jus…

I find H&M are really good for basics, these two long sleeved tops are great under dungarees & great with a faux leather skirt or under a slip dress. The denim skirt is a nice alternative to knee length & looks just as good with trainers as it does a seventies boot. This white cotton shirt is just a classic piece for any wardrobe, you may like to go for a masculine style like this one, or go for a Victorian frilly style, (H&M also do these) or you could look in charity shops or vintage stores. A chunky Breton jumper is a lovely piece to have in your wardrobe as it just won't date. Code:1097564008, Code:1182017004, Code:1206585001, Code:0925212001 Code:1167585002 Code:1092095015

Happy Monday! I was on BBC Essex last week talking about heels, as it was the 30th anniversary of Christian Louboutin's red soled stilletto. The chat was more about high heels than Louboutin himself, but here are 3 facts about that iconic shoe... 1) Did you know the idea came about because Louboutin felt there was something missing from the design of the heel, so he pinched his assistant's red nail polish & painted the sole red.
2) The classic 'Kate' shoe was named after Kate Moss
3) Taylor Swift is wearing a huge selection specially designed Louboutin's for her Eras tour & if you are wondering where else Louboutin gets his inspiration from, I think he may have been watching Madonna in 'Desperately Seeking Susan' (if you haven't see this film, watch it for the fashion alone)

You can listen here to the interview on BBC Essex on BBC sounds & I will be writing an autumn shoe blog very soon.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0gb75tp

Back in Feb, there was a fashion news story about the floral dress trend being over. I love a floral dress & have been buying them for years, from my 1990's Kookai cream botanical print to my Topshop ditsy print to my vintage Laura Ashley. I can't see the floral printed dress ever going out of fashion, and my wardrobe would be very bare without them. My clients love them too, as they are easy to wear & can be dressed up or down. I will be doing a best of the high street soon, so watch this space.

The first dress is from Fransa at Badger Brighton, the second dress, I can't remember😄 but I would buy it now if it came in women's sizing! And how funny... that I am doing the same pose, I would like to add... I did not go around having my photo taken standing like this as a kid, this was the only photo I found in the 'I'm a little teapot pose'

If you know anyone who would like help with their spring/summer wardrobe, please send them way x

How much do you know about Personal Styling & how it works ? Personal Shopping is just one of the experiences I offer. The day (or half day) is informative & fun. I will help you find clothes that are perfect for you & that you love. If you find shopping hard work or stressful, then get in contact.

Happy Easter Weekend🐣
I was on BBC Essex this week talking about Mini Me fashion & the Beige fashion trend for kids. If you have 5 minutes to fill this weekend, you can listen here...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0f8mj31

How do you feel about Jumpsuits...Super or Super Mario? I love them & think they look good on my petite or tall clients & also they look great on all body shapes, as there are different styles to choose from (utility style to the V-neck wrap style) If you are petite, then this season you will be in luck, because most of the jumpsuits I have tried are the perfect length, if you are tall & don't want cropped, then Next do a tall range & Fat Face do a long length (Betty Jumpsuit is particularly nice & good value) Zara & Nobody's Child are also good for longer lengths. Jumpsuits in the pic below are...Top row, Whistles £139, Phase Eight £99, Nobody's Child £59, Whistles £149. Bottom Row Albaray Jumpsuit £59, Oliver Bonas £89.50.

Have you read my latest blog about shopping for vintage clothes 🧥👕👖

A Fine Vintage What’s your perfect day out, a country walk followed by a pub lunch, a pre-theatre meal & then a show, or a spa day? A perfect day out for me would be vintage clothes shopping, with a qui…

Vintage & Preloved fashion has taken off & is better for the environment! I went vintage clothes shopping a few weeks ago in London's Brick Lane, which has so many of vintage clothes shops, it's a great place to start. Check out the vintage shops in your city or check out Depop, Vinted or Ebay & read my latest blog here.

A Fine Vintage What’s your perfect day out, a country walk followed by a pub lunch, a pre-theatre meal & then a show, or a spa day? A perfect day out for me would be vintage clothes shopping, with a qui…

My latest blog is about boot shopping and getting yourself a bargain. The sales are nearly over, so if you fancy a pair of boots for under £100 please read here.

B***y Haul We may not have been hitting the shops as hard this January then Januarys previously because of the cost of living, but if you do want to get yourself a bargain before the sales are over, I would s…

Hi all... if you are a Love Island fan you may know that all the clothes that the participants are wearing are preloved, they are all from eBay and sourced by stylist Amy Bannerman. This is real progress & a move away from fast fashion & great that they are all happy with wearing preloved. I will soon be doing a blog on shopping preloved & vintage, so I will keep you posted, in the meantime if you want to listen to me discussing this very thing, I was talking preloved fashion with Erika North on BBC Radio Kent last Sunday, please have a listen here.

Erika North - 22/01/2023 - BBC Sounds Join Erika for inspiring guests, country adventures and plenty of tunes.

If you are in the market for a new coat this winter, then you must read my new blog post (link below)

Get your coat! I become slightly obsessed this time of year with COATS, my husband thinks I collect coats, I don’t, but they do tend to come into the house, stay a while, then go back to the shop or are rehomed, …

I think we can all agree, it is brass monkeys outside, so it may be the perfect time to buy a winter coat. A coat can be a big investment, but a good one should last for years.

If you are looking to buy a new coat or maybe it is on your Christmas list, I have done the research for you. Here is my selection of the best women's coats on the high street right now.

Get your coat! I become slightly obsessed this time of year with COATS, my husband thinks I collect coats, I don’t, but they do tend to come into the house, stay a while, then go back to the shop or are rehomed, …

I was on BBC Essex yesterday discussing 90'S Fashion, prompted by a story that was in the newspaper about former Gladiator Lightning (AKA Kim Betts) being able to fit into her Gladiator leotards. I am discussing 90's fashion with Sonia Watson, please listen in, I am 1.41.26 in
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0cltcdk

Sonia Watson - 12/08/2022 - BBC Sounds Trusted breakfast news, information and advice, plus Make A Difference with Sonia.

How do you feel about Men in socks & sandals? & Menfolk would you try this trend...discuss ?
Once trainers were the only shoe of choice & maybe flip flops for summer, but 2022 is the summer of the sandal & not just sandals, sandals with socks! I was discussing this on BBC Essex yesterday morning, on Sonia's show.
(always here to bring you the hard-hitting stuff!)
You can listen here
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0cj0ztq

Sonia Watson - 26/07/2022 - BBC Sounds Trusted breakfast news, information and advice, plus Make A Difference with Sonia.

Read my latest blog about T-shirts, a brief history, ways to style a Tee & where you can get some lovely ones online.

New Blog...fancy reading all about the history of the humble
T-shirt? & I have also thrown in some styling ideas too.
https://emmasmith.co.uk/2022/05/19/tee-time/