Life in Colour

The Accessories Rule That Can Change Your Whole Outfit Have you ever put on an outfit and thought it was just missing something? Before you head out to buy something new, take another look at what you already have. Accessories can completely change the way an outfit looks and feels, and you don't need to follow a whole lot of rules to make them work. In this episode, I'm chatting about how to use accessories to add colour, shape and personality to your wardrobe, and why a few simple changes can make your existing clothes feel fresh again. In this episode: How accessories can bring an outfit together Using colour, jewellery, scarves, belts and bags to change things up How the same outfit can feel completely different with different accessories Why experimenting with your style should be fun Your styling challenge Choose an outfit you wear regularly and try styling it three different ways using accessories you already own. Take photos and see which combination feels most like you! Want help making your wardrobe work for you? The Style Reset is my five-week, one-on-one styling experience. I have three remaining spots for 2026, with bookings closing soon. [Find out more about The Style Reset] 💕 Ashley

With Black Friday and the sales season coming up, I want to talk about something that might feel a little controversial: shopping the sales rack. This isn't about saying you should never buy anything on sale, and it certainly isn't about judging anyone's budget. There's a difference between buying something you already want when it goes on sale and heading straight to the sales rack to see what bargains you can find. In this episode, I'm talking about the psychology behind our shopping habits, why we sometimes buy clothes we don't actually want, and how shopping for a bargain can leave us with a wardrobe full of things we never wear. We'll chat about: Why shopping the sales rack can become an impulse habit How the beliefs we grew up with can influence the way we shop The hidden cost of buying clothes just because they're cheap Why I would rather you buy one or two things you love than five things you don't wear How to shop with more intention and make better decisions for your wardrobe Why it's okay to try things on and leave without buying anything The simple question I want you to ask yourself before your next purchase The question to remember: If you wouldn't buy it at full price, why are you buying it just because it's on sale? Want help building a wardrobe you love? My Style Reset is a five-week, one-to-one programme where we work together on your colours, personal style, wardrobe and the mindset behind your shopping decisions. I have three spots available before the end of 2026. Click here for more information on joining The Style Reset Mentioned in this episode Nine Ways to Plan Your Spring & Summer Wardrobe – link here The 4 Jean Cuts That Actually Suit You in Your 40s+ – link here Style Goal Setting for 2026 – link here Thanks so much for listening to Life in Colour. If this episode has made you think differently about your shopping habits, I'd love you to share it with a friend who might find it helpful, too. Ashley x

Jeans are in every woman’s wardrobe, but there are so many cuts out there that it can get really overwhelming. In this episode I simplify it so you can go shopping knowing exactly what to try on. I cover the one thing that affects how jeans fit more than the cut itself, four cuts that work in your 40s, and the washes and fit tips to look for before you buy. Want to see what I’m describing? I’ve put it all in an article on Substack, with pictures: [link] Working with me Private Style & Colour Session with Ashley: an hour together where we go through your colours, your body shape and your style, and you leave knowing what to buy and what to leave on the rack. Book here: Book a Private Styling Session Virtual Colour Analysis: not sure what your colours are yet? Find your palette from home: Book A Colour Analysis Any questions, DM me on Instagram, I’m there. https://www.instagram.com/lovingcolour__/?hl=en About Ashley: Hi, I’m Ashley, the founder of Loving Colour. I’m wearing more colour in my 40s than ever, and I couldn’t love it more. When I’m not working, you’ll find me travelling with the kids, teaching myself piano and sewing, or walking on the beach, my favourite way to unwind. I’m a personal colour analyst and stylist in Sydney, helping women find the colours that suit them and build a wardrobe they love getting dressed from. Find me at lovingcolour.au.

Spring/summer is here & if you’re standing in front of your wardrobe wondering where to even start, this one’s for you. I’m sharing 9 ways to plan your spring/summer wardrobe and I promise it’s less overwhelming than it sounds. We talk about what to do before you buy a single thing, how to set goals that actually stick, and the one goal I think every one of us needs a little more of :) I cover where to start with a wardrobe audit and why you need a joy goal.Press play, grab a notebook, and by the end you’ll know exactly where to begin. Want to go deeper? If this episode hit home, I’d love to plan your spring& summer wardrobe with you in a private 1:1 session. Book here: [click link] Any questions, DM me on Instagram, I’m there. About Ashley:Hi, I’m Ashley, the founder of Loving Colour. I’m wearing more colour in my 40s than ever, and I couldn’t love it more. When I’m not working, you’ll find me travelling with the kids, teaching myself piano and sewing, or walking on the beach, my favourite way to unwind. I’m a personal colour analyst and stylist in Sydney, helping women find the colours that suit them and build a wardrobe they love getting dressed from. Find me at lovingcolour.au.

This week I'm walking you through the colours that are about to land in stores for spring and summer here in the Southern Hemisphere: straight from the Pantone London Fashion Week Trend Palette and the Pantone New York report. I go colour by colour and tell you which colour season each one belongs to, which sister palettes can borrow it, and how to actually wear it because seeing a swatch on a screen is never quite the same as having it explained to you. You'll hear me talk through burnished lilac, tea berry, pale banana, mandarin orange, amaranth, tickled pink, amethyst orchid, caramel, Dutch canal blue and shale green from the London report, plus acacia, marina, musk melon, alexandrite teal, lava falls, dusty rose, t-rose and burnt sienna from New York — along with the seasonless neutrals from both. If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, you've probably already seen these colours land in stores so this episode is really for those of us in Australia and New Zealand who are just starting to see them come through. Links to the Pantone reports are below so you can see the colours as I talk about them. Pantone London Fashion Week Trend Report & Pantone New York Trend Report. A note on shopping overseas I mention this in the episode and I'll say it again here — if you're in the Southern Hemisphere and feeling like you're seeing the same things over and over in store, try shopping overseas online. Smaller population, smaller range in our shops. I've just done this myself for a set I found on Instagram. And if you're in the Northern Hemisphere heading into your off-season, you can do the same in reverse. How to work with me If listening to this made you wonder where your own colours actually sit here's where to start. Virtual Colour Analysis: $150  a full colour analysis done virtually, so you know exactly which of these seasonal colours are yours to wear. The Colour Collective: $32.95/month My monthly membership, for ongoing support, outfit ideas, and "What's In Store" content like this episode — but personalised to your palette every month. The Style Reset:  $997 My 1:1 premium programme, for anyone ready to properly rebuild their wardrobe around their colours and their life. The easiest way to reach me about any of these is a DM on Instagram. I read every one myself. Instagram: @lovingcolour__ Website: lovingcolour.au If you enjoyed this episode, a review would mean the world  and it helps other women find the podcast.

This week's episode is inspired by something doing the rounds on Instagram, the "worth the money" trend, but from my perspective as a personal colour stylist. I'm not talking about must-have basics or trend pieces. I'm talking about the five things I genuinely think are worth investing in if you want your wardrobe to actually work for you, not against you. In this episode I cover: Why a properly fitted bra is the real foundation of every outfit (and how often this gets overlooked) The difference between trend neutrals and your neutrals — and why wearing the wrong ones could be working against you Why tailoring matters more than price, and how a $20 op-shop find altered properly will always beat an ill-fitting $200 piece The case for one genuinely good coat, blazer or jacket in one of your best colours, not a safe neutral Why knowing your colours (not guessing them) changes everything else on this list I also share what my own everyday neutrals look like as a Light Summer, versus my daughter's as a Deep Autumn, to show just how different "the basics" can look depending on your colouring. If this episode has you wondering what your own colours actually are, you can find out through a Virtual Colour Analysis with me — done online, at your own pace, no guesswork involved. 👉 lovingcolour.au/colour-analysis If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you'd subscribe or leave a review — it genuinely helps more women find the show. Ashley 💕          

Your season never changes. But how you feel about wearing certain colours within it? That can shift completely and it doesn't mean something's gone wrong. This week I chat about why a client might suddenly love a colour she used to avoid, or why you might open your wardrobe and just not want to reach for something you know suits you. It's not your colours. It's your relationship with them. In this episode: The emotional baggage we attach to colours — school uniforms, hard seasons, and why "I could never wear that" is rarely actually about the colour My own story of retreating into "safe" colours (blush pink, navy, white, grey, denim) during years of serious health struggles, and what that taught me about clothing as control The real difference between colour fatigue and styling fatigue and why it's almost always the second one Why having your colours analysed doesn't shrink your options, it expands them (I wears more shades now than she ever did before her own analysis) Permission to evolve: your colours stay the same, but you're allowed to take a break from one, come back to another, and keep discovering new favourites within your palette Mentioned in this episode: Last week's episode: Breaking Up With Platinum Blonde [link to episode] The Colour Collective — Ashley's monthly membership for women who want ongoing colour and styling support [link] Virtual Colour Analysis — if you're ready to find your own palette [link] Ashley 💕

After 18 years as a platinum blonde, I finally made the call to go brunette. In this episode I'm talking through the why behind it, the how of actually doing it, and what it's been like navigating my own colour journey through the exact same lens I use with clients every day. I get into what actually prompted the change, why I'm taking the slow road toward a cool, ashy dimensional blonde rather than rushing it, and how understanding my own colours has shaped every decision along the way. It's been a strange thing, letting go of a look that's been "me" for almost two decades — even when I know it's the right call. If you've ever felt torn about changing something that's been part of your identity for a long time, I think you'll relate to this one.I'd love to know if this one resonates with you — send me a DM or email [email protected], and if you're ready to go deeper, let's chat about a Virtual Colour Analysis, The Colour Collective, or The Style Reset.www.lovingcolour.au

There's a theme that keeps coming up with my Style Reset clients lately: the belief that you're not "stylish enough" to dress well. I hear it all the time, and I totally get it — but it's so far from the truth. In this episode I'm dispelling that myth for good. We talk about the real difference between being stylish and just feeling good in what you wear, why outfit formulas are simpler than you'd think, and why dressing well is a skill set, not something you're born with. I also share the three things to do if you're ready to move out of this mindset: stop comparing, get curious about your style personality, and understand your colours. If "stylish" has ever made you feel like you don't belong in the conversation about clothes, I hope this helps you let that go. In this episode: Why "I'm not stylish enough" is a myth I want to bust Stylish vs. just feeling good in your clothes How outfit formulas actually work Why dressing well is a skill set, not something innate Taking inspiration without falling into comparison Finding your own style personality Why colour is foundational to loving what you wear I'd love to know if this one resonates with you — send me a DM or email [email protected], and if you're ready to go deeper, let's chat about a Virtual Colour Analysis, The Colour Collective, or The Style Reset.www.lovingcolour.au Ashley 💕

What does it actually look like to step away from a business you've built — intentionally, bravely, and at 52 — and call it the best decision you've ever made? That's exactly what Kirsten Smith of Bettyquette did, and honestly this conversation stopped me in my tracks. Kirsten is someone I've spoken to before on the podcast, and when I heard what she'd done in the time since, I knew we had to sit back down together. She closed her business, gave herself a gap year, and came out the other side with a clarity about herself — and her wardrobe — that I think so many of us are quietly searching for. We talk about what led her to that decision, what the gap year actually looked like (it's not what you might expect), and what she noticed about herself when she stripped away the busyness and the identity that comes with running a business. And of course, because it's us, we talk clothes. We talk about dressing for a season of life that doesn't quite have a name yet — that in-between space where you're not who you were, and you're not yet sure who you're becoming. Kirsten has such a beautiful way of thinking about this, and I think you're going to feel very seen. This one is warm, honest, and a little bit life-affirming. I hope you love it as much as I did. Ashley 💕 About Kirsten: Kirsten Smith is the founder of Bettyquette, a natural skincare brand, and someone who has spent years thinking deeply about how we care for ourselves — inside and out. You can find her at https://www.instagram.com/kirstenandco/ Connect with Ashley: Instagram: @lovingcolour__ Virtual Colour Analysis: lovingcolour.au The Colour Collective membership: lovingcolour.au Find My Colours Masterclass: lovingcolour.au