fun! Use fingers for foundation and
concealers as the warmth will really
help to melt the product into the
skin. Good brushes are a must-have
for applying shadows and powder
makeup like bronzer or blush quickly
and precisely (MAC have some great
ones). Carry a small ‘repair kit’ in
your baby changing bag with a few
essentials for humid Hong Kong
days… and remember that primer
will deliver a longer-lasting finish.”
Clothes
Sheryl Bolden and Catherine
Martsch share a passion for helping
mums to feel comfortable in their
own skin through careful curation of
their clothes. As founder of personal
styling company Make My Wardrobe
Work, Sheryl found an ideal
collaborator in Catherine, whose
boutique LoveIt is a long-standing
Soho go-to for women of all shapes,
sizes and stages of life.
Sheryl explains the concept.
“I passionately believe that every
woman can look fabulous regardless
of size, shape and budget. We bring
the latest looks and styles from
LoveIt direct to your door, which
is invaluable for busy mums who
simply don’t have time to shop. They
can try clothes on at home and we’ll
ensure that everything not only looks
amazing on them, but also works with
what they have already.”
So when it comes to identifying
what will and won’t fit with your
new role as mum, Sheryl offers
the following tips. “Comfort and
practicality are normally top of the
list. Mums often need to re-establish
a style identity; I work with them
to understand their personality and
everyday life so that their new look
reflects both them and their lifestyle.”
Catherine elaborates, “We
understand the difference in needs of
brand new mums versus mums who
have young children… Our design
team works to address some of the
body sensitivities that many mums
face post-baby. For example, we have
a range of pencil skirts in fabrics that
have a tummy control aspect, and tops
that make it easy to breastfeed without
getting undressed.”
As for the benefits that shaking
yourself out of a style rut can bring,
Sheryl says, “Firstly, you have to want
to make a change. Taking ownership
of your look can help you to regain
a sense of self – your baby may still
wake at night, but you can control
how you look at playgroup. Believing
that you look beautiful is the first step
to feeling great about yourself.”
Catherine agrees, saying, “Even
wearing jeans and a casual t-shirt in
the right cut and colour will create
positive energy for the day ahead, and
those who have confidence in their
appearance glow from the inside out.
Women who come for styling sessions
quickly realise that it takes no more
than five minutes to look superstar
fabulous, rather than plain and
frumpy.”
Catherine suggests starting with
a minimalist approach. “It’s
better to have five things
in your closet that are
made for your shape, fit
you perfectly and are in
colours that make your eyes
shine and your skin and hair
glow, than 50 average ones!” Sheryl
suggests achieving this with some
judicious pruning. “Mark every item
in your wardrobe out of ten, and get
rid of anything that doesn’t score a
seven or above!” she says. “Know the
outfits that look amazing on you, take
photos and stick them on the side of
your wardrobe door. When you only
have three minutes to get dressed,
you’ll know exactly what to wear.”
So, the message from all of our
experts is clear. New motherhood
doesn’t have to signal the end of your
individual style. And although new
parenthood isn’t always an easy ride,
Hong Kong’s expert stylists are there
to help you tackle any bumps in the
road… in style.
