A Christmas Gift Guide by Melbourne Stylist Claire Jensen
December 21, 2020
We welcome our guest blogger to the ELC community Claire Jensen.
With over 10 years extensive experience in fashion retail and Visual Merchandising, Claire is now an accredited 1:1 personal stylist, workshop facilitator and Australian Style Institute Trainer.
Claire's message is around empowering and building confidence for her clients. With a focus on creating a positive dialogue around body image and educating our clients about how the clothes we wear can impact the way we see ourselves and how we feel.
Author: Claire Jensen, Stylist
As a kid, Christmas was the most amazing time of year. The magic of Santa and his reindeer shimmying down the chimney to deliver us exactly what we’d asked for, even though we’d definitely tested our parents to make it on the nice list.
I remember one year waking up to Santa sacks bursting at the seams with boogie boards, goggles, towels and bathers in preparation for our family holiday to the surf coast of Victoria. It was one of my favourite Christmases.
But as we age, and we become the ones purchasing the gifts for others - it can be stressful, frustrating and that magic can dim. With the global pandemic affecting many businesses this year, I think this Christmas is a wonderful time to support local businesses and industries when making a gift purchase this year.
Below are my top 10 gifts that support Australian brands to buy this Christmas:
For the spiritual friend or colleague: I came across ZenLightened thanks to a dear friend of mine and will never look back. This amazing little biz creates incredible scented candles that incorporate the healing power of crystals. If you know someone who loves the spiritual side of life and a beautifully scented living room, it’s hard to go past their candles. The Strawberry and Champagne scent with rose quartz would be my recommendation. But you can create your own signature candle for that special someone too. An ELC Chakra Bracelet is also a great option.
For the beauty queen: Aussie owned cosmetics brand Iridis Cosmetics is my go-to for everything makeup and glamour. All their products are cruelty free, and with CEO, Founder and principal makeup artist Peta Gai McGlaughlin at the helm, the quality of the products is far superior to what you’d grab at Priceline, for a very reasonable price. My recommendation would be to go for one of their amazing lipsticks, which come in so many glorious shades, and if you’re not sure which one will suit the person you’re buying for, a quick chat to the Iridis team and they’ll be able to recommend the best shade. Or better yet, buy them a seat at one of their Glamtorials, where your loved one can have their very own makeup tutorial using the incredible products. Iridis are my makeup of choice and since using them, I’ve received so many compliments. I never endorse a cosmetic product I’ve never tried or don’t love. And I really believe that Iridis is quality makeup made simple!
For the interior decorator: Who doesn’t like fresh sheets to climb into at the end of the day? Local Melbourne brand The Sheet Society allows you to mix and match your bedding in a range of on trend colours to refresh and revamp your bedroom. With a key focus on sustainability and environmentally friendly packaging, giving someone the perfect set of sheets to create their own sleep haven that could rival what we see on The Block is a no brainer.
For the fashion and environment conscious:Sans Beast has the most amazing vegan leather handbags. For the sustainability conscious who loves some arm candy, may I recommend this amazing Aussie owned brand. I have one the Noir a Rocco Ready Satchel that retails for $199 and it’s not only fabulous but functional. With a range of different styles available, different straps you can select to change up the look, there’s no doubt that these bags rival the big luxury brands in terms of design.
A good old-fashioned book: support your local bookstore this Christmas rather than Amazon or the big chain stores. My top picks: - For the 20 something niece - The Space Between by Michelle Andrews and Zara McDonald is a great option. These young media and journalist moguls have basically written a handbook for life in your 20’s. - For your bestie who loves a book at the beach - Ghosts by Dolly Alderton. An incredible read that touches on love, friendship, family and the awkwardness that is being human. - For absolutely anyone who loves a bit of self-development - Not a Life Coach by James Smith. A no BS approach to life and starting over or starting again. I love James’s storytelling and have been a big fan of him for a while now. While he might not be everyone's cup of tea when it comes to his social media content, his books (the other is Not a Diet Book) are excellent.
For the foodie: check out Co-Lab Pantry. A smorgasbord of Melbourne based food and hospitality businesses who were heavily impacted by Covid-19. They’ve all come together on the Co-Lab Pantry site with some incredible products. They offer ready to go packs to take the stress or salivating out of the selection process, but I recommend scrolling the site to top up your own pantry while also picking up a few items for your friend, co-worker or loved one.
For that cheeky KK: While traditional calendars might be obsolete for most given, we tend to just fill in the diaries on our devices, what if you could have Brett Sutton, the silver fox himself, grace the pages of your calendar every month of the year? Sexy Sutton has his very own calendar for 2021, and the best part? All profits go to Doctors without Borders. Grab yours here.
For dad: if your dad is anything like mine, he needs a bit of help in the wardrobe department. Quality is something that’s really important to him, as well as his clothes needing to be from Australian brands. For me, I can’t go past Gazman polo. With so many colours, all 100% cotton and very affordable, you can’t go wrong. Plus, this then means he won’t wear something totally embarrassing to Christmas lunch.
For mum: whenever I ask my mum what she wants for a birthday, Mother’s Day or Christmas she always says “nothing”. Which makes trying to choose a gift for her near impossible. This year, we went for a flight ticket voucher. Why? Because after the year we’ve had, we all deserve a little getaway. Not to mention supporting our Aussie tourism industry. If there’s a few of you in the family, why not all chip in and maximise the value and the places she could go. Who knows, she might have enough to take you with her. And if mum isn't a big fan of travelling, an ELC "a bit of me time" gift pack might be just the ticket.
For You: It’s been a wild year, and I think you deserve something amazing for getting through it relatively unscathed. In my opinion, the best gift you can give to yourself is the present that comes with unexpected benefits. If you’re ready to make 2021 your best year yet, why not treat yourself to the wardrobe that reflects that. Book a styling session with me and I can not only help to curate your dream wardrobe and identify your personal style, but I promise it will leave you with more confidence to tackle whatever 2021 throws at you and more.
My Christmas gift to you for booking one of my packages is a complementary Style Consultation value at $97 PLUS a personalised shopping video which will take you through all of the pieces I select just for you! This is valid with any package purchased and this is an exclusive to Everyday Lingerie Co blog readers. Email me at hello@clairejensenstyle.com.au for a copy of my packages.
‘Tis the season to be jolly, but also to be stylish.
I wish you a very merry and safe holiday season.
Your in Style,
Claire
To learn more about Claire and her style visit her website; https://clairejensenstyle.com or follow Claire on Instagram @clairejensenstyle
This question we have heard asked numerous times, so first I want to clarify something. Plus size is a fashion industry term that relates to the size of clothing that specifically refers to anyone wearing a size 12 and above.
Finding out I was pregnant was one of the most exciting times in my life. I will always remember the day. We had decided a couple of months back to leave it in the universes hands to see what happened, and sure enough within 8 weeks I was pregnant, but at the time I was unaware.
As I said last week on our episode of Brief Talk, we've actually had to break down episode 10 into two parts. The incredible Farah Mak sat down with us. And if you haven't had a chance to watch part one of this episode yet, I do really suggest you go back and watch it, because it's truly incredible. I'm so grateful to have spent my morning with her and to be able to share this incredible conversation with you all. So part two, here you go.
Trying to find the right underwear size can be difficult due to different companies making different sizes. To make things easier we have created a step by step guide to take the guess work out of the equation.
Below we have measuring instructions with images to assist you.
Finding your size in our Underwear Range:
All you need to do is take a couple of simple measurements; your waist, your lower waist and your hips. The best way to do this is by using a soft measuring tape and a mirror to ensure you are accurate. If possible stand in front of a mirror when taking your measurements to ensure that the measuring tape is also parallel to the floor and is flat.
Measurement 1: Your waist
Your waist is the natural in indentation above your hips or just below your rib cage (see image). Wrap the soft measuring tape around firmly without pitching your skin together – write this measurement down.
Measurement 2: Your Lower Waist
Your lower waist is approx. 12cm down from your waist. Take your measuring tape and run this down from your waist to 12cm (see image). Wrap the soft measuring tape around this area firmly without pitching your skin together – write this measurement down.
Measurement 3: Your hips
Now wrap the soft measuring tape around the fullest part of your hips, this is approximately 25cm below your waist (see image). Use the mirror to check that your measuring tape is completely straight and parallel to the floor – write this measurement down.
Finding your size in our Crop Top Bralette Range:
All you need to do is take a couple of simple measurements; your Full Bust and your Lower or under bust. The best way to do this is by using a soft measuring tape and a mirror to ensure you are accurate.
Measurement 1: Your Full Bust
Your Full Bust is the fullest part of your bust (see image). Ensure that the measuring tape is completely straight and parallel to the floor. Wrap the soft measuring tape around firmly without pitching your skin together – write this measurement down
Measurement 2: Your Lower or Under Bust
The Lower or Under bust is measured by wrapping the measuring tape around your rib cage directly under your bust (see image). Wrap the soft measuring tape around firmly without pitching your skin together – write this measurement down
ELC Size
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
Full Bust Measurements (cm)
81-87
87-93
93-99
99-105
106-114
115-123
124-130
131-137
Lower or Under Bust Measurement (cm)
61-67
67-73
73-79
80-86
87-39
94-100
100-106
107-113
Waist Measurement (cm)
75
80
85
90
95
100
110
115
Lower Waist Measurement (cm)
90
95
100
105
110
115
120
125
Hip Measurement (cm)
95
100
105
110
115
120
125
130
USA
4 to 6
6 to 8
8 to 10
10 to 12
12 to 14
14 to 16
16 to 18
18 to 20
UK
6 to 8
8 to 10
10 to 12
12 to 14
14 to 16
16 to 18
18 to 20
20 to 22
EUROPE
34 to 36
36 to 38
38 to 40
40 to 42
42 to 44
44 to 46
46 to 48
48 to 50
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Trying to find the right underwear size can be difficult due to different companies making different sizes. To make things easier we have created a step by step guide to take the guess work out of the equation.
