LEIGH CAMPBELL: 'It took me decades to find my personal style. Now I live by 7 strict fashion rules.'

I turned 41 last month, and maybe it's because I’m in my fourth decade, but I feel that within the last few years I've finally deciphered my personal style. 

I absolutely love fashion and have no shame in following trends – each new season brings new styles that inspire me. Though through many years of impulse shopping and trial and error (I shudder to think how much money I've wasted), I now know how to shop for pieces I'll love and wear for years.

So I thought it high time I share these insights with you lovely lot. 

Here are the top tips I use to work out what to wear every single day.

I had a baby.

Sounds counterintuitive, but it wasn't until I felt my ‘worst’ about my body that I figured out what clothes I felt best in.

I loved dressing for pregnancy, but in the postpartum period I totally lost who I was, including my sense of style. I had a new body shape I didn’t feel at home in, which forced me to reassess my entire wardrobe.

Image: Supplied.

Instead of trying to get back into my old clothes and be the person I was before I became a mother, I accepted my new body (it took a while!), and my new role – taking into account the kind of clothes that were practical but I still felt put-together in. 

I had my baby in winter, so I fell in love with trench coats, oversized shirts and blazers, dressing leggings, comfy jeans and quality flat shoes. They're still the items I have the most of in my wardrobe nearly four years on, and are on high rotation. 

I save references.

I have a ‘Saved’ folder on Instagram of style that inspires me. 

Some are posts by celebrities, others by everyday women. I refer to the file almost every day. It helps inspire an outfit if I’m stumped for what to wear or guides me when deciphering gaps in my wardrobe before I go shopping.

I always pick up common threads when browsing the pictures (which are most often blazers, jumpers, timeless pants and practical shoes), and that helps remind me of what looks I'm drawn to. 

Image: Supplied.

I can be a bit of a bowerbird when I go shopping with no vision in mind – I’m drawn to statement pieces and shiny fun things, but with visual references on hand I remind myself that they’re not what I came for, or that I can only justify buying a statement piece of I've got enough classics to pair it back with to get multiple wears out of it.

I caved in to comfort.

Five years ago I had an impressive collection of stilettos, going-out dresses and ‘event’ pieces. Every wardrobe cleanout I’d realise they hardly got worn anymore, yet I’d buy another pair of heels I was drawn to. 

Finally, I admitted my lifestyle had changed and while these items were pretty, they just weren’t practical. 

Instead, I started investing in quality flat shoes like sandals and loafers, denim, pants and suiting that mixed and matched with everything, and generally looked for comfortable options I don't want to rip off the minute I get home.

Image: Supplied.

 Once I started to shop for my real life, not my fantasy life, I suddenly had a wardrobe of items that got a lot more wear. 

I give myself a time-out.

I can be quite the impulse shopper, and that’s still something I am working on. But I’ve gotten much better at walking away from something. 

I like to give myself time to mull it over. If I’m still thinking about the item the next day or the next week and have worked out how I’ll be able to wear it in lots of ways, I give myself permission to go back and get it.

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This works for online shopping, too. Many sites let you leave items in your cart, or add them to a wish-list. Even better, some online stores will email you a discount after you’ve left something in your cart for a period of time. A nifty trick!

I invested in quality basics.

I used to think, "oh, it's just a white t-shirt, they're all the same” and buy cheap basics. Finally, I realised that quality is king then it comes to classic pieces you’ll wear for years, because they’ll last.

Quality doesn't need to be expensive. I have a few pricy blazers and designer t-shirts, but most of my staples are affordable and excellently made. 

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Uniqlo is my go-to for classic basics – I love their t-shirts and knits. Marks and Spencer also offers amazing quality classics – their merino wool jumpers have lasted me several seasons and still look brand new (just make sure you wash them on a gentle cycle in a lingerie bag).

I hire (or borrow).

My weekends are pretty low-key these days (thanks to my three-year-old), but occasionally I have a fancy work event or wedding to go to. 

I almost always hire a dress for something like that – or ask a friend to borrow an outfit.

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It’s better for my bank account, and saves a dress from hanging in my wardrobe, unlikely to get worn again. 

My favourite sites to hire from are Glam Corner and Designer Ex.  

I stick to a budget.

My favourite feature when online shopping is the ability to select a price range. With the item I'm looking for in mind, I toggle the settings to my maximum budget for that item before I start browsing. Saves me from getting tempted to splurge when I can't afford it or can't justify it for that particular piece.

I then further refine the search by punching in my size, then switching it to ‘lowest to highest’ for the price. Who are these people searching ‘highest to lowest’ anyway?! 

It’s a handy tip for sites like The Iconic and ASOS where the range is so big, it can be overwhelming. 

Image: Supplied + Mamamia.