“It’s bizarre because this is our moment finally to shine.
“By 40, you really do know yourself, and by 50 you totally… know yourself. You’ve had all this experience, you’re mature, hopefully you are, you are wise. So after you’ve been through so many things and now you can really shine.”
There are, however, some basic things that she finds women get wrong when styling themselves.
A common one is grabbing the easiest outfit because of a lack of time, even if it’s not the most exciting.
She said that working on a few basics that you can adapt, like a jacket and pair of pants, can work, and that you can prepare your outfits for the week on a Sunday – similar to meal prep.
It’s not the only factor that women get wrong, Hylands said, particularly when it comes to colour.
“We’re pretty lazy. We like to stick to black – I’ve got black in my wardrobe too, it’s easy, you don’t have to think.
“And I think a lot of people, and a lot of women, don’t actually like to stand out. They don’t want people to look at them… a lot of women don’t want that attention.”
It’s something Hylands has encountered regularly with clients, who turn down flashier or bolder outfits in favour of simple, if plain, picks.
When it comes to trends, Hylands said it’s important to keep abreast of them, but you don’t need to change your outfit to match them.
“ I think trends are great and you can take from them for what will suit you.
“[But] there are things that might not work, and aren’t going to suit everyone.
“If you like something, maybe take an aspect of it and inject it into your look. But, for me personally, I like timeless pieces that you can just wear and wear and always look good.”
Listen to the full episode of The Little Things for more tips and advice on styling from Michiko Hylands.
The Little Things is available on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. The series is hosted by broadcaster Francesca Rudkin and health researcher Louise Ayrey. New episodes are available every Saturday.
