Maggie McMillan

I am Founder of The Style  Counsel  - Personal Branding, Impact & Wardrobe Consultancy which I have just relaunched as www.MMstyle.co.uk and am also on the Board of the Thames Valley branch of the amazing charity @smartworkscharity. I have special responsibility for fundraising events and am also their Head of Dressing.  

In my “regular job”  I work with men and women ,from pop stars to politicians, CEO’s to sixth formers, grandparents to godchildren - and everyone in between! 

At Smart Works we support disadvantaged women back into work by giving them full outfits for interview and early work days and interview coaching. 

I am passionate about empowering all my clients building confidence and self esteem and building with them a wardrobe that really works for their lifestyle, personality & budget.  “ Look good, feel good” is one of my favourite mantras. 

I’ve been widowed twice (my daughters  ( aged 28 & 32) call me TWM - Twice Widowed Mummy/ Maggie! !!!!) ( BTW  this makes me smile! )

I live in Henley on Thames in an 18th Century cottage with my dappled dachshund Roly. 

I love fresh flowers and try always to have them - even now!  My daughters make me smile- they have the most wonderful self deprecating sense of humour, despite the hardships they have endured. It’s the unexpected that makes me smile - someone who sends you a sweet card when it’s not your birthday, pops in (or in the current lockdown calls) when you are least expecting them! 

Peter Kay makes me laugh out loud... ( You can take the girl out of the North  etc.... !) 

My tip tip for isolation is not to expect too much of yourself and to try not to compare yourself to others. We are all unique and everyone has good days and bad days.  

Each evening I write down 3 things I want to achieve the next day. In my case I try to post on my Instagram grid and record a video for the gram every day - this ensures I get dressed and put my make up on and means I have to be a bit creative too! 

I have a separate list of things I keep putting off and I try add I of those to my list of 3 every other day! They vary from  writing that email I’ve been putting off to ironing that pile of table napkins that’ s been languishing in the ironing basket “since God was a boy!!”

I also intersperse my 3 To Dos” with self care activities or things I love doing eg reading a book, watching a TV programme or doing a virtual yoga session.

Some days I achieve none of these but I’m trying not to worry about that! 

Ps I’m eating far better now I have more time and I think that helps! My breakfast used to be a bar of chocolate from a garage when I stopped to get petrol and now I have a fruit and veg smoothly every day! Preparing tasty food has really helped ( though I hate eating on my own so I sometimes Facetime my girls while I’m eating! )

 

My shout out is to my bestie Sharon who rings me twice a day . I never go off the phone without having laughed. She knows what I’m thinking and worrying about before I even tell her and I would tell her ANYTHING. 

My second shout out has to be to my daughters Georgia & Lydia who always make me laugh and constantly surprise me!