This is the opinion of Annabel Hodin who has styled for major advertising campaigns and fashion shoots, worked with elite photographers, dressed celebrities for red carpet events; and was chosen to give Anne Robinson an up to date and impressive new look as the first woman presenter for Countdown, and after years of Anne wearing only black for The Weakest Link. Annabel has also featured in nearly every national newspaper and leading style magazine. Journalist Lisa Armstrong OBE has described Annabel as “a brilliant, instinctive personal stylist who prunes and revives the content of wardrobes and dishes out pearls of style wisdom every time she opens her mouth.”
Talking with Annabel at her home in Eton Avenue, I learn that her art historian father was forced to elope with her mother and despite her mother’s well-to-do background, they lived “less on money and more on values.” Those values included the appreciation of beauty and culture and having a home where immigrant artists were welcomed. After university, Annabel became an international model, having been ‘discovered’ by Anna Wintour. One day Annabel was on a shoot and the stylist didn’t turn up, so she took charge. Thus began her career as a stylist, which she later combined with having a family.
As a stylist Annabel helps her clients to have “a minimal core of daily basics that are appropriate for work, play or occasion.” Her clients hire her for consultations, wardrobe editing and/or personal shopping. Working with different spending budgets, Annabel’s trained eye can tailor an individual to a brand, be it designer or high street. Her clients are often at ‘transitional ages’ for as she explains, “every ten years in our lives we go through a change. As we mature, we have more self- awareness and self-acceptance, but do we have the best examples of what to wear in our wardrobes?”
When I asked Annabel for a tip for spring dressing, she spoke of replacing blacks with navy. “Navy is such a luxurious and flattering colour and in the spring light you can see that it’s not black. I think in spring you do need some colour and it could be a yellow scarf, a white shirt or just a pink something.” Although she is fashionable, Annabel doesn’t do trends. She talks about “cutting through noisy trends” to find what she calls “new classic outfits.” She is all about looking at someone’s proportions and finding clothes that will “elongate, flatter and disguise” as well as prioritising colour and coordination. And in a world where we have so many choices of what to wear, it’s reassuring to know that Annabel dresses by the belief in simple solutions.”
