Sophia Ettridge had a love of fashion that started through the influence of her mother, "My Mum owned her own 'fashion house' in the ’70s and ’80s. She had converted an entire commercial block into a fashion emporium. The main area was lined with formal wear; the second room was filled with bright kaftans and the third room was dedicated to denim. My very first childhood memories are of being in-store with her and her team or at her buying appointments gazing at racks upon racks of glorious gowns. In fact, she even named her boutique after me, calling it Sophia Fashion Salon.”

Taking her fashion DNA and extensive experience Sophia opened a premium boutique at the newly developed Marina Pier. Montaigo Style Domain was born, which became a fashion institution for many South Australian women, “I was involved with that for about ten years until I sold it to get ready for my next creative project. I went on to open my new store, Adelaide Instyle on Jetty Road. Being a local I had always promised my long-standing clients that if I was to ever open a more permanent store again it would be here on the strip.”

Now in the heart of Jetty Road, Glenelg, Sophia is a friendly local face and loves helping customers find the perfect look, “It’s all about the people, the locals, and the tourists. Every day feels like a holiday and no two days are the same. We also have a very expansive clientele who come from all over South Australia to shop with us, so being here at Glenelg gives them an excuse to come and soak up the all-year-round holiday vibe too.”

The store is focused on fun and fashion, there’s always great music playing and customers can look forward to personalised customer service. It stocks brands that are loved by women who want to make themselves feel good and that are affordable. Favourites are Italian Star, Love from Italy, 365 Melbourne, Urban Luxury, Amici, Runaway The Label, White Closet, Frankies Melbourne, and Sophie Moran, plus they are one of the biggest stockists of Little Lies in SA.

Pops of colour! Lots of linen, think Gucci green & fuchsia pink. Printed satin sets especially in a pant suit. Oversized blazers and a lot of crisp white in anything. Wide leg pants are back worn with a simple slide. And the fresh white sneaker has not left us yet.

Create more curves... If you want to create curves on a slimmer figure make your clothes more tailored but not skin tight.

Create a waist... Wear a wrap dress. Add belts to straight dresses or wear darted jackets like a tailored blazer.

Disguise a tummy... We are big fans of the side tuck, a variation of the French tuck, wear layers, add a jacket to take away attention, a shirt with a great silhouette, like our boyfriend linen shirt, take all the hard work out for you, just add a slim pant.

Look taller... Wear extra long-legged pants and add a heel, wear with shorter-length tops/jackets.

• Wearing clothes that are too small because of not wanting to go up a size. I say try all the sizes and go for the fit not the number.
• Thinking high-waisted styles are the most flattering when in fact it can be the hardest cut to wear, always try a mid- rise first and style a top around it.
• Wearing ill fitted under garments, a too-tight bra, or underwear can create more lines than are actually there.

Wardrobes these days are now focused on what we call the P’s - Practical, Pretty, and Price Point rather than a ‘wear once’ piece that costs a fortune. I say start with your core pieces then build. I’d suggest trying the Italian Star classic zip-button jean for bottoms. You can wear them with a simple tee, sneakers, and a cross-body bag for a smart casual look and then elevate them by adding a blazer and a heel for going out for dinner. Then get your essential core tops like the Little Lies Sasha cotton knits or their boyfriend linen shirt. For evening, add a feminine Runaway The Label blouse with exaggerated cuff and puff sleeves. In short, my advice would be to start with core pieces first then add fun.