Fashion influencer Renia Jaz shares her style tips and tricks with HLN…

What lead you to start your blog?

It was actually my family that inspired me to start an Instagram account and blog documenting my outfits. Ven’s Wife Style is a nod to my husband — even now many of my photos are taken by my husband or my daughter. Both my blog and Instagram started as a hobby and has grown from there — gaining a following has meant I’ve made a wonderful community of like-minded people online. I’ve met so many amazing, creative people through blogging and absolutely love what I do! My Instagram is a kind of manifesto that fashion can inspire and fascinate, regardless of age. I want to show people that at age 50 and beyond, you can still have an appetite for fashion and enjoy wearing the latest trends. It’s wonderful to show people that just because you enter a particular stage of life, things don’t have to stop being interesting and intriguing. In fact, I think later life is the perfect time for women to focus on themselves and their own needs. I believe fashion is for everyone, and for women of all ages. We do not disappear from the face of the earth when we get older, despite the picture society often depicts. I want to fight the stereotype that mature women should give up their passions, ambitions and right to feel and look good just because they hit a certain age.

Society loves to dictate how a woman should dress and what she should wear, particularly surrounding age, do you have any fashion rules you dismiss or like to break?  

I don’t think there are any items that women over 50 shouldn’t wear. It all comes down to what we believe we look good in and what we feel comfortable in. I’m personally self-conscious about my legs — so I don’t wear miniskirts or very short shorts as I don’t feel comfortable in them. I believe that to look good you actually need to feel good in what you are wearing. You could be in the most beautiful designer clothes but if you don’t feel good it can easily knock your confidence. It’s about finding the compromise between what looks best on you and what’s going to give you the most confidence. In terms of women’s representation in fashion, I am seeing more mature women appear in runway shows and in fashion and beauty campaigns, however we are still not fully present. I hope that diversity in fashion will keep expanding, we are so ready for it. I believe when things change and everyone is represented, it will revolutionise both the fashion and beauty industry.

Can you tell us more about what running your fashion blogging and Instagram entails? Is there a typical day?

In the beginning blogging and Instagram was just a hobby, but now I work and collaborate with many different brands — I love it and get so much enjoyment and satisfaction from my work. I can’t imagine doing anything else. My day usually starts with working my way through emails and discussing future projects. I plan every aspect of this and then prepare to shoot the looks required. I am constantly working on photos and creating and uploading content in-between this, too. My favourite part of the job is getting to know new people who share my love of fashion and discussing outfits and trends with my followers. I have met a lot of people via Instagram who are now close friends, and we usually get to meet up during fashion week – in this way, social media can be such a positive platform to connect people. Looking forward, I’d simply love to continue to do what I’m doing right now, and hope people continue to enjoy it! I have had some wonderful moments, like being invited to Paris by H&M to see their studio collection and attending a Victoria Beckham show – an absolute dream come true! 

Do you have any advice for readers who are perhaps feeling a bit lost in the style department, or want to try new trends but don’t know where to start?

I am always experimenting with fashion, and believe in order to develop our own fashion sense we need to experiment with clothes, learn what works for us and makes us feel good about ourselves. My tips would be to try on dozens of clothes, even those that you aren’t sure of or that aren’t in line what you usually buy. This way will you find out what works for you and you may even be pleasantly surprised by an item you might have previously dismissed. I would suggest mixing clothes from high street stores with more expensive items, this helps create outfits that are truly unique. I love to do this myself, and find now that many high street items look much more expensive that they actually are. I also believe every outfit can be spiced up by unique accessories, these are also an easy way to try a new colour of trend without a costly commitment. I’d also say don’t be afraid of colours or prints. They can give you and your outfit a bit of energy — even a single colourful element can change your whole outfit. I like a pop of pink or yellow, especially during the summer months. I’m very excited that animal prints are back in fashion, they’re a major trend that work in both summer and fall. Go wild and look for a tiger or leopard print to mix and match together — don’t be afraid.

Which are your favourite stores to shop in in the North East?

I love Flannels, their new store in Newcastle City Centre is amazing. I also love to shop in Fenwick, they have a great range of designers available. My favourite high-end labels to look out for are Bottega Veneta, Loewe, JW Anderson, Acne Studio, Jacquemus, Prada, Balenciaga. I then shop Zara, Mango and H&M for high street bargains. When it comes to beauty products I tend to buy them from my favourite beauty store, Space NK Apothecary on Grainger Street.

Where do you head to when shopping online?

I mainly shop online at Net a Porter, Matches Fashion, Flannels, Luisa Via Roma and Farfetch. I often look for sales or special codes to snag a bargain. Luisa Via Roma regularly has 40% off items, even from the newest collections. At a mid-range price, my online favourites are Elleme, Demelier, COS, Arket and House of Sunny.