Angus McDougall talks about finding your authentic aesthetic with stylist Lou Heller
I first met Lou Heller judging Fashion in the Field, where, among a sea of tulle, tailoring, and the occasional questionable fascinator, her eye for style was unmistakable. Not just what looked good, but what felt right. And that, as it turns out, is exactly where her philosophy begins.
In a world obsessed with trends, Lou isn’t chasing them. In fact, she actively resists them.
“I don’t really work with trends,” she tells me. “It’s a bit of a dangling carrot you can’t catch.” Instead, she focuses on something far more enduring: personal style. Not the polished, Pinterest version, but the real one. The quirks, the contradictions, the quiet confidence. “It’s the voice, the weirdness, the loudness or softness. That’s where your cool lives.”
So how do you actually find it?
Lou’s approach is less rulebook, more daydream. “Go on an imaginary holiday in your mind,” she says. “Walk into your dream stores, try everything on, and moodboard the life out of it.” Somewhere in that fantasy, she insists, you’ll uncover your “three words”. Hers are “classic, bold, and fun”. Not just how she dresses, but how she lives.
That grounding makes trends far less intimidating. Instead of overhauling your wardrobe every season, Lou suggests a slower, more considered approach. “Start small,” she says. “Only bring something in if you can see yourself loving it in five years.” It’s a simple filter, but one that cuts through the noise of TikTok hauls and “must have” lists.
And when it comes to recreating those high fashion looks flooding your feed, a little discernment goes a long way. “Don’t just buy something because of the energy someone else had in it,” she says. “That’s where regret comes in.” Her advice is to shop around, trust your instincts, and, crucially, not settle for the first option.
It’s a philosophy that extends to her love of mixing high and low. Luxury, she says, works best when it’s understated. “Non branded pieces always feel more elevated.” High street, on the other hand, requires patience. Knowing where to invest and where to save is key, and not everything on the rack deserves a place in your wardrobe.
If you’re looking for a bargain, Lou is firmly in the pre loved camp. Vintage and second hand shopping, she says, is where the magic happens, as long as you approach it with the right mindset. “Go in with a vision, but don’t be too fixed. It’s about playing, not controlling the outcome.”
That same openness carries through to how she works with clients. Across identities, body types, and personal expressions, her starting point is always the same: imagination. “We strip away the noise and go to a place with no boundaries,” she explains. “Everyone has insecurities and superpowers. My job is to help them see both.”
Her styling shortcuts are refreshingly unfussy. A slight heel, a great jacket thrown over the shoulder, a touch of knitwear with leather. “Boom,” as she puts it. Done.
The one rule she thinks we should all ignore is the constant push to buy into a new jean shape. “Learn your proportions,” she says. “Don’t listen to marketing. It’s marketing!”
Right now, Lou is leaning into refinement over reinvention. Wearing what she already owns, repeating outfits without apology, and chasing that elusive “full body yes”. It’s less about newness, more about clarity.
Because, in the end, great style isn’t about having more. It’s about knowing yourself well enough to need less.
As Lou puts it: “Great personal style is knowing yourself well enough to edit ruthlessly, and choosing pieces that feel as good as they look every single time.”
Find Lou on socials at @louhellerstylist
Angus’s jacket, hat, and pants are available at orttu.com
