Tania Cottew
Founder of Ask Elemi and author of the Elemi Journal.
Tania founded Ask Elemi from first-hand experience of wardrobe overwhelm: owning beautiful clothes gathered over a life well lived, yet still feeling unsure what to wear. Her work helps people rediscover what they already own, dress for who they are now, and find confidence and joy in getting dressed.
Read the story behind Ask Elemi
Writing and reflections
From Elemi's Notebook
What I've Learned About Elegance
Finding my own version of elegance, without waiting for a special occasion.
The Wardrobe Column
Why Outfit Formulas Work
Linen pants, a silk top and a floating longline cardigan - a personal starting point, not another list of rules.
Dear Elemi
How Do I Build a Wardrobe Without Wasting Money?
From Elemi's Notebook
The Wisdom of Seasonal Living
How nature’s changing seasons invite us to adjust our pace, our routines and what we wear.
The Wardrobe Column
The Shoes That Earn Their Place in Your Wardrobe
The footwear worth investing in depends on your life, your comfort and what you genuinely love.
Dear Elemi
How Do I Dress for Confidence Instead of Fashion?
From Elemi's Notebook
Why Beauty Begins With How You Feel
Confidence, self-care and the difference a little comfort can make.
The Wardrobe Column
Why Most Women Wear the Wrong Colours
Before you give up on a favourite shade, try a different light, a different tone or a different way of wearing it.
Dear Elemi
Can I Wear Trends Without Looking Like I’m Trying Too Hard?
From Elemi's Notebook
The Small Luxuries That Change Everything
A Sunday pot of tea, flowers from the garden and things with a story.
The Wardrobe Column
The Five Pieces I Would Buy If I Were Starting My Wardrobe From Scratch
I would start underneath. Then I would think about my feet.
Dear Elemi
How Can I Discover My Personal Style After 50?
From Elemi's Notebook
The Art of Starting Again
Fresh beginnings don’t always arrive with everything in place.
The Wardrobe Column
The Wardrobe of Ordinary Magic
The clothes that help us cook, clean, carry and create deserve a little attention too.
Dear Elemi
How Can I Look Polished When I Never Have Time?
From Elemi's Notebook
The Dress I Couldn’t Let Go Of
The floral dress that fitted as though it had been made for me - and the family story I still hope it may carry forward.
The Wardrobe Column
The One Jacket That Makes Everything Look Better
Why the most useful jacket is often the one that helps the clothes you already love make sense together.
Dear Elemi
My Style Doesn’t Fit My New Chapter in Life
From Elemi's Notebook
Wardrobe by Christmas, Chapter One — The Shirts
How cataloguing my shirts made the wardrobe more chaotic before it made anything easier.
The Wardrobe Column
How to organise your shirts without turning it into a perfect-wardrobe project
A practical way to make a busy shirt rail easier to use, one decision at a time.
Dear Elemi
How do I style a waistcoat casually with jeans?
The Wardrobe Column
The Sunday Wardrobe Reset
A gentle invitation to look again at the pieces you already own.
The Wardrobe Column
The Five-Minute Outfit Reset
A gentle way to get dressed when nothing feels quite right.
From Elemi's Notebook
The Necklace That Carries a Garden
A piece of Art Nouveau jewellery, a journey from Florence, and a story that continues to grow.
From Elemi's Notebook
The Wardrobe Isn't the Problem
What if the problem isn't the clothes — but simply that we've stopped seeing what's already there?
From Elemi's Notebook
Why you feel like you have nothing to wear
The real reason you stand in front of a full wardrobe and feel stuck — and what actually helps.
From Elemi's Notebook
Getting Started with Ask Elemi
A gentle, step-by-step guide for signing up — no technical experience needed.
The Wardrobe Column
How to Shop Your Own Wardrobe in 20 Minutes
Before you buy another cardigan, try spending twenty minutes shopping the wardrobe you already have.
The Wardrobe Column
Five ways to wear a silk scarf
The most versatile thing in your wardrobe — if you know how to use it.
Dear Elemi
"How can I create a week of outfits from clothes I already own?"
Dear Elemi
"I don't feel brave enough to branch out of my same-same shades."
Dear Elemi