What Makes a Woman Stylish?

Seven rules that the stylish woman lives by:

1. She regularly edits her wardrobe. Nothing makes it in that doesn’t suit her colouring, body shape and personality. And still only then if she loves it. Why have a wardrobe full of safe boring pieces unless you want to look safe and boring? That’s not to say that the stylish woman doesn’t have basics, because she does, but only those that work for her that she can make look fabulous with those little extra special pieces she has hunted down.
2. She invests in her basics. Those items that work again and again – buy the best. Spend more on a T-shirt that keeps it shape wash after wash. Choose natural fibres and follow the care instructions. Buy a beautiful handbag that gets better as it ages. One gorgeous cashmere sweater that you wear for years is a better investment than a synthetic one that needs replacing after one season.
3. She allows herself to splurge on the stand out items that make her wardrobe sing. That fabulous pair of shoes that take a simple dress to stunning. A beautiful scarf that makes her M&S coat look like Maxmara – or maybe it is the Maxmara coat that needs nothing added to mark her out as exceptionally chic. Buy these special items when you see them – you will only regret it later if you don’t. Ask yourself if you will still love the item several years from now and whether it gives an insight to your personality. These are timeless items not passing trends so if your heart skips a beat when you try it on BUY!
4. She understands the power of accessories. No matter how your weight may fluctuate your accessories will still work for you. They are the finishing touch that portrays your personality. Two women in the same dress can accessorise it completely differently. A few accessories of the season will update your wardrobe without you having to spend a fortune. Choose your accessories to complement your personality and how you are feeling today – this is where you can make your outfit quirky, classic, dramatic or fun. Spend on the timeless or signature pieces so they last a lifetime. A cheaper outfit can be lifted with beautiful shoes and bag, and a statement necklace.
5. She knows the importance of good fit. It may seem old fashioned but finding someone good at alterations will change your wardrobe’s life. Not only can they take up trousers that are too long, but they can nip seams in to make a dress fit better, take in the waistband of a favourite skirt when you lose weight, shorten sleeves, add trims or new buttons and even make from scratch a copy of an existing item you love. If you can’t do these things yourself find someone who can. Ill fitting clothes always look cheaper, so if you are willing to spend on an item be willing to invest in making it fit perfectly.
6. She follows the current trends but only incorporates them into her wardrobe if they suit her personality, colouring and body shape. She won’t just buy the latest mustard yellow that’s this season’s colour if her colouring is cool. She won’t wear cropped trousers if she has short legs and a longer body. And she won’t wear frills and lace if she’s a drama queen. What she will do is choose those trends that work for her and incorporate one or two as if they are part of her natural style.
7. She has learnt how to mix things up unexpectedly, without looking like she’s tried too hard. Animal print with stripes, a piece of vintage jewellery with modern beads. A voluminous top with tight fitting bottoms. Flat shoes where you would expect heels. Sometimes breaking the rules is more stylish than following them.
8. She knows how to wear colour. She knows which are the stand out colours that make her look fabulous even after a late night. She is clever at putting together unexpected colour combinations and finding the finishing touches, like a scarf in one of the colours in a patterned dress. You would never open her wardrobe and say “where’s the colour?” more likely “where’s the black”!

Combining colour creatively

Mixing the unexpected

How to accessorise

 

When Your Budget Is Tight Shop Your Wardrobe

In the current climate we can't all afford to update our wardrobe as often as we'd like! However, often by having a good sort out of your wardrobe, you can identify items you've forgotten you had, as well as identifying new ways of wearing them. 


Wyh not use a dull Saturday afternoon to “go shopping” in the warm and dry of your wardrobe. Rather than this being a clear out, it’s an opportunity to try different item combinations, work out which key items you need and come up with some new outfits.
Have handy a notebook, some pins and a full length mirror. You could use a camera too if you want to be really organised.

Pick out some items you love but don’t seem to wear very often and try to figure out why. Is it because of the fit? If so could it be altered? Is it because you don’t have the right, shoes or accessories to go with it? Or is it because it doesn’t really reflect your personal style despite you loving the colour?

With each item check the following three rules to determine whether to keep it and create a new outfit or whether it just goes to a good home (charity shop, friend or ebay):

• Is it flattering?
• Do you love it?
• Does it reflect your style personality?

Once an item passes mix it with other keepers to create new looks. Try different combinations of lengths, colours, fabrics, and style. For example would that velvet jacket work during the day with jeans and a sweater? One of the key looks for autumn winter was tunics and trousers – could a short dress become a tunic? Could a dress that sits in your wardrobe for best be mixed with ribbed tights, boots and a chunky cardigan, to make it less formal? Add a belt to a long top, just keep trying different accessories, and pieces together.

When you find an outfit combination you love make a note of all the items that make up that outfit – even take a picture. You could be really organised and categorise the outfits into occasions so the next time you have a smart lunch to attend you can check your notebook for the right outfit.

As you go through you will find some pieces that you want to keep but you know need a new item to make them work. Make a list of all the things you need. But BEFORE buying check the laundry basket, and any storage just to make sure you don’t have that exact item hidden away. You may also have the right item but in the wrong colour so think about dying it – this is really simple to do in the washing machine and I have had great success creating new outfits this way.

Accessories can really change the look of an outfit – I am a great collector of costume jewellery and a scarf magpie! Almost any outfit I wear will be accessorised with my signature – something on the neck, whether that is some chunky pearls or a favourite Armani scarf that is about 12 years old. Think about starting a collection of accessories to put the finishing touches to your new outfits. Sometimes you can get something reasonably inexpensive that works perfectly.

Finally when you put your clothes back into the wardrobe treat them with love (after all if you don’t love them they shouldn’t be going back in!) and a plea from your clothes “Never hang me on wire coat hangers” invest in decent wooden or padded hangers they really will make your beautiful clothes last longer.

Some treats for your wardrobe:

Cedar Drawer Liners

Wooden Hangers

Padded Hangers

Ceramic Scented Hearts

Cedar Hearts

Storage Solutions from The White Company

Creating your Personal Wardrobe Portfolio

Claudia Croft wrote a fabulous article in The Times Style Spring issue (4th March) discussing how “these days, it’s not how much you spend on your clothes, but what you buy and how you mix it up that really counts”.

In recent years, mixing lower end price tags with quality pieces has pretty much become a trend in itself. It is largely a result of leaner times. Fashion can dictate styles but it also responds to universal moods. Economic belt-tightening (pardon the style related pun) means people have to be more resourceful. This can actually be more fun, and more importantly, it forces us to take a step back and think more carefully about the clothing we buy: do we really need it, does it really suit us and will we get much wear out of it?
This is the approach we should always take with our clothes in order to create a successful wardrobe, and a successful wardrobe is one that works for YOU. Your wardrobe ‘portfolio’ should have styles and fabrics that work with your body shape, colours that flatter you and the overall looks should reflect your personality. You should be able to combine pieces easily and enjoy wearing each piece you have in it. Of course, you might have one or two quirky items or unique pieces that won’t go with everything (especially if you are creative or dramatic type) but you shouldn’t have lots of pieces that only go with one other thing. What a wardrobe shouldn’t be is bursting at the seams with all the latest styles and great labels which you find yourself gazing at endlessly wondering what to wear.

Looking good isn’t a luxury, it is something we all deserve and can achieve without having to spend a fortune. For many people, clothes shopping and dressing well, whether on a daily basis or for an occasion, can be a chore because they simply don’t know what suits them. They may have a few pieces they enjoy wearing and feel good in, but because they don’t understand why they look good in those pieces, they can’t easily replicate it. You have to understand what styles work for your figure and for your personality (as well as your budget and lifestyle of course) and do some research to find out the best places to shop for them.

The great thing about the current mood in fashion is that it is all about your personal style, and even if the universal mood changes when economies bounce back, it should still be about your personal style. Claudia Croft rounds off by saying “Now it’s about savvy spending, insider knowledge of the best shops and brands, and knowing how to style yourself”. We couldn’t agree more.

Why the Savvy Woman has Dresses in her Wardrobe

If like me you are now itching to get something new into your wardrobe, persuading yourself that Spring is just round the corner and you can start to think about colour, then I suggest your first buy be a dress.

As someone who is more likely to be found in trousers on a day to day basis this might seem a strange suggestion. It’s not that I don’t like skirts and dresses, actually I do, and in the summer with bare legs I wear them much more. But having found a couple of dresses which I can dress down with boots and wool or opaque tights, or dress up with my faithful black LK Bennett kitten heels, I realise how simple it is to dress in a dress! No need to search for the right separates to make up the outfit a dress gets you out of the door fast and looking pulled together.

Here are a few double duty dresses that you can wear smart or more casually and some suggestions of how to wear. After all having a wardrobe that works for all occasions is the savvy and chic woman’s secret.


Satin Overblown Print Wrap Dress from Fenn Wright Manson £169
Pure Collection cashmere Chunky Rib Snood was £69 now £39
Cashmere Blend Waterfall Cardigan £129 from fenn Wright Manson
Leather Shopper from Pure Collection was £249 now £186
Boden Spring Boots £149
LK Bennett Twisted Pearl necklace from House of Fraser £125
Classic wool tie coat from fenn Wright Manson £249
LK Bennett Bury courts from House of Fraser £155
Metallic clutch by Vivienne Westwood from my-wardrobe.com was £193 now £96

Bell Sleeve dress from Isabella Oliver was £99 now £69.30
Isabella Oliver Chunky scarf was£65 Now £32
Isabella Oliver Envelope clutch £165
Every Day Biker Jacket from Isabella Oliver was £369 now £258.30


Satin Crepe Dress from Fenn Wright Manson £199
Phase Eight Luoisa Hat £110
Fenn Wright Manson Cropped grosgrain Jacket £129
Moschino Shoes from my-wardrobe.com was £402 now £160
Matching Moschino bag from my-wardrobe.com was £437 now £218
Phase Eight Hamilton necklace £20
Fenn Wright Manson angora blend cardigna £129
Pattie boots by Hobbs from House of Fraser £225
Michael Kors Jet Set Tote from my-wardrobe.com £170

Print, print and more print! Pick your patterns for spring

Fashion is going print mad for spring with designer Mary Katrantzou leading the way with her exotic and elegant designs. If you’ve missed out on her collection in Top Shop (now sold out!), you might want to look at Marni’s more subtle but quirky patterns available in H&M from 8th March.

Many people are wary of investing in prints for a number of reasons, which are mainly a) because they are not as versatile as plain garments, b) we tend to feel they can date more quickly and c) they are not sure if print suits them or not. Firstly, the good news is that good designs stay around for a while, so if you pick up a good piece you should get a fair amount of wear out of it. Secondly, prints can inject a bit of interest and fun into your wardrobe and you don’t need to worry about adding to the piece because it makes a statement in itself.
The most important thing with choosing prints is, knowing which ones suit you and therefore, which ones to invest in.

The guidelines for choosing your prints are:

* Get the right size print for you. Even if you are confident about pattern, a large print on a small frame can look overwhelming; equally, a dainty print on a larger frame will have no impact.
* Choose the right design for you. Think about your body shape AND your style personality. For example, strong angular graphics can be unflattering on curvy figures and bold florals will seem too fussy if you’re either a Natural, Classic or City Chic personality who prefer will more casual (Natural), classic or simple but elegant and coordinated (City Chic) looks.
* Be careful how you wear it: busy pattern around wide hips or a large bust will appear to add more volume so it is better to wear it away from your ‘problem’ areas.
* Choose the right combination of colours. Especially if you wear the pattern close to your face.
* You should feel good when you wear it! 

The creative personalities will love the more inventive designs for spring (some of which are updated old classics) such as paisley in vivid colour, dainty and bold animal shapes, tropical themes, oriental flowers and more. For those of us who are not quite so creative or confident about print there are some fabulous new striped looks in a range of shades and the classic spot in various guises too.

If patterned clothes are not for you but you like to dabble in new trends, why not try prints in accessories.

Dressing between seasons: black is not the only option

Spring fashions are urging us to move away from winter clothes but it’s just too early to  make the wardrobe transition.  Dressing between seasons presents a few challenges, particularly from winter to spring as we are longing to wear more colour and shed a few layers.

The film and TV world seem to be dealing with this by wearing a great deal of black and white, which is terribly uninspiring.   Victoria Beckham wore head to toe black for the launch of her new Autumn fashion line and whilst her colouring can take it, it looked more like a lack of effort than an elegant statement.  Twiggy has launched her new range at M&S and the media shots show her in which shade? You guessed it, black (with white and grey).
There is no doubt it’s a challenging time of year for looking good and black and white can look fabulous, but right now we need a bit of perking up. We want to look more vibrant, feel positive and shake off that winter pallor and black just doesn’t do it.

Wearing colour makes a difference even if it’s a plain sweater under a jacket, a shirt collar poking out, a scarf or a statement bag.  Just one shot of colour, the closer to your face the better, will lift your look and your mood.   Need proof that it works?  See Angelina Jolie at the Golden Globes. She wore a Versace dress in ivory with a bold  red panel across the neckline and teamed it with red lips and handbag to match.  She looked stunning. It’s true, Angelina  always looks good because she is a good-looking woman, but the injection of red against neutral ivory made her look exceptional (the shiny fabric and contrasting shades also work perfectly with her contrasting bright eyes and dark hair). She outshone everyone, hands down, which is particularly interesting for a woman who frequently wears black.

Choose Your Spring Jacket

Spring cover-up has never been so colourful and stylish!  It's not just a question of keeping the chill off, it's about investing in a jacket that you can show off and enjoy wearing. So, here are our top jacket buys for the new season.

The Modern Blazer

The modern blazer comes in a range of cuts, lengths and colours so we're not just talking about the classic tailored look here. Your blazer might be anything from a collarless box style, a peplum or a relaxed boyfriend look. It has become an enduring alternative to the cardigan because there are so many cuts avaliable to choose from.

Style Tips: pick a colour that looks great on you and works with a number of outfits and make sure you get the right cut for your figure.

The Sporty Parka
The lightweight parka never really goes out of style, but this season it gets an Olympic update with a stylish sporty edge. It's always a winner for British springs and summers as it's easy to carry with you anywhere, ready for that unexpected shower. The new look is more neat casual than slouchy sportswear and there are plenty colours to choose from.

Style Tip: the only rule here is: don't be boring!

The Barbour
If you haven't seen what is going on at Barbour, then now is the time to have a look. You may be surprised to find that they have restyled and updated their collection. New looks offer the classic design with modern a twist and some come in a range of fabulous colours.

Style Tip: the Barbour generally comes with lots of pockets and detail so, be careful not to go too bulky if you are curvy, although you will find the lightweight fabrics easier to wear.