If you took my advice from my earlier blog I am hoping that you have successfully edited your wardrobe to kick start your style this year. When you want to really reassess your style going forward and want to hit the shops I cannot stress enough that the first place you must must must start is that wardrobe of yours.
To be able to understand what suits you and your lifestyle right now is to understand what works from what you have already. Try it all on and you will start to realise what necklines make you feel great, what colours bring joy and what outfits get you excited. Anything that doesn't do any of the above needs to be removed from that valuable space.
In doing the wardrobe edit it may identify some gaps, some colours you feel are missing or perhaps some styles that you have noticed on friends or colleagues that you really like.
As part of my style consultation I always ask for you to have a think about someone high profile or a celebrity whose style you admire. There is nothing wrong with having someone to look to for style inspiration as this will help focus your mind when editing your wardrobe, shopping the preloved sites or hitting the shops. It begins to develop your style personality and helps with yes/no decisions when putting things together or when making a purchase.
Some of my clients know immediately who they look to for style inspiration but others equally find this a bit of a tricky process so I am always here to offer suggestions! It can be enlightening and reduce the overwhelm of shopping and dressing!
I always keep an eye on what Emma Willis is wearing as I love her style!
Anyway, once you have done all the above, before impulse purchasing I always think its important to have your wardrobe staples sorted so that everything else can work with these in a mix and match process! By wardrobe staples I mean clothing items that are what I refer to as wardrobe keepers, the items that essentially will not date and are timeless whatever the season and whatever the year. For this reason it's worth investing in the right pieces and they become happily loved wardrobe lifers!
In this blog I am sharing what I view as the key wardrobe staples and where I would recommend getting them from. Have a look and see what you think...you may already own a few or spy some missing ones! Every image is linked so tap on what you like to take you to the retailers website! Enjoy!
The Leather Biker
Probably the most critical wardrobe staple to have! I actually went a very long time without one of these in my wardrobe, despite regularly recommending them to my clients and not listening to my own advice! Doh! They are great for the whole year! In the warmer months they are perfect with summer skirts and dresses to toughen them up and then in the winter I recommend layering gilets and ponchos over them for some extra warmth! So, they are in fact great for the whole year! I love them with a great big bright scarf!
The market is flooded with options and I always find some fantastic faux leather options for great prices but if you can I do recommend investing in a real leather option. Keep the styling simple too, this is the key to ensuring they do not date, so if it has an odd styling feature, too much metal work, busy labels then these are all design features that will result in the jacket dating. Your wardrobe staples need to be simple in the styling and fit and be all about the quality and simplicity!
I always recommend All Saints for your leather biker. The quality of these jackets is fab, they actually get better with age too so you will not have to update it within a couple of years! If the retail price is a little eye watering for you I recommend you try the sizes and styles in a shop then begin your preloved hunt where you can pick up some amazing second hand jackets for a great price. The fact they get better with age means preloved is sometimes a great place to start! Also, if you are in no rush All saints occasionally run very good discounts over a period of time so keep an eye out. Just be sure to know your size and preferred style beforehand so you can select in an organised and decisive manner!
The Wool Coat
The wool coat has probably always been a staple in many wardrobes of those who regularly went to "the office", however recent years has seen the versatility of this coat greatly expand! Even if the coat itself is constructed and smart that really doesn't matter as teamed with a relaxed piece of knitwear, hoodie, trainers, jeans it can totally transform the look of the coat! I have really loved this about the trends in recent years. It means at last it is possible to blend work and weekend wardrobes, getting the most out of the items in your wardrobe and avoid having too many separate pieces that can only be worn for certain a occasions. It has also allowed smart to at last be comfortable because of the pieces you can now mix together!
Camel is the colour to reach for and is a great option to select, however, being a Mum I do appreciate its light and at risk of sticky fingers but it's worth the risk! What else can I say! Camel goes with so many colours and it means if you want to dress in Black then your coat becomes your statement piece as opposed to blending into your outfit choice! It's great with a nautical stripe knit, Breton stripe tee, chunky roll neck and denim shirt! the camel against all these options will be softer and less harsh than Black too.
Your absolute splurge of an investment piece would have to be a MaxMara wool coat. The quality and fit is exceptional and this would be an absolute wardrobe lifer! This is an absolute investment that you will not regret. The great thing is, they do these styles so well they ensure to have a variety of styles in your colour of choice, so there is something for everyone, remember though keep your style simple, so it lasts and goes with everything!
Another option that may avoid you remortgaging the house is one from Reiss, who historically have always run their production through formal factories. This ensures the fit on their pieces has always been great on the tailored pieces they stock. They occasionally sell out quickly but these are range hero's so always back in stock!
The Cosy Striped Knit
The classic stripe knit will always be on trend and this season it has blown up quite dramatically. If you find one you like act fast as they are selling out quick! Your striped knit will work with your blue and black jeans, will layer over a plain dress using my recommended belt trick (see insta video), as well as working with both a denim skirt or some sort of midi skirt, you could even clash with a print too if you are feeling style confident!
Remember, to stop the knit style overwhelming your figure do try and tuck in the knit where you can. It doesn't have to be tucked in all the way around your waistband but perhaps a french tuck at the front of your jeans or trousers, or use my belt trick to the tuck an element of the knit up. It'll just neaten it slightly and help add shape to your body as opposed to you feeling like a straight up and down pillar shape! It'll work, trust me, just have a play!
Here's a couple I am loving right now. & Other Stories are great for knitwear, both the basics and exciting pieces and then for me Marks & Spencer are the leaders in quality knitwear and yarn development so I have to include them too. Below I have popped a simple crew neck and then a polo collar shape but the funnels with a quarter zip neck are fab too!
The Blue Jeans
I can't write this blog without including a blue pair of blue jeans but I think we all know that this is an incredibly personal decision and could be a whole manual in itself. Denim shopping, finding the right colour, fit and style is a very hard and painful process for many so always remember to be kind to yourself. Know that it is massive trial process in that you have to try a lot before you find your dream pair and you have to give yourself that time! I love shopping, fashion and keeping up to date with the trends but when I am after a certain denim fit that just doesn't seem to be around for my body shape it can be highly frustrating.
The style I am loving now is a slimmer straight fit so I have popped a few of my faves below but essentially its about finding that perfect blue pair for you! Don't forget my shopping services can be completely focused on a denim shop if you ever wanted some help, click here for details!
The White Shirt
It's great for work, its great for the weekend, you can layer over or under and it can be teamed with so much, so the classic white shirt is a must! It can be worn formally as part of your work wardrobe or you can go for something more relaxed. There are quite a few fits to choose from but to avoid the shirt you buy becoming dated go for a regular fit and nothing too oversized.
You can keep the fit and style nice and simple and instead play with how you style it to give it some versatility and excitement in your wardrobe. I always like to encourage my clients to give things like shirts life when they are put on. Sometimes it is all so easy to wear the garment exactly as it arrives to your home or how it looks on the hanger, but roll up the sleeves and pop the collar to bring some character and life to your shirts.
The white shirt is great as a stand alone piece but can be worn in many ways to create some varied looks, I'd recommend trying it under a vee and crew neck knit, under a blazer with jeans, over dresses, tucked into a skirt and even over a bikini on your holiday!
Here's a couple of my faves to consider.
So, if you haven't already edited your wardrobe maybe there are a few things to consider before you go ahead and do so, like whose style do you admire? what is your style personality going forward? do I have the wardrobe staples covered as part of my capsule wardrobe? Should I book Lisa to come and edit my wardrobe? (Yes click here!)
Remember, there is something out there for everyone, shopping and dressing should be fun and wearing the right outfit can do wonders for your mood and productivity for the day ahead so it's essential to invest in yourself and get your outfit right for you!
Feel free to contact me here for any queries to how I may be able to help you or someone you know!
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