Six nuggets of wisdom about fashion and style
1. The ‘stopped me in my tracks’ effect.
Believe me I know how devastating it is to walk away from an item of clothing you fall madly in love with. But if something doesn't fit me properly and doesn't look good, I won't buy it. Regardless of how much I love it and how ‘relevant’ or ‘current’ it is. I know what suits me, and I can assess how I look honestly and intuitively. This is key to make sure we choose the right pieces and that our precious dollars are not flushed down the toilet. So unless something stops me in my tracks and fits me well, I won't be buying it.
2. Learn to shop better
I've learned from my shopping mistakes. Having big shopping sprees, spending money on items of clothing that sit forever in my wardrobe, never being worn. A party, somewhere exciting meaning you need something special, something new to wear; hence buying things for just one occasion and only get to wear it once only to that occasion. I think you've got the idea. So if you learn to shop better you buy less. Cliché but true; less is more.
3. You can follow the crowd but ...
I love fashion. I follow fashion but most importantly, I use fashion to my advantage. Fashion offers us so many different choices and having your own unique style means that you get to choose what looks good on you. Fashion is timely and style is timeless. Versatility, longevity, signature pieces over fads, flexible, easy to mix and match is what I prefer in my wardrobe. Most of the items in my wardrobe are timeless and classics but there are also the fashionable items as well. When it comes to the fashionable items, I am only interested in those items that won't go out of style in a year. Undoubtedly they have to suit me and complement other items I own. When you are genuinely stylish, you can follow the crowd but you will only follow your instinct for what looks good on you and won't take anything away from your personal style.
4. Create a Formula
The best part about knowing what suits you, is that you can 'create a formula'. Just like a scientific formula. You know what looks good on you, so you keep it simple and stick to 'the formula' when choosing new pieces.
5. Discover new brands
We can all be creatures of habit and get attached to certain brands and even shops. This year I took the time to discover new mid range designer hand bags and bought a couple. New things always excite me but this certainly helps you get more creative and maybe get out of a style rut.
6. Check your wardrobe before buying something new
It's easy to forget what's sitting in our wardrobes. To avoid buying new things, things you probably don't even need, make sure you have a good idea of what's sitting or hanging in your wardrobe. I've done this and still have to remind myself to check before saying I need this and I need that. There will always be some great things hidden away.
Ozge McAree