5 outfits to bring you out of lockdown stylishly

You may still be living in joggers, activewear and anything else that is comfy, but the end is in sight and how are you going to dress as lockdown starts easing? Little did we know a year ago that we would still be in a lockdown but at least this time there’s a bit more hope on the horizon, so now is the time to start planning what you will be wearing in the coming weeks when you diary will finally be filling up.

There are many things we have all missed out on over the past year but in the coming weeks the temperature will increase, Spring has truly sprung with the evenings getting lighter so there will be more of a need to start re-wearing items in your wardrobe. So I have put together 5 outfits for possible things that you might be looking forward to doing (not just trips to the supermarket), things that perhaps 2 years ago were just part of our normal lives but now are slightly unsure of how to dress for them now.

It’s ok to feel anxious about coming out of lockdown, whether it’s worrying about what to wear, how to dress appropriately and how to get inspired about clothes again. Take a good look at what you have in your wardrobe, assess what you have, try things on and get to know your clothes again, this way you will understand whether you need to add some bits in to make new outfits or not. If you feel that lockdown has pulled you into a style rut, I hope these outfits give you some inspiration but if you need more help then please do email me for a chat.

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SITTING IN A FRIENDS GARDEN

Check shacket Bershka, £45.99

Faux leather joggers, H&M, £19.99

Navy jumper, M&S, £19.50

Nike Internationalist trainers, ASOS, £79.95

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PUB GARDEN LUNCH WITH YOUR FAMILY

Paperbag waist jeans, Reiss, £50 (sale price)

Herringbone blazer, Jigsaw, £110 (sale price)

Sweatshirt, H&M, £12.99

Navy cap, ASOS, £19

Mulberry bag, John Lewis, £895

Nike air force 1 trainers, Office, £89.99

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GOING TO THE SHOPS

Khaki trousers, Whistles, £79

Stripe jumper, Monki, ASOS £30.00

Linen shirt, Zara, £27.99

Veja trainers, The Dressing Room, £105

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GOING TO THE HAIRDRESSERS/BEAUTICIANS

Gingham blouse, Mango, £35.99

Black denim dungarees, Boden, £98.00

Pink bag, Marc Jacobs snapshot bag, Farfetch, £389

Nike air force 1 trainers, Office, £94.99

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BRUNCH WITH A FRIEND

Acid wash jeans, River Island, £42.00

Stripe t-shirt, Boden, £38.00

Red belt, Russell & Bromley, £95.00

Converse high tops, John Lewis, £57.00

Oversized trench, COS, £150

My Spring shopping list

Every new season I write a wish list and I encourage clients to write a shopping list of the wants and need of your wardrobe. Firstly though you need to asses, edit and detox your wardrobe. This is a hugely important starting point as it gives you clarity , reminds you what you have, what you loved last year and what you need to replace. Once you have detoxed your wardrobe and have invested in the basics that can be worn day in and day out, you now need to think about the seasonal items that give your style personality.

Each season my advice is to invest in just five fashion‑forward statement pieces to update your look. The idea is that limiting your choice will make you think more about what you buy, so there will be fewer regrettable impulse purchases. Plus, you can invest more in high-quality pieces that you’ll love for years to come.

So now is the time to make your five piece list for Spring Summer. Think about your budget and stick to it and by writing the items down you can always refer back it to throughout the season - it will ensure you don't impulse buy without consulting your list first.

If you need some inspiration, here is my Spring Summer five piece list (some of which I have already brought).

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MY SPRING SHOPPING LIST

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1. NEW WHITE TRAINERS - The trend is to ditch the trainers this season and when the weather hots up I will be getting my toes out in sandals but for now and again into Autumn a pair of box fresh white trainers is a must-have to make my outfits look fresh. Adidas Stan Smith’s are a fail safe option for me and for my clients, but this season I am going to invest in a pair of VEJA trainers. Now just to choose which pair.

Veja V-10 sneakers, &other stories £115

Veja V-10 leather sneakers, Net-a-Porter, £115

Veja Nova canvas trainers, Matches.com, £80

2. PINK BOILERSUIT - the jumpsuit and now the boilersuit is my go-to item in my wardrobe. I love the denim jumpsuit that I brought from Topshop in December, as this is black I would like a lighter one for Spring Summer.

UO rosie pink utility jumpsuit, Urban Outfitters, £79

Belted utility boilersuit, Topshop, £59

Boilersuit, Next, £52

3. MINI CROSS BODY BAG - the trend for bags is going mini and micro, some are totally impractical but I do like the idea of not carrying alot in my everyday cross body bag, especially for the evening. So I have my eye on a couple of coloured bags that will be an investment item for me.

Marc Jacobs Snapshot small leather bag, My Theresa £280

Saint Laurent Mini Loulou leather bag, My Theresa £815

Mulberry Small Darley leather bag, My Theresa £595

4. UPDATED BLAZER - I have worn and worn my check blazer from Mango that I brought last year so I feel that I need a new one because it’s abit worn and I like wearing blazers to consultations with clients and also over dresses in the summer. I want another check as I like having the pattern, but not sure what kind yet so I am keeping my shopping eye out for the one I want and that I know will last my through Autumn too.

Astrid Check Blazer, All Saints, John Lewis, £258

Hourglass Houndstooth blazer, &other stories, £129

Check suit blazer, Mango, £69.99

5. THE PERFECT MIDI DRESS - The midi dress has been on trend for a number of seasons now and the retailers offerings are going from strength to strength. I found my perfect evening one last season, the animal print from Whistles dress, so now I am on the hunt for a summer day version of this.

Floral Asymmetric Midi dress, &other stories, £79

Banana leaf midi dress, Warehouse £42

AUSTIN floral midi dress, Topshop, £39

How to wear clashing colours

One of the big trends for 2019 that has been bubbling under for a few seasons is the art of clashing bright colours in one outfit. So whilst there are lots of khaki’s, rusts, browns and mustard’s around for utility is a big trend for this year, these clashing bright colours is the antipodean of utilitarian chic.

If it’s been a while since you embraced head-to-toe colour, step into the bright. The good news is that so long as you pick your shades carefully, you really can’t go wrong. And this is not about needing to buy a host of colourful clothes – I bet you’ve already got enough colour in your wardrobe to pull off a stylish clashing outfit. Creating great style often means breaking the fashion rules. Colours that clash can be worn together to design vibrant, eye-catching looks and styling. The only rules for mastering this look? Skip subtle pieces and stick with bold statement items.

Here I have some colour clashing ideas to inspire you to break the black habit.

For more inspiration check out my Pinterest board - clashing colours 2019

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Pink & Green

Try pairing green and pink together, and you might be surprised by how well-suited these two colours are. These two colours create a vibrant, eye catching combination that just works. For tricky colour clashes like these, use a darker contrasting colour to add a few little break up the look - for example black and white.

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Orange & Pink

This combo is anything but subtle. While a pair of hot pink trousers and an oversized tangerine top might not sound like they’d work together, they actually look modern and cool. These vibrant tones hit it off together in a seriously bold way.

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Red & Pink

Wearing red and pink together was once considered a fashion faux pas; now it's one of the coolest colour pairings. Valentino, Gucci, Céline and Balenciaga all sent red and pink looks down the runway last season. As did Victoria Beckham, who wore her a fresh-off-the-runway raspberry and maroon ensemble to run errands.

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Tonal brights

The easiest way to ensure your enthusiasm for colour comes over as effortless (rather than – oh, the horror – matchy-matchy) is to wear the same shades in different textures. Mix wool and cotton with velvet, silk and suede. The point is that if it’s all in a similar colour then the fabrics will play very nicely together. And then don’t be afraid to add clashing accessories.  

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Block colours

When you switch to block colours and forgo prints, the cut and fit of your clothing really come into their own. Meaning, you need to think about how the shapes of your clothes work together. As a general rule when you’re putting clothes together, if one part of the outfit is oversized or billowing then pair it with something tailored or fitted to achieve balance.

Whilst its all about re thinking the fashion rule book, ensuring you know which colours suit you the most comes before the styling. It is important to understand the right colours for your skin type, hair and eye colour, then we can identify the colours that suit you the best. We can then use these in your wardrobe, styling and shopping and you can start to feel confident about bringing colour back into your life. Don’t be shy about pairing different colours together you might not normally think about, just ensure that those colours are ‘right’ for you.

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Shopping inspiration for bright clashing colours

1. Whistles, Green ash full leg trousers, £139

2. John Lewis & Partners cobalt blue blazer, £120.00

3. &other stories Orange silk shirt, £69

4. Whistles Yellow oversized funnel neck knit, £119

5. Boden, Clarissa Jumpsuit, £140

6. Marc Jacobs snapshot bag, £285, Selfridges

If you want more information about colour analysis or styling head to the services pages or contact me for a consultation - nina@edits-styling.com

Edits guide to shopping the sales

I dislike sales. Every year the worst goes into the sales and even if they markdown the things you like you never feel like you are getting a real bargin. If you are getting a bargin then more often than not it won't last or you will go off it quickly. It's not always about investment pieces but making better choices when shopping the sales. This year I have brought a couple of items in the sales and I am sure with other retailers yet to go on sale there will be a few more. But I always make a list of things I want or need and try hard to stick with it, that way I have a purpose when browsing page after page of sale items (dull or what?!).

Last week a friend of mine said she went into Zara on the first day of sales, couldn't face the queues, stood in the store and ordered it all online there and then - genius! Some sales tips do work and I have blogged about them in the past. Things like; Don't buy anything you think you will slim into, don't buy it just because it is cheap and don't buy things because it looked good on someone else, chances are it might not look good on you! The only tip that never fails me is the list...I think about the things I wear regularly and make investment updates and also make last minute summer purchases that will see me through the next couple of months. The list focuses you and ensures you don't go off piste!

To inspire you to buy better in the sales, I have put a list of 5 things together that could be things that I would buy or have already brought in the sales-

1. The investment piece

My favourite sales purchase - the investment handbag. There is no better time to buy an expensive handbag with a cut price tag that you have been crushing on all season. This for me ticks all the boxes and I wear my Marc Jacobs black cross over bag all the time.

Marc Jacobs Interlock shoulder bag, £224.00 (was £560.00), Very Exclusive

2. The Summer wardrobe update

Mid-range high street stores such as Whistles, Reiss, Hobbs, Karen Millen sometimes have as much as 50% off their higher than Zara price points. So now it the best time to get your last minute summer buys in better quality fabrics and cuts for half the price! You can't go wrong with a jumpsuit, it can be worn daytime or evening and looks fab on holiday.

Resort silk stripe jumpsuit, £135.00 (was £230.00), Whistles

3. The classic update

I have been searching for a breton stripe update all Summer in preparation for Autumn, but the perfect one is hard to come buy! I believe you shouldn't buy items lie breton stripes full price because they are no brainers and easy to pick up in the sale. The good thing about this classic in the sale is that you can go for an upgraded fabric that will last you longer than one from GAP or Zara.

Hello Sailor stripe t-shirt, £38.00 (was £55.00), JCrew

4. Forward thinking item

It might seem bonkers buying a coat in Summer, but when you get to Autumn you will feel so smug you have a new coat and you got it for half the price than what will be out there instore! I have managed to buy coats in the sales a couple of times now and it pays off in the long run to forward think.

Light pink April coat, £252.00 (was £42.00), All Saints

5. The 'it's so cheap, you can't say no' piece

Sometimes the best part about the sales is the fun pieces you can buy that are so cheap you just can't say no to them! Beware not to buy more than one thing, but don't hold back...if you love it then buy it! Here's mine...

Mesh wrap yellow dress, £18.00 (was £55.00), Warehouse