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Stripes never go out of style and this Spring they are even more popular than ever. But it doesn’t have to be confined to the faithful breton, they can be found on everything this season from trousers to shirts and even shoes. It’s a great way to inject some colour into your wardrobe without having to be too bold with colour blocking and stripes can update any outfit.
Since January started I have been working with many of you to sort out your wardrobes ready for the return to the office. It might only be 2/3 days per week right now but the feeling towards it has shifted as has the landscape. There is a real want for people to go back into their work environments, to chat in real life, work next to their colleagues and go back to work events again. But the days of wearing a suit and tie, a pencil skirt and jacket have gone as offices are embracing the smart/casual dress code that once was just saved for ‘dress down Fridays’.
What has changed since the pandemic?
The pandemic has accelerated the move towards smart/casual dressing with companies realising that you don’t need to be suited and booted to look professional and do your jobs properly.
What this does mean is you can’t rely on the old ‘uniform’ of throwing on a suit. Now it is acceptable to bring some personality and self expression to work, this means having a wardrobe full of smart separates instead. That requires a bit more creativity and can be overwhelming.
While it’s clear dress codes have relaxed massively, it’s still essential to look professional at work. It really is part of your tool kit for success as well as showing you mean business and you take your job seriously, Smart/casual can be tricky to master with many people getting it wrong and ending up looking too casual or too formal.
By adding a few key pieces you will get it spot on and hopefully enjoy dressing in a more creative and interesting way. It also means the lines have now blurred; your work wardrobe blends into your weekend wardrobe which definitely has its benefits. It means you can get more wear from everything and have a more sustainable wardrobe with less clothes but more ‘cost-per-wear’, this definitely feels like we have moved on.
What do you need in your work wardrobe for going back into the office?
There are 6 things that I believe by adding them into your wardrobe you will create lots of go-to outfits that will help when dressing every morning for work.
Now the blazer is an acceptable separate that can be worn over-sized, more casual and softer or to add interest and colour to your outfit.
Update your look with shirt dresses and looser styles rather than fitted tailored dresses of old. Inject some pattern and colour to give your outfit some personality.
Any trouser shape goes from wide leg, barrel leg, ankle length and high waisted, its all about the trouser.
Make sure a couple of your blouses at least are a bit statement to add interest and personality. Look for puff sleeves or pussy bow styles.
Just this week on the new series of The Apprentice, Karren Brady was the belle of the boardroom wearing a bubblegum pink jumpsuit. This would have been unheard of just a few years ago but grab yourself a jumpsuit and take the stress out of getting dressed in the morning.
Quite often this can be the hardest thing, flats vs heels, those LK Bennett court shoes just don’t feel right anymore, what can you wear instead? Boots, loafers and even smart trainers.
Every party season, the sequin trend rolls around. But this year more than ever it seems to be the only thing that everyone is pushing for the party dressing. Sequins are everywhere! Whether it be in a dress, skirts, tops or trousers, sequins are now the go-to look for any event. Following on from last year’s lockdown none event the way to wear them is with knitwear, oversized roll necks, cable knits or paired back with denim.
This year I have brought a pair of sequin trousers and will be wearing them with a jumper over the next few weeks and quite possibly on Christmas day too. Already in my wardrobe I have a silver sequin pencil skirt, a silver sequin blazer and a navy blue sequin top which I regularly wear and will never detox from my wardrobe - sequins are for life don’t you know! Be wary when buying sequin clothes, make sure the fabric is good quality, its lined so it doesn’t itch against your skin and the sequins are not too thin otherwise they will break. Follow these tips and there is no reason why a sequin piece of clothing isn’t an investment piece that you will always wear and keep.
See below for my top sequins buys this season.
It’s probably one of the most common asks from my clients, what can they wear instead of always defaulting to jeans. Now more than ever there is a trend towards being comfortable post pandemic but whilst also looking stylish. So how do you pull this off? What trousers can you wear without looking like you are going to the office? There are a number of options when it comes to changing your jeans out for other trousers, but your shoes and the rest of your outfit also need to work with the trousers to ensure you have the whole look nailed. What I mean by this is for example wearing trainers with smart trousers, wearing chunky boots with knitted trousers or loafers with leather trousers to ensure your look is paired down, casual and perhaps the opposite of what you might normally wear with said trousers. For more styling inspiration make sure you follow me on Instagram where you can see how I pull these looks together.
Right now there are a number of trousers that I am seeing alot of, that I want to wear and also lusting after, these are rounded up below. Think about what you already have in your wardrobe and you might own a pair of smart trousers for example and it could be all about how you style them rather than buying a new pair. But if you are looking for some newness this season then check out the best pieces there is to buy online right now.
1. Stirrup leggings - I often clear out many pairs of leggings from Women’s wardrobes, excluding ones you exercise in, old maternity leggings or black stretch cotton leggings are a mainstay in alot of wardrobes still. I often point clients in the direct of a fabric called Ponte Roma which is a heavier weight jersey, much more flattering, thicker and will last longer. This year a new style is becoming very popular and it might make you feel like you should be horse riding as they have a stirrup detailing at the hem of them. You can of course wear ankle boots or long boots to cover this bit up but styling wise wearing loafers or trainers are a way of updating this look for this season.
2. Leather trousers - I have owned a pair of PU cropped trousers for a number of years and a pair of leather leggings that I pull out every single Autumn with out fail and get so much wear out of them. So this year I am totally lusting after a pair of leather trousers. An investment yes but after doing quite a bit of research and knowing how much I wear my PU ones I know it will be something I own and wear for years. Leg shape is really important, a tapered leg thats high waisted is very flattering and will never go out of style.
3. Knitted trouser or legging - this is something that started cropping up last year due to the huge appetite for loungewear when we were all in lockdown. The other driver of this is the rise of the co-ord in fashion, this is when 2 separates match each other in fabric, colour or print, it’s is a co-ordinating piece. Alot of loungewear is co-ordinating so the knitted trouser just takes this to another level. It’s loungewear you can dress up, wear outside with boots or trainers and also keep warm in too. I brought a set from Zara last year and styled it very much with chunky boots and the knitted hoody, but this time I want to wear it with over-sized shirts and blazers.
4. Smart trousers - it’s funny now that we are spending less & less time in an office environment we have less need to dress up and dressing for work has become much more relaxed. Saying that the trend for smartwear, suiting and wearing smart trousers has been around for a while now, what is key is what you wear on your feet to ensure you don’t look like you are going to an office (even if you are). High waisted shapes are great, be careful about pleats at the waist as more often than not these can be vey unflattering and make you look bigger than you are, so flat fronted trousers are a better option.
5. Smart joggers - these trousers have been around for a number of seasons and are so versatile to wear instead of jeans. It’s all about fabric with this trouser, ensuring they are not in a jogger like fabric but slightly smarter like crepe or heavy jersey and they have a coloured stripe down the side seam. The shape of the leg and the hem are also key, you might want a wide leg or a tapered leg and you might not want an elasticated hem so they look less jogger like. Check out my options, there are so many to choose from but these are tried and tested trousers that clients have feedback how fantastic they are.
