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My Spring Fashion Fix

March 23, 2021

Back in Autumn I had challenged myself to update my transitional Autumn wardrobe with 5 new pieces, using my Fashion Fix service. Identifying key items that I wanted and needed to transition from Summer into Autumn and when I look back now those items I brought have been worn time and time again and I will continue to wear again this Spring. Now it’s Spring and I have repeated the same challenge (admittedly I have gone 1 over by buying 6 items), to introduce into my wardrobe and style in the coming weeks.

Now is such a great time to reassess what you have in your wardrobe mainly because we are changing seasons but also because we are starting to come out of lockdown. For a whole year now there had been no need for anything but comfy outfits or outfits to walk in, but like a butterfly we will all start emerging and utilising more of our wardrobe when we do. Take some time out to pop your Winter jumpers away so you can really see what you have in your wardrobe that you are going to wear in the coming weeks. This gives you a chance to detox what has perhaps been sitting there for months and gets you thinking about some newness you my need.

As there is still alot of uncertainty about re-emerging right now you might not need alot of new pieces which is why my Fashion fix of 5 pieces to update your wardrobe is a great fill in for your style needs. Let me inspire you by showing you what I have brought and how I have been styling the new pieces.

My 6 Spring items to update my wardrobe

1. STRIPE JUMPER - ZARA, £29.99

2. CHECK DRESS - &OTHER STORIES, £95

3. GINGHAM BLOUSE - MANGO, £35.99

4. FAUX LEATHER JOGGERS - H&M, £19.99

5. CHUNKY WHITE TRAINERS - URBAN OUTFITTERS, NEW BALANCE, £80

6. STRIPE SHIRT - ZARA, £27.99

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6 Spring items to elevate your Winter wardrobe

January 24, 2021

Trends. I used to talk trends all the time back when I was a buyer for high street retailers, they were relevant but not always right. Now as a personal stylist I know what trends are influencing what is instore and online and I interpret that for my clients. For me it’s all about spotting what’s stylish, what will last and what won’t date rather than what Vogue writes about. This season is exactly the same, I will not be advising clients to wear midriff bra-lets like Vogue is suggesting or strappy tops that wrap around your midriff, instead I look to what is selling, what is commercial and what I know my clients will part with their money for.

Even though we are in the depths of Winter, Spring is starting to come through online and we can always rely on the change of season. A change in colour comes first with pastels being prominent in updated knitwear shapes, florals are starting to pop up and as always there will be a monochrome and navy stripe theme somewhere along the way. But what I want to concentrate on is giving you 6 items to update your wardrobe now and that will see you through Spring and into Summer, items that you can add seamlessly into your wardrobe but will update and elevate pieces you already have in there, therefore giving you loads more outfits to play around with.

We are spending weeks in lockdown and lots of people have decided to make do over the Winter with what they have in their wardrobe, choosing to buy practical pieces like walking boots, coats and loungewear as there has quite literally been nowhere to go. But if you are over what you have in your wardrobe and need a little pick me up, clothing can really increase your happiness and mindset - it gives your confidence a boost that you have something nice to wear again.

My fashion fix gives you 5 pieces that can as one client said this week gives you “an injection of excitement'“ . So if you need a little pick up then please email me for some clothing inspiration, but do check out this blog post first.

So this post isn’t about Spring fashion trends but great pieces that will last you that give you a stylish edge and my predictions of what I will giving to every single client come April when we are out of lockdown and I am pulling together online shops (fingers crossed!). So while our diaries are empty now and for a few more weeks to come, I know first hand that receiving a little lockdown lift in terms of your clothing will certainly give you a new Spring in your step.

6 Spring trends to shop now

Trench coat

Trench coats for many are a wardrobe staple, an investment and finding the perfect one can become an obsession. Trenches were predicted as a trend item last year but I often think sometimes items need a couple of seasons to warm up. The oversized coat and belted maxi coat has been big the past 2 Winters so now I feel is the right time for the trench to be as big as blazers. Wearing them slightly oversized, unbelted and in neutral colours will mean that they will go with everything in your wardrobe and can be layered over heavier knits for early Spring too.

Loafers

Trainers and boots have certainly had a great run of it over the past few years but I have a feeling the chunky boot trend (re Dr Martens) is now going to transcend into loafers. Chunky soles, chains just like the original Gucci ones or the crazy giant JW Anderson ones, or with a mensy feel. Wear them now with chunky socks, printed or plain and then without socks when it gets warmer. These shoes are massively versatile, I will be wearing mine with dresses, trousers, skirts, jeans and my jumpsuits when I get my hands on my perfect pair.

&other stories, Chunky Oxford loafers, £120

Knitted vest

If you haven’t brought one by now, then it’s time to take the plunge as the knitted vest is not a one season wonder, it now comes in every colour, every neckline and works over everything. This is the perfect top to layer up over your Spring t-shirts, shirts, dresses and lighter weight tops to keep you warm but not too hot. Then when the temperatures do rise you can wear it on its own.

Shirts

Shirting this season is a tale of two halves, on one side you have the continuation of the pretty vintage collars and on the other side it’s the resurgence of the longer line masculine shirt. The pretty collars still steal the show, wearing them under cardigans and sweaters and you will also find them moving into dresses for Summer too. The minimalist lovers will be continuing to wear the mensy shirt with a casual styling feel, in stripes, with pockets, tucked in or oversized. Choose your side or dip into both. Victoria Beckham showed the white shirt on her catwalk for 2021 to be prepared to see this make a comeback too.

Shein, statement collar plaid blouse, £12.99

Trousers

I think most people have not been wearing jeans for the best part of a year now due to loungewear and joggers being the trousers of choice. Leather is also going to continue to reign a popular fabric to wear in Spring but formal trousers are making a comeback. A pair of black trousers is often associated with office attire and can often make you look like you work in the city. So this trend is all about how you style your formal trousers. Shoes are the biggest styling factor, you must wear white trainers, chunky heeled loafers or even chunky boots where you tuck in the hem of the trousers to ensure you are making a styling statement. The overall look should be more casual pairing the trousers with t-shirts, lightweight knits tucked in and and soft blazers.

Check dress

It all started with the Ganni check dress 2 Summer’s ago and this season check midi and maxi dresses will have their moment in the spotlight, they are great for now as you can layer knitwear over the top and then discard it when the temperature increases, so finding the perfect one now will see you through weeks of wearing. Plaid has been coming through on coats, blazers, skirts over the past couple of years so there is no reason why the print trend won’t continue its rise into dresses.

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How to style a blazer

September 22, 2020

Blazers have been a big part of my style for a number of years now and the trend for wearing them off duty, out of the office and as a casual jacket has grown over the past couple of seasons. It’s the perfect jacket to transition into cooler temperatures with, lightweight enough to wear or carry and it has the ability to make an outfit look better instantly. I don't know why, exactly. It could be the collar – everyone looks better with a collar, or the shoulders that create a vertical line for your body shape. It could be the fact that there are so many different options, thus ensuring there's a breadth of colours, fits and sizes. Whatever the reason, now is the perfect time to find a blazer to update other pieces you have in your wardrobe. You will never regret buying one as there are so many things that you can wear it with.

So whether you prefer a tailored, oversized, neutral or bold coloured, check or printed blazer - you can be assured you’re always going to look stylish and well put together with a blazer. It’s classically versatile whilst having an underlining sophistication. Meet your new best friend, your wardrobe staple, your game changer. Thankfully there are many to choose from to buy right now, but I have rounded up the ones that you need the most, of course not all of them but the best of what’s out there right now, to buy now and that you won’t regret.

Top blazers everyone will be wearing

Houndstooth blazer

Mini houndstooth double breasted blazer, Topshop, £55

Pink blazer

Belted blazer

Check blazer

Check double breasted blazer, H&M, £34.99

Leather blazer

Oversized leather belted blazer, COS, £290

Oversized blazer

Jersey blazer

Jersey fitted blazer, Whistles, £85 (currently £68 in promotion)

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What's on my Spring want list...?

February 20, 2020

Why write a list?

Every season I write a want list of pieces that I either need or want in my wardrobe. The definition of ‘need’ for me is when something is no longer wearable to the point that it has to be replaced because you’ve loved it and worn it so much. The definition of ‘want’ for me is something that I wish to have because it might fill a gap in my wardrobe, or perhaps its a trend item that I love or just something that is constantly on my mind when shopping for clients.

The reason I write a list is so that I don’t haphazardly buy things, this gives me a strategy to ensure that I don’t impulse buy, I don’t repeat buy something I already have and most importantly for me, that I don’t over buy. I tell alot of clients about my strategy to help them really think about what is in their wardrobe so that when you buy items they will fit in with the other pieces in your already own. Review your wardrobe, what have you loved wearing, what haven’t you worn alot of and what are you missing that will pull more outfits together?

“A great wardrobe is like a well-oiled machine that consists of interrelated parts that all work together, allowing you to mix and match freely and create a ton of different outfits that all suit your personal style.”

A common comment from clients to me is “I love fashion but I hate buying clothes”, if you have the tendency to feel over whelmed, stressed or anxious when shopping by having a list it will keep you focused and help you make the best choices for your style. The average shopper goes on a little shopping trip with a vague idea of what they want to buy and what they eventually take home is something that was on sale, something that caught their attention or something that they will never wear once home. By writing a list every season it will help you build a more cohesive wardrobe which will enhance your style and matches your wardrobe preferences.

What’s on my Spring 2020 list

I have been shopping alot for clients since January so my want list has come out of pieces I want to wear now to update some of my Winter pieces I have been wearing since October. A couple of pieces I have brought already, I do find it important to gradually buy the items on the list so you get to wear them and see how they feel in your wardrobe. Plus this list isn’t set in stone, I will constantly think about it and review it if something else catches my eye then it will knock an item off the list. I will always keep it to 5 items though and it’s a challenge to stick to them but I want to be mindful of consumerism and waste and I find by writing it down it gives me that focus.

1. WHITE JEANS - something I never thought I would buy but I have loved wearing these for the past couple of weeks with dark tops, coats and boots. The shape should be tapered, or barrel leg rather than skinny for an updated style.

**Levi’s 501 cropped jeans, £85, John Lewis & Partners**

2. TRAINERS - I am obsessed with trainers again right now and next week’s blog post will be dedicated to which pair I am going to buy as there is so much out there to love right now. My old Stan Smith’s are looking grubby and stained so I need a replacement for this Spring as I wear them alot to appointments and shopping trips.

**Air & Grace leopard high tops, £179.00**

**VEJA leather trainers, £115, net-a-porter**

3. CULOTTES OR TROUSERS - I am finding I wearing alot more different bottoms and love wearing the trousers I already own so I would like to invest in another pair that help with creating more outfits in my wardrobe for consultations, weekend wear and daily outfits.

**Whistles Tobacco tapered trouser, £75 (sale price)**

4. WHITE SHIRT - this pretty white shirt trend I wrote about on last week’s blog post here - there are so much gorgeous options out there right now and a great way to update your wardrobe with a jumper over the top now and then to wear on it’s own when it warms up.

**Selected Femme ruffle neck shirt, £65**

**Zara poplin embroidered shirt, £19.99**

**Hush Herne blouse, £65, John Lewis & Partners**

5. CHECK DRESS - I have tried on a number of different check dresses over the past couple of weeks and whilst I liked them, not enough to buy one of them. I don’t have a check dress in my wardrobe so feel this is something I would get a lot of wear out of in the Spring with tights and the Summer with sandals. I am just waiting for the right one to come along.

**Ganni check dress, £225, Net-a-porter**

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