what you need now in your wardrobe

This week has certainly been chilly, but it's not yet Winter coat cold. So what do you wear in these in-between weeks that can keep you warm but also keep you looking stylish.

Jackets and coats are a huge weakness of mine, but I think are a necessity to have in your wardrobe for changing seasons. Jackets bring me great joy and having just counted them up in my wardrobe, all ... of them - which makes me sound like the Imelda Marcos of outerwear! But I honestly wear them all and some date back from over a decade ago.

From bombers, bikers, blazers and military jackets, I have got them all! But I love the versatility of a jacket, it can be worn over dresses, tops, jumpsuits or under heavier coats and scarves in the winter. They can pull a look together in seconds, and your jacket can be your statement piece that doesn't need to be thought over.

I love a jacket with some detailing on it like embroidery, brocade, sequins, something that really adds some style to your outfit. On the flipside a leather and a denim jacket will never go out of fashion and if you buy the right one for shape, length and colour then there will never be a need to buy a new one or update it.

Happily, this is the perfect moment for a good jacket – it’s cooled down to the point where you can keep it on all day, but we’ve got a few weeks yet before we have to we ensconce ourselves in parkas, fur coats and puffa jackets. I have been rotating my embroidered bomber, my khaki military jacket and my new leopard print biker from Mango for daily life, work and mum stuff.

If you fancy adding a jacket to your wardrobe, then see my pick of the best on the high street right now-

1. Topshop Velvet puffa jacket - £69

2. Zara Embroidered velvet jacket £89.99

3. Mango leopard print biker jacket £39.99

4. Mango DB military navy jacket £89.99

5. River Island blush drawstring jacket £35.00

do you love it or loathe it?

You'll find few colours as divisive as pink. It's loathed as much as it is loved. It's been a colour that has been on trend for a number of seasons now and doesn't show any sign of going away for AW16. This season the big fashion houses sent it down the catwalks; Balmain, Preen and Chanel being at the forefront.

Although it's typically girly, there are plenty of pink tones out there that don't feel sickly sweet and crucially come in more grown-up silhouettes. There is definately a place in my wardrobe for pinks, the shades of pink that are in my Winter colour palette - Deep hot pink and Icy pink, two different ends of the pink colour spectrum. This season I'm looking for the paler more icy pink to add into my Autumn wardrobe that will sit with navy, burgundy and grey. For more pink styling inspiration following my pinterest board - pink reigns in AW16

In the coming months the high street will be awash with pink. Marks and Spencer have done a gorgeous pair of satin trousers that would suit all ages, Finery London's folded a-line skirt is for the brave and the beautiful, while River Island, Warehouse and Boden all have pink coats that are boyish in shape. But if you are new to pink then start off with the basics, such as a pair of pink shoes worn with skinny denim jeans or a tomboyish pink sweater. The item for me is the must-have pink coat, but with so many to choose from I'm in danger of having a sugary sweet powdery pink overload!

So perhaps it's time to channel your inner girl and give into the deliciously bubblegumness of the cool-girl pink this season. It's still going to be a hit for SS17, so invest now. Your wardrobe will thank you for it, so gone on...I dare you!

What to buy now in pink

1.  Jagger Coat - Sezane £250

2. Belshaw fold A-line skirt - Finery London £75

3. Limited Edition mohair jumper - Zara £59.99

4. Caged flats in leather - J Crew £168.00

5. Cedar street Magnolia cross body bag - Kate Spade £178.00

Edits guide on how to dress as you get older

edits styling tips

The pursuit of individual and personal style becomes much more important as you get older. But as you get older your style changes less. What changes is your outlook on life and your opinion on style and fashion.

As you get older you care more about quality over quantity. You’re looking for something that has a little bit of longevity – not just in terms of style but also physically lasting a little bit longer. The key is to be true to yourself and confident about what you like. It’s not necessarily about what’s in fashion, it’s what you love for you and your style. Perhaps you have never been comfortable in structured clothes, for example, so now is the time to accept that. Perhaps you can’t wear high heels because you can’t walk fast enough in them, so wear flats all the time.

Getting the classic's right is a simple approach to your wardrobe but one that works. If you start with a very classic approach to your clothes, you can add anything flamboyant to that. If you start the other way round, it’s much harder to tone it down afterwards. Start with the boring bit, then add to make it feel more relevant to what is going on in fashion.

Women who dress and age well.

A camel coat is a true wardrobe classic regardless of season or trends. The same with a V-neck jumper and a white cotton shirt. It’s that simple approach to fashion that allows you to dress it up as much as you want, or dress it down. It still leaves a lot of it up to you. But women are loving fashion at all ages now, it’s cross-generational. Think of how jeans have become the norm. Women are wearing jeans into their seventies but their mother's before them would never have worn them. Now you can wear leopard print when you’re sixty but it doesn’t mean you look like Bet Lynch– unless you want to. And if you want to wear sequins, you can wear sequins.

Of course there are still compromises to be made the older we get. But as long as you retain your style personality, just move it on so it becomes more relevant to the age you are.

If you need a helping hand to find your style then call me now for a free consultation.

currently craving...my autumn wishlist

Autumn is just around the corner and with it comes a host of covetable new trends. Knowing where to start with your new-season wardrobe can be a daunting task.

It's a tricky time for shopping right now. Stores are full of shiny new Autumn stock waiting to be brought, whilst we languish in the last days of Summer with Winter coats firmly at the back of our minds. It is however, the perfect time to sit back and assess how your Autumn wardrobe is looking. Look for the gaps in your wardrobe and be a 'woman with a plan' with your shopping list. 

Hard to believe how fast summer has flown by once again, but Autumn is on its way. I'm definitely more in favour of Autumn/Winter than Spring/Summer. I'm craving sweaters, coats and jeans, because cooler temperatures mean layering. And layering means outfits with more textures, more colors and sometimes, a little more personality.

At present, I have plenty of things on my radar that I am lusting after, all currently investment pieces that will see me through this season and the next. Here are the 5 items on my Autumn wishlist to give you some inspiration-

1. A pink coat -

Whistles Penny Double Breasted coat - £350.00

2. Leather leggings -

Hush Leather leggings - £330

3. Leopard print boots -

Air & Grace London Jak & Jil leopard ankle boots - £175.00

4. Floral Printed Midi dress -

Zara floral midi devore dress - £89.99

5. Mini coloured cross body bag -

JCrew signet leather bag in red - £128.00