track star stripes 2018

Stripes never go out of fashion or out of style, but some seasons the humble stripe works harder than your basic breton tee.

This season sees stripes being reworked in different strokes, with colourful hues and will prove to be one of the most striking trends of the season. But it’s also one of the most wearable trends and a cinch when it comes to styling.  

It's not just about a stripey piece of clothing this season, it's how you use the stripe that matters. It's got to have a sporty undertone to the piece of clothing or the look. The look is no longer French Parisian chic, it's sophisticated smart sports style. The strength of the trend for a stripe down the side of a pair of trousers has been gathering pace for a few seasons. This is proven by the extensive fashionista's and bloggers on pinterest posting their looks.

Now if you go on any high street retailer they have them in every different colour, cut, leg shape and fabric imaginable - I counted 30 on Zara alone. We can finally ditch the jeans in favour of these side stripe trousers, as we have an understanding of how to style them so women are now buying them. Style them with shirts, blazers, sweaters, logo tee's - anything goes! As for your footwear, it's not just limited to white trainers, heels elongate your leg and make your outfit look less gym-like and more insta-like.

Athletic-inspired women's wear isn't going away anytime soon, so now is the time to embrace the stripes across other items of clothing. Other sports style stripes are joining the trend and can be mixed and matched in the same outfit. This Summer you will see wide stripe dresses and skirts, but the easiest way to wear the trend is buy styling a jumper / sweater / top with a new updated stripe on it and your look will look fresh and upto date!

For more inspiration follow my pinterest board - sporty stripes

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See how I have styled my check trousers from ASOS with a sporty stripe down the side.

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Shopping for stripes

1. Stripe Blazer, Mango £79.99

2. Stripe co-ordinate, Monki £25.00 each

3. Stripe belted dress, Studio by Preen, Debenhams, £75.00

4. Colour block pleated skirt, Hush £89.00

5. Jumpsuit with sports side stripe, Reserved, £39.99

6. Side stripe leather trousers, Whistles, £349.00

7. Saff Richmond cross body stripe bag, Kurt Geiger, £99.00

8. Check trousers with double stripe, Zara £29.99

9. Tricolour openwork sweater, Mango £29.99

how to fall in love with your wardrobe again

...when opening it just makes you yawn.

So you open your wardrobe, do a dramatic sigh and close it again feeling like you hate it all, have nothing to wear and proceed to get out your laptop to start browsing Zara in an effort to feel better. Yep, we’ve all been there, and we’ve all made the subsequent three figure order where you end up seeing sense and returning most it any way (although something always gets through the net doesn’t it?). So if you’re feeling down in the dumps with your current wardrobe then I have a couple of style tricks up my sleeve. Three in fact, that should get your styling juices flowing and should help you find a couple of new and exciting options amongst your current clothes. The best bit is that it’s completely free! No quickie online hauls. No impulse purchases. Just working with what you’ve got to find some new outfits, discover old pieces and learn some styling tricks to spice things up again…

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EXPERIMENT ONE: FIVE NEW OUTFITS

I can be guilty of wearing the same outfits on repeat. In fact I kind of encourage it in a way, because having these ‘formulas’ takes the guesswork out of putting outfits together. Plus, it’s always handy to know that we can rely on them whenever we’re in a rush and that we know that we feel good in our most-worn pieces. However, they are exactly what cause us all to get into these ruts in the first place. So instead try and find five new outfits in your wardrobe that you have never worn before.

The best way to start each outfit is to have an item that you might not wear that often, that perhaps you’re not sure how to style or maybe it’s a piece that you feel is best suited to another time of year but you want to get more wear out of it. From there you can build; either by the process of trial and error and turning your bedroom into the world’s most chaotic changing room, or by taking a look online or on Instagram to see how other ladies you love have styled it out. I did a bit of both and ended up finding the perfect casual way to wear a blazer that was gathering dust, and I have taken out my dungarees from summer storage to wear over the coming months after learning that big chunky knits look pretty awesome under them. The best bit? I didn’t even need to spend a penny.

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EXPERIMENT TWO: THE 10X10 CHALLENGE

The wardrobe challenge to beat all other wardrobe challenges! Blogger Caroline Joy gives a detailed account of her 10 pieces, 10 outfits, 10 days challenge here. The premise is that you pick 10 items from your wardrobe and create 10 different outfits over the next 10 days with them. Not only should it help you flex your styling muscle, it also gives you a chance to get ready real quick in the mornings and to see if you’re happy with what you’ve currently got in your wardrobe. I’d say that it’s a good one to crack out at the beginning of each season to get you in the mood and see where the holes are that you need to fill with your new clothing additions.

Accessories aren’t included, so that’s how you’re going to spice things up here – with a colourful bag or a red lip to make our outfits look different if there are repeats. No need to buy anything. No need to throw anything out. No need to commit to minimalism forever. No need to overhaul your wardrobe. Instead, it’s all about trying something new and having fun. Here I wanted to focus on how to get my use out of my skirts rather than just wearing them for evenings and events, for Autumn layering them up with knitwear.

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EXPERIMENT THREE: STYLE IT OUT

Whereas the other two challenges can be a little time consuming, here’s one to whip out when you’re in need of a speedy dose of inspiration. The idea here is that you find a basic piece of clothing – let’s say a white crew-neck t-shirt and a pair of high-waist pale denim jeans – and then attempt to style it out as easy, breezy weekend attire and then as a more formal outfit option. It’s definitely not as taxing and more straightforward than the previous experiments, but it’s still a good way of seeing if you have the right kit in your wardrobe and a reminder of how easy it is to dial down/up an outfit. A good one to remember next time you’re packing for a trip. Be your own personal stylist here and don’t skip the finishing touches such as a red lip or a clutch bag. Here I used my leather leggings to dress up for a more formal look and down with a chunky knit and checked shirt for daytime.

How I styled out my dry January

One of my New Year's resolutions was to curb my spending this year. Since starting my own business 4 years ago it is a skill I have honed and kept in check every season. But last season (Winter 2017), when I detoxed my Autumn / Winter wardrobe I realised that there were alot of pieces that had seen better days, that didn't fit anymore and that I had fallen out of love with.

So I took my own advice and ditched them from my wardrobe. But it meant I needed to reinvest in some key pieces such as knitwear, a new parka, some jeans and new winter accessories. That was great for my wardrobe, but bad for my visa card! It is fine to splurge on yourself when it is needed, when items are missing from your wardrobe, when you are re-gaining your style but the spending pattern can be hard to break away from once you have started.

I spend ALOT of time online shopping for clients and can easily fall into the trap of purchasing everything that I like. But after a good look in my wardrobe I realised that there is nothing I need for the next couple months whilst we are still in the cold months until I re-asses my wardrobe in the Spring. So that means I need to utilise what I have in my wardrobe for the next few weeks and try and bring old pieces back to life by mixing them with some of my newer pieces. 

This is the area where I know alot of your struggle with, day to day styling, making the older items in your wardrobe look new again. So I have pulled together some style tips to help when pulling together outfits and then I will give you some style inspiration of how I styled out the last 2 weeks with things in my wardrobe. So even if you feel like you’re in a wardrobe rut, approaching your old clothes with a fresh outlook can make you feel like you’ve just doubled your wardrobe.

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1. Layering is key

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2. Utilise everything in your wardrobe, including things you keep for 'best'

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3. Wear skirts and dresses more

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4. Use colour

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Of course throughout the month I wobbled, shopping for clients and the onslaught of social media can be a killer when you love what you do and get excited when newness comes into stores. But I resisted and started a list of things that I wanted and instead of buying everything on the list I would see what happened when January ends and whether I still want those things or not. A seasonal list is something that I blog about and talk to my clients about alot, having a list keeps you focused, keeps your budget in check and ensures you are not buying things you really don't want or don't need in your wardrobe.

Here is my list and I can happily say I have brought one thing today on the 1st February as I realised it was missing from my wardrobe. The rest are firmly staying on the list and I will see out another month and if I get to the 1st March and I found I NEED it rather than WANT it I will buy it then. Having time to think about my purchase ensures that I am making the right decision. 

1. Black boot with a heel - Topshop magic ankle boots, now £50.00

2. Floral dress - &other stories pleated high neck dress, £69.00

3. New white trainers - &other stories adidas Stan Smith, £75.00

4. Stripe embroidered knit - Whistles kiss embroidered knit, £89.00

5. Leopard print bag - Michael Kors, now £92.26

Your 2018 style resolutions

The start of the New Year is the perfect time to take stock and re-evaluate your personal style.  Resolutions don't have to be those dreaded things you make at the beginning of every year, only to be cast aside and forgotten. When it comes to fashion, committing to some new resolutions can help reinvigorate your personal style. Regardless of whether or not you feel like you're in a bit of a fashion rut, or you just want to take your style to the next level, 2018 is the year of making leaps.

Read my style resolutions to help your start your new year in style!

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Everyday is your 'best day' 

This means not saving anything for best – life’s too short not to wear that amazing jumper, or go for dinner in that OTT dress. Embracing your special pieces will instantly change the way you see your wardrobe.

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Don't be seduced by the sales

Let 2018 be the year you don’t buy that dress you’ll never wear just because it’s got a 50% off tag. I recommend adding to your basket online in advance of the sales, so you know you’re purchasing items you actually love.

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Invest in accessories

From statement earrings to wow factor shoes, accessories were the star of the show in 2017. The perfect investment for colourphobes and black devotees, try investing in this season’s crop of must haves to easily transform simple looks to stylish outfits.

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Wear more colour

Wearing the right colours that suit your skin tone can change your style, your wardrobe and your life. Knowing your colours improves your confidence when pulling outfits together and when shopping. It also gives you more ideas if you are stuck in a rut wearing black all the time. Break out of your black habit and get your colours done and change your outlook on colour forever.

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Love your wardrobe & it will love you back

Hands up if you’re guilty of ‘the chair’? Stop throwing everything into a pile this year and, instead, take the time to fold things, hang them up, buy good hangers, head to the dry cleaners – making a little bit of effort will make your wardrobe last.

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Try somewhere new

Whilst I love a high street bargin and will always be a Topshop girl at heart, it's always great to try new places to shop. Read my blog on where to find clothes you actually want to wear and get upto date on the new places to shop online.
 

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Buy Less, buy clever

Make the most of your budget by spending more wisely on pieces that have a big impact on your wardrobe rather than buying throw away items in the sale.  Avoid impulse buying by delaying your purchase by a day, walk away from the shop, save the link or add it to your wish list and give yourself a chance to really think it through.

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For more style tips and advice then follow me on social media or book me for a consultation.