STATEMENT KNITWEAR

Knitwear is making a strong statement for AW17. With alluring embroideries, powerful patterns and bold colours creating a stylish impact in cold weather wardrobes. From easy Autumn days to those chillier winter months, wearing statement knits has never been easier - just throw that sweater on!

Now the days are starting to feel chillier, it's time to think about the knits that you currently have in your wardrobe and what you want to buy to update it. See my pick of the high street and styling tips on how to wear your statement knits.

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Statement knits

1. The embroidered knit - Embroidery is showing no signs of slowing down for the new season, with intricate needlework patterns elevating the knits of now. Bring the trend into your AW17 wardrobe with this soft, grey marl jumper with exaggerated sleeves, detailed with trailing floral embroiders in a vibrant red hue. Style it with a pleated green midi skirt, completing the look with a fedora hat and black ankle boots. Monsoon, £69.

2. The bold knit - Colour blocking is the easiest way to make a stand-alone statement this season, with striking separates adding a burst of brightness to your AW17 wardrobe. Prove the theory with this red cable-knit jumper, tuck the front into the waistband of dark blue skinny jeans, wear with black biker boots for a stylish and upto date look,  Topshop, £39.

3. The "What are you saying?" knit - What's not to love about this jumper?! The Love jumper will perfectly complement everything from jeans to skirts. Layer it over a shirt for ultimate autumnal chic with jeans, or dress up with a pair of eye popping red heels for an evening out. Hush, £85.

4. The frilly knit - Frills have been a main stay of style over the past couple of seasons, so you can't go wrong with adding this style detail to your wardrobe. Frills ensure you have a feminine feel to your look but you can add a heavy weight belt, biker boots and a bomber to harden it up. Frill knitwear is also great for smartening up your workwear style with a pencil skirt or pair of fitted trousers, can be easily dressed up for the evening - this could be the most versatile piece in your wardrobe this Autumn.  &other stories, £69.

5. The sparkle knit - Sparkle and knitwear always seem to come out every Winter, but they make a great partnership for your wardrobe. Style your sequin and sparkle knitwear in the daytime with jeans and trainers for that laid back look, or in the evening add a pleated skirt and a leather biker jacket and you are good to go!  Mango, £35.99.

6. The cover-up knit - Long have we loved cardigans, but quite often it can be default dressing that isn't flattering, is normally frumpy and doesn't add any personality to your style. This season the cardigan is breaking out the box, but you have to be brave to wear one! Take the plunge and add tassles, cable knit, printed patterns and belts to over sized or pretty cardigans this Winter.  Zara, £79.99.

how to make your wardrobe work harder for you

What to wear now : Some outfit inspiration

The building blocks of a great wardrobe lie in those key pieces you can dress up or down with a few simple styling tips. From classic breton stripe tee's to a leather biker, everyday skinnies to a smart pencil skirt, up your cost-per-wear with these fail safe tips and breathe new life into your wardrobe.

Here I want to show you how to add in this seasons newest trend items into your wardrobe seamlessly. By using existing things you have in your wardrobe the new item will breathe new life into those pieces, update them and make you feel confident about buying the new piece for your wardrobe. Showing you how to style items up is an important part of my styling consultation, as you grow with confidence with your wardrobe then styling your wardrobe will become easier for you.

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The floral dress

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The leather mini skirt

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The check blazer

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The colour red

Why Marks & Spencer should be your shopping destination this season...

Marks & Spencer stripe embroidered long sleeve blouse - £29.90

In the trend-driven industry that we occupy, there are a handful of stores on the high street who dominate the market. Zara, H&M, Topshop… These brands are the first to mind when in search of the season’s must-have pieces. And for good reason. These fast fashion stores have saved us a pretty penny throughout the years, offering both trend-led designer-inspired pieces as well as wardrobe basics we couldn’t be without. But maybe it's time an 'old' favourite comes back into the fashion front row...

Enter Marks & Spencer.

While it excels in the food department, its clothing range has previously failed to hit the mark among the masses, even after collaborating with fashionista Alexa Chung, her ranges have failed to help it's declining sales. But this year Marks & Spencer has revamped its under-performing clothing section, starting with a Spring/Summer collection which is led by the current bout of trends and style. Featuring statement sleeves, asymmetric skirts, ruffled shirts, an abundance of florals and high-waisted trousers, the SS17 collection is more trend-driven than ever before but at great affordable prices. 

When shopping instore and online recently I am surprised by the amount of items that I want to buy. The it piece of the summer, peasant blouse with embroidery (as I am wearing), was £29.90 and currently sold out (see white version here). Other items I saw and liked were great summer dresses with sleeve and embroidery detailing, a bold stripe skirt, bright coloured blouses great for work and evening, and also some fabulous shoes. I have tended to focus on the M&S Collection range, as this seems to be the one that has upped its style steaks, so no buying from Per Una! By focusing on classic shapes and incorporating modern aspects, you’ve got something for everyone in one shop again. 

I think you will be surprised at the stylish new pieces on offer at Marks and Spencer currently, here are my picks of the current range online, let me know if you have brought anything from there recently;

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1. Looks as good as a designer pair of trainers 

Floral embroidered trainers - £29.50

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2. Bargain Summer dress

Floral embroidered dress - £23.00

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3. Spotty evening blouse

Spotted round neck top - £25.00

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4. Grab a summer cover up bomber

Colour block bomber jacket - £21.50

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5. Embellished big bag

Embellished slouch bag - £39.50

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how to get out of a rut & feel inspired again

Getting stuck in a rut happens to everyone. Especially at the start of a new season, you start to get bored with what you are wearing and don't know how to change your shopping habits.

If you have ever felt nothing but intense boredom at the sight of your wardrobe and wished you could just throw it all out and start from scratch, you know what it feels like to be stuck in a style rut. A most miserable place where clothes you once loved and felt inspired by, now just seem dull and underwhelming.

The key to getting out of a style rut is to break through old thinking patterns and the comfortable, monotonous routine you have built up for yourself, put on your creative hat and immerse yourself in new inspiration.

The best way to get out of a rut is to get some outside help. Most people only wear about 10% of the clothes in their wardrobe, so it is easier for somebody else to see the gems in your wardrobe than you can. I'll go to a client's house who has said "I have nothing to wear" and after I spend a couple of hours editing her wardrobe and putting new looks together she realises that she has a lot of great outfits waiting to be worn. 

Read Jane's experience -

" I have to admit I had reservations about the wardrobe detox and styling session my husband had brought for me for my birthday present. I thought my wardrobe didn't need editing because I don't own alot of clothes but it turns out I was wrong! Having Nina give a fresh eye is pretty revealing; for starters I had no idea I owned so many pairs of jeans (18!), but rarely wear more than 3 pairs of them. I also discovered I am seriously lacking in items that make up outfits together and Nina was really helpful with her styling tips on how to utilise what I have in my wardrobe and what I need to fill the gaps. It was such a thrilling and enjoyable process, and much less exhausting and over whelming when you are not the one pulling everything out. I loved Nina's easy technique, as I sat on my bed answering questions such as, "Do you wear it?" and "Do you love it?" at no point did I feel under pressure to ditch anything or embarrassed by some shopping mistakes. Afterwards I felt exhilarated, buzzing and confident about my clothes and what choices I wanted to make when shopping in the future based on Nina's appraisal of my wardrobe. The follow up email with Nina's edit of item updates and wardrobe gaps is a great starting point for my shopping trip and will ensure that I make better-informed purchases rather than panic buys. I have recommended Nina's service to all my friends and can't wait for them look and feel better about themselves too."

Here are some tips you may want to try, as the smallest changes can also create big results-

1. Assess one part of your wardrobe - such as your jeans - spend some time trying them on, looking in the mirror and asking yourself some questions, such as; "When did I last wear these?", "Are they flattering for my figure?" or "Do I feel good in them?". You might find a pair that you had forgotten you had and you can incorporate back into your wardrobe again.

2. Take a style risk - do you need a new pair of trainers or bag or scarf and feel bored of the same things you normally buy? Then take more of a risk with your accessories purchase, perhaps buy the brightly coloured trainers over the blue ones, or a bright yellow bag instead of a black one, or even a over-sized leopard print scarf instead of a grey one. Just by adding one thing different it can rejuvenate your look and make you feel more confident.

3. Try shopping in a new store - Go in and walk around, or go online and take a browse. Perhaps is somewhere you've not shopped in years or somewhere some recommended, you might be surprised what you like and how the style could influence your outfits and looks.

4. Give yourself a pep talk - You need to be prepared to feel differently when you’re coming out of a rut. When you try on something that’s out of your comfort zone, you may feel nervous, or excited!  This is the time to pause and have a conversation with yourself. What’s stopping you from wearing this new style, colour or accessory? Maybe this new look is the real you; the part of you that’s wanted to be expressed for a while. Give yourself a chance. Don’t put the brakes on. Experiment and have fun. 

5. Find someone to help -  I’d love to help support you in finding ways to get out of your rut.