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Box fresh sneakers wish list

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It is impossible to escape the style value of the humble trainer or sneaker. It has blossomed from being the preserve of the hardcore ‘sneaker freaks’ to a full blown style phenomenon. With new brands arising every season with fresh ideas and established brands bringing out new takes on their classics, reinventing the trainer has never been so colourful. Sneakers have moved out from the sports arena and exploded into popular culture as a fashion staple which can define which style tribe you belong.

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Here are my top tips when choosing your new trainers -

  • By simply adding some colour with your trainers, this can give your darker outfits more style with a pop of brighter colours.

  • Trainers don’t just work with jeans, they can look great with tailored trousers, dresses and skirts so have become more versatile.

  • If your trainers are patterned or coloured then go easy on other accessories as it will create too much busyness to your outfit.

  • Retro inspired and heritage sports brands will last longer and will prove timeless pieces in your wardrobe.

  • Trainers are not just reserved for daytime, don’t be scared to wear them with jazzier outfits such as sequins in the evening to pair down your look.

On my wish list this Spring is to buy a new pair of trainers, my Adidas Stan Smiths have got scuffs and marks all over them and my Converse high tops have seen better days even after a wash in the machine. I have been debating for a while now as to what to get, what serves me best, goes with my wardrobe, enhances my style and what I am willing to spend my money on. There is so much choice out there at the moment that it is hard to choose, so to help me out I have put them in categories to try to narrow it down to one pair.


CURRENT TRAINER CATEGORIES


HIGH TOPS


CLASSIC WHITE


LEOPARD PRINT


COLOUR INJECTION


SPORTS STYLING


CHUNKY TRAINER

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The modern way to own a capsule wardrobe

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The capsule wardrobe has had a modern update. It’s no longer about owning several timeless pieces such as a white shirt, black trousers, a navy belted coat, etc etc, a capsule wardrobe for now is just a regular wardrobe of perfectly interchangeable pieces that work for you. The number of pieces in your capsule wardrobe is dependant on your style, what your lifestyle is and whether you have a need for variety or don’t mind repeating outfits relatively frequently. There is no perfect number, but using clothes from your entire wardrobe rather than just seasonal opens up more outfit possibilities.

The reason the idea of a capsule wardrobe is current again is down to sustainability being at the forefront of fashion right now. More and more we are becoming conscious of what we are consuming, what we are spending our money on and where the product comes from. In 2020 it’s not #vintage that is the most buzzed about hashtag, now you’re more likely to see #preloved #reusedfashion #sustainablefashion #notbuyingnew and with fashion and style Instagram accounts leaning towards not buying anything new, it has become the most desirable fashion trend this year so far.

Project333 is a great example of this change in trends, Courtney Carver has written a book that is out this week outlining her minimalist fashion challenge that proves less really is so much more. "Be more with less’ is her over-riding message. Wearing just 33 items for 3 months is her challenge to the world, she has taken this simplistic approach to living and never looked back. She believes by stripping back your wardrobe, focusing on the core 33 pieces you will find joy that you have been missing. Read more and buy the book here.

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The attitude to fast fashion is changing, outfit repeating is currently a badge of honour with finding new and inspiring ways to wear items of clothing is becoming the most coveted fashion idea to date. But in the real world, away from social media inspiration, is the capsule wardrobe actual attainable? Why build a capsule wardrobe and can we retrain our brain to not constantly seek something new to make us feel better about ourselves?

The benefits of a capsule wardrobe underpins all that I do as a personal stylist, I just talk about it as a ‘working wardrobe’ when chatting to clients and perspective clients. Building your own capsule wardrobe is a great way to become a smarter and more thoughtful shopper. If you have a wardrobe full of pieces that all work well together, then this will curb your impulse to constantly buy. As it’s your wardrobe you need to take a look inside it and see what works for you; what do you wear the most, what do you love wearing and what suits you the best?

You will find your own capsule wardrobe in amongst the stuff crammed into your wardrobe, and I bet you only wear 20% of what you have. That 20% is what you need to base your capsule wardrobe and your style on. It’s items you can rely on to make you look and feel good with minimal amount of effort and stress. The blazer is a building block for my wardrobe, something I can wear and rely on time and time again. I can put it with skirts, dresses, trousers and even joggers and the blazer instantly pulls the outfit together.

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Pieces I find that work the best have minimal amount of fuss, can make a statement but are not trend driven and are versatile between my smarter work commitments and my casual weekend laid back styling. By identifying these pieces in your wardrobe you might start to see a pattern emerging within your choices, the things you like and what you wear the most. You now need to be able to jigsaw these pieces together to work as a versatile capsule wardrobe. The more carefully you plan your capsule and select your pieces, the better.

With sustainability non-negotiable, we who love fashion are trying to find ways to tease our passion apart from over-consumption. In 2020 capsule dressing looks cooler than ever, a streamlined wardrobe frees a little more of your time and your sanity and you might just find your happy place too. To get me putting this into practice more I am giving up shopping for Lent. Today, 26th March marks the start of 40 days of breaking the habits of consumerism and spending money on things I don’t possibly need.

Join me in this challenge, I will be showing you my daily styles over on my Instagram page and tag me using the hashtag #edits40dayschallenge and let’s inspire each other to shop our wardrobe for 40 days without adding anything new. I have a great modern capsule wardrobe and I will be showcasing my styling, giving you tips and inspiration for you to dig out pieces in your wardrobe that you might not of worn in ages. With £140 million (&rising) of clothing ending up in landfill every year it’s time to break those buying habits and appreciate what we already have.

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

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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.


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.


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.


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.


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.

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The return of the humble shirt

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ALL HAIL THE SHIRT

For a few seasons the shirt seems to have gone into the back of the wardrobe in favour of the classic t-shirt, sweater or blouse. But this season it returns with maximum femininity and creativity.

It’s not about having a boring white shirt in your wardrobe for such an occasion that arises for you to wear one, white shirts are making a comeback but they look nothing like the one you have gathering dust. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t be making an investment purchase with your shirt that will have a legacy in your wardrobe, but what’s out there right now is anything but boring. Full of embroidery, frill details, puff sleeves and femininity it’s all in the details.

Top of the list is a white shirt which can be worn layered underneath your knit, cable cardi or oversized blazer in the coming weeks while the temperature rises. This particular styling has inspired the high street to copy a shirt from Ganni (featured below), a Scandinavian brand that has many fashion followers and leads where others follow.

The other week I featured overshirts as a big trend for Spring and the check being the main print and driving force of this. Check shirts and blouses are also around with puff sleeves or big sleeves and detailing, so kind of the opposite of the edgy biker like look to the overshirt - there is no reason why you can’t style both, I know I will be.

Down the catwalk many designers showed lots of blue stripe shirts and all the magazine and trend reports are pushing this as the shirt to buy this season. So there is alot of plain mensy oversized shirts out there which are to be worn with tapered trousers and oversized blazers.

Lastly denim shirts are definately making a come back, either edgy stiff denim acid washed or chambray soft cotton with frills. Either way a denim shirt is a wardrobe hero and such a great piece to be worn with skirts and dresses.


THE FRILL COLLAR SHIRT


CHECK SHIRT


BLUE STRIPE SHIRT


DENIM SHIRT

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