Thankfully, fashion has slowed down a bit over recent years. With the growing realisation of the harm throwaway fashion does to the environment, there has been a move to a more sustainable approach to dressing, not just in terms of the way that garments are manufactured but also in terms of getting more wear out of what we already have in our wardrobes rather than constantly craving new. It’s all about knowing what suits you, buying the best quality you can afford and wearing items multiple ways. Once you’ve cracked this, you will buy less, wear more and look and feel fabulous every day. You may want to make a few tweaks to keep things looking current and add a bit of fun to your wardrobe but you certainly won’t need to completely re-stock each season.
Below are some of the key trends for the upcoming season that you might want to consider including in your wardrobe if they appeal to you and you don’t already have something similar.
The Trouser Suit
Co-ords (matching tops and bottoms that can be worn singly or together) have been around for some time now. This season though, there is a definite move towards that ultimate timeless co-ord, the trouser suit. A well tailored trouser suit is a great investment. Not only can it be extremely forgiving (longline jackets are great for shaving weight off your middle) but it’s also very versatile. A trouser suit can be dressed up for evening with heels, jewellery and a silk blouse, cami or corset top (very on trend this season!) or dressed down with a tee shirt and trainers. In addition, the trousers and jacket can be worn separately. Think about wearing your jacket with jeans or over a dress and your trousers with knits and a more casual jacket.
The Bomber/Biker Jacket
Bomber jackets are centre stage this season but there are also plenty of bikers around too, particularly oversized ones. How oversized you go will depend on your style personality and stature. If you’re quite petite, you might prefer to keep the fit a little neater. Bikers are bombers are especially good for trans-seasonal dressing.
The Chunky Knit
It’s winter so of course chunky knits are in! With raising energy costs this is definitely something we’ll get good wear out of but I bet you’ve already got plenty in your wardrobe, so probably not something you need to buy new. If you do want to update your wardrobe though, buying one in a hue that complements your colouring is the way to go.
The Boots
As many of you will know, I love a knee boot! They’re great for keeping your legs warm in winter and mean you don’t need to worry too much about your hosiery. Match your tights to your boots and/or hemline and you’re good to go. However, whilst I certainly won’t be ditching my knee boots, I’m also tempted by this season’s hot ticket item, the over the knee boot. Once you put aside any associations with hookers (remember Pretty Woman?) I think you’re going to like this style of boot because it has multiple things going for it: it can be worn with minis (back on trend, again) if you’re feeling a tad risque, tucked into jeans to keep you super warm or, if you want to keep it ladylike, worn with midi or maxi skirts too. When you wear it with knee length and longer skirts, it has the advantage of not only covering your knees (not most women’s most attractive body part) but also creating a nice leg-lengthening line of colour. Better still, you don’t need to give your hosiery a second thought because no one will see it!
The Colours
The term “dopamine dressing” was coined last Spring when we started embracing a more colourful palette, and this trend for bold colours extends into this Autumn-Winter. This season’s hottest colour is bright (Barbie) pink and the pink coat is the fashionista’s “must have”. Other on-trend colours are bold greens and blues. In terms of neutrals, tones of caramel are popping up everywhere and this is a particularly good neutral for those who have a warm element to their colouring. A camel coat will have a lot more longevity than a Barbie pink one – although maybe not so much fun to wear!
Animal Print
Animal print has never really gone away and is regarded by many stylists as a neutral as it pairs so well with other colours and prints, but this season it’s again very much to the fore. In recent years this has become one of my all-time favourite prints. It is flattering on so many shapes and sizes and excellent for disguising lumps and bumps.
Sparkle
With the festive season approaching, it’s not surprising to see a bit of sparkle for evening wear. As well as being a party favourite though, sequins are appearing on all sorts of day and casual wear too so, if you like a little glitz , go for it!
What and Where to Buy
The above are just a few of the key trends you’ll find online and in-store. You don’t need to buy into any of them if they don’t float your boat but you might want to at least try some of them on and see how you feel. Only buy something if you can think of three ways to wear it and it makes you smile when you look at yourself in the mirror though!
If you’d like to see some of my picks from what’s on offer onine and in-store this season, do take a look at my latest catalogue which you can access by clicking here. If you’d like me to shop for your new season wardrobe, do get in touch.