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Seasonal Fashion Trends... are they out to confuse you?

Do you want the good or the bad news first?  I’m going to start with the bad.  There will always be new fashion trends for you to select from.  Fashion houses keep their eye on the pulse and will develop looks, colours, shapes and patterns that they want to market.  Your favorite fashion label will have new pieces delivered to their store sometimes weekly, usually bi-weekly to help confuse you a little more.  Which can be very overwhelming for some?  It seems the more women I speak with the more I realize how frustrating shopping for fashion has become, and we don’t want it to be a chore do we?

 The good news is that there are some simple steps you can take to bring back the control.  By understanding what looks good and why it works on you is a great place to be.  You can then get back some control when you head off to the shops.

Consider looking at some of the fashion forecasting sites, some are free, others will cost a subscription.          Two favorites of mine are that are user friendly and a good place to investigate are   http://www.style.com/trendsshopping .   Go to the trend shopping tab and keep an eye on all the latest styles.  http://www.fashiontrendsetter.com/content/colour_trends.html  is another site worth putting in your favorites if you wish to keep your eye on what is happening in the stores.

Investing in fashion can be expensive if you buy high end for everything.  So your first step is to make a list of what you need/desire and separate them into two groups. 

Group 1.  Core pieces – suits, trousers, jackets, skirts, shoes. Allocate as much of your wardrobe budget as you can afford with these key pieces.  The better fabrics, cuts, colour dyes and workmanship you can afford with these staple pieces the better for you.  As you will not have to replace them every season if you buy wisely.

Group 2.  Here is the fun bit.  Tanks, tunics, tops, scarves, accessories – can be sourced and bought at the lower end of the market.  You do not have to pay top dollar for a cotton blouse that’s colour/pattern will not be ‘in season’ next year.  If it is a fun item that you wish to use to dress up your staple pencil skirt then don’t feel guilty paying $39.95, for the pleasure of one season’s enjoyment.

 Learn to choose what will be needed to last a few seasons, invest in what you can best afford, and then have fun with the current seasonal prints and colours with more affordable pieces.

One of my clients got through an entire winter after investing in one good fitted pair of jeans, one skirt, a superb jacket that went with both skirt and jeans and a hot pair of boots.  With which she added at the bargain end a dozen tank tops in great colours and six scarves she found that she mixed and matched.

Not everyone wants to keep their wardrobes with such simplicity.  But the same guideline applies to everyone.  It is up to you how to apply it. 

Yours with style – the fashion genie.

www.stylizit.com.auu

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