- Always wear three pieces. On a typical day, I wear trousers, a colorful shell and a cardigan. Even when I am wearing a dress, I make sure I have two other pieces, usually a blazer or cardigan and a belt worn at the waist. Putting three pieces together makes an outfit look like it was thoughtfully arranged. One of my biggest problems is not accessorizing enough so my three piece rule helps me make sure my outfits have some visual interest to them.
- Balance the tight with the flowing. If I am wearing a fitted sweater or oxford, I will pair it with a trouser leg pant and if my blazer is a looser boyfriend style, I will pull out slim leg pants or a fitted pencil skirt. A head-to-toe slim fit is making your body do all the work to make the outfit look good- let the shape of the clothes help to show off your best features. The same goes for wearing only loose and flowing pieces- all the extra fabric can make you seem shorter.
- Add in at least one pop of color or pattern. This can be as simple as wearing a bright coral belt with an otherwise all black outfit. Belts and scarves are my two favorite ways to pick up the trendy color of the moment and incorporate them into my outfit. A (lightly) patterned cardigan is also a great investment piece. One of my favorites in my closet is a grey cardigan with a black floral pattern on it. It creates a big impact on an outfit, but is still neutral enough to go with almost anything.
Style can be very personal. Many people consider your outward style to be an indication of who you are as a person which is pretty terrible if the thought of getting dressed in the morning makes you want to crawl back in bed. I work in retail and every day when I get dressed I have to be aware that what I am wearing says everything about me. That is pretty overwhelming and so I've created my own formula for work, a formula you will start to notice in my style guides on this site:
3 Comments
Jane
10/7/2012 10:44:55 am
I really like the way you break this down - 3 steps that I can do.
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Laurisa
10/7/2012 12:20:15 pm
Alice - this is awesome!! This is exactly what I need as someone who is "style challenged". Love the wardrobe list too!
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Susan
2/14/2014 04:58:00 am
I love the way you put the picture together! Thanks you for keeping it simple! Who has time to think thru more than (3) steps ... use the KIS principle...Keep It Simple.... Keep those ideas coming. Cheers!
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