Style rules you live by

[anyabanya]

Hi, I am just curious abut what style tips people have that improves their general appearance.

I am a bit of a mess really. I do not have a great sartorial eye, and always look a little as if i have just come in from mucking out horses. I am really trying to change my style.... i have become addicted blogs where people are trying to live chicly (is that a word?), like Anne Baronne's 'chic and slim' blog etc.

Despite my total messy nature, I do have a couple of rules I live by.... always wear dark toe polish; never wear competing patterns on clothes (so, horizontal stripes on a skirt and a top with a flower pattern for example).In winter I try and wear black and two other colours (black and emerald green is a fave) but other than that i seem to spend alot of time trying to look halfway decent... and failing.

I would love to hear what other people do.... what ideas they have in always looking good.

roar @ jennifer aniston!

my style rule is try to always get dressed before leaving the house (but its ok to stay in PJs if your driving)

i need gok....

Don't wear grey and brown together. My DH claims it's OK but I know it is wrong.

Agree about not wearing stuff that's too small. A bit of room but not massively baggy is best.

Also agree about thinking about what things will go with that skirt/top you love before you end up having to buy a whole accompanying outfit to be able to wear it.

Agree about buying whole outfits. I have a lovely blue skirt from Monsoon which is gorgeous, but I have only worn it twice because nothing goes with it.

dress for your shape and buy things you love not what is 'in'.

Once you buy things then wear them.
Keeping the outfits you feel the best in and love the most in the wardrobe for occasions that usually don't materialise is nonsense.
Obviously you can't wear really obviously eveneing waer to walk the dog. But many items for best can work during the day if you dress thjem down. And if I spend £300 on a dress I am fucking well going to get my max wears per outifit.

It drives me crazy when people leave the very nicest items in their wardrobe, waer them once or twice and then can't wear them anymore because they change shape or the items become hopelessly dated.

Spend on classic good quality items that you love and then wear them all the time

Agree with loads of the other posts.

I always try to be 'groomed' so i feel good in my clothes.

Eyebrows waxed

No body hair

Tanned

Hands and feet done

Hair clean and in good condition

Carefully analyse your basic shape, build and colouring. Find out what suits you and stick to it. It doesn't mean wearing the same thing for 20 years, but learning how to sort the wheat from the chaff, and filtering out most of whatever is 'in' this season, and zoning in on what will flatter you.

Paying a bit more for something well cut is like losing a stone.

Get decent underwear and know you true bra size.

Agree with Pagwatch re: wear the things you buy as much as you want and never save things for 'best' as it's a waste.

I like black and am fairly sure it suits me, so I'm ignoring you all on that one!

Wearing items made by children is not style. Leggings worn with short tops are not style. Bare midriff other than on the beach is not style. Being able to see one's arse when one bends over is not style.

Blusher makes just about everybody look better.

Clothes that are too tight make you look fatter, not thinner. Agree re: buying for the item NOT the size - I have clothes ranging from size 8 to size 16, all of which fit me.

Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise.

If you find you stop looking good in black give it a go again in 6 months time.I started to look dreadful in black at 40 but can wear it again noiw!Not sure what happened

Accessories are fab, but don't over accessorise. So if you have a glamorous evening dress with a low or very wide/bare neckline, and you want some fabulous huge dangly earrings, then don't wear a necklace as well - it will be overkill, and make your neck look stumpy. Have one thing that people zone in on visually - not ten things.

Likewise, a big chunky cocktail ring, or a bangle - not both. And it you are wearing statement costume jewellery remember to take off your ususal 'everyday' gold stuff.

Don't wear matching earring and necklace sets (esp from Next!).

Avoid buying online - stuff never fits properly and if you're like me you won't send it back leading to badly fitting clothes or something hanging in the wardrobe you never wear.

Do a wardrobe clear out every 6 months or so and bag up for the charity shop anything you no longer wear or that is past its best.

Wide trousers = fitted top / loose top = narrow trousers.

Online can be great if you know a brand fits you well, but so often I've ordered things that look lovely in the phot only to find that the fabric feels cheap and horrid.

Avoid black shoes/boots with jeans, or with anything that doesn't obviously invite them really (though if you wear black clothes then black shoes do make sense).

Another vote for being very careful mixing black with colours, and for having at least one half of your body (i.e. top or bottom) in something fitted.

Get a fabulous coat for winter, NOT black or navy unless it is a really gorgeous shape. Camel or grey are good neutrals but bright colours are lovely in winter coats.

Carry a great bag that is BIG ENOUGH for everything you want.

You see I much prefer buying online as can then try stuff on with things I already own to see if its a good buy or not.

I also like black boots with jeans - find a pair of black biker style boots invaluable in the winter with skinny jeans.

Just goes to show really that everyone has different 'rules'.

And I also love navy coats and tend to go off 'bright' coloured coats.

loving this thread - might type up a little TOP TIPS list for my handbag for next time I go shopping.

• Invest in very nice trousers. It's always worth it.

Bright coat = gloria hunniford or sue pollard!

tracey I agree to buying online, I much prefer trying things on at home with the things I would wear it with and then deciding whether to keep it. The trick for me is to be very honest with myself about which size I should buy!

I have a pair of black loafers which I wear a lot with jeans in the winter, but I agree that a lot of bog-standard black boots look awful with jeans - partly because people insist on wearing jeans which are 2" too short a lot of the time.

Be honest with yourself when shopping (ie never allow yourself to fall for the "it'll fit great when I lose a bit of weight" line).

Be careful about whose advice you take; some people will tell you things look good when they don't just to be nice/make a sale.

Do try on things you wouldn't normally when someone suggests them; they may actually suit you even if you don't like them much on the hanger.

Buy good, fitting, supportive underwear.

Drink water, water, water.

Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise. My current favourite is PhytaLotion

DON'T buy something that doesn't look good, even if it's very cheap - would you pay someone to follow you round saying 'your bum looks big'? no, so why spend money on clothes that send the same message

be prepared to try on loads & discard them

buy 'basics' in neutrals then add colour with a few 'statement' pieces & accessories.

spend money on the statement pieces, you can cut back on things like camis which aren't seen much.

get good underwear that gives you the best shape.

Riven

Haven't read all of this thread (not enough time at this point), so sorry if I am repeating:

Spend money on good colour and haircut as I wear that every day (for me short and choppy since my hair drying capabilities are useless)
Never wear socks/tights with toes with sandles/toeless shoes
accessories always make an outfit more interesting
as long as you feel good, you don't always have to be chic
find your individual style and don't follow fashions for fashions sake
get a friend who will be honest and not be afraid to tell you it doesn't suit
always have in mind what something will go with when you buy it, or it won't get worn
get to know what suits (think about all the clothes you have had that make you feel really good, are there common threads, e.g. v neck lines etc.) and always keep an eye out for those common things; it is obviously what suits you

Looking forward to reading this properly (when I have time)

i NEVEr hear the words "colout and cut" apart from on here
its SO audrey Fforbes hamilton

blooddy get yourself some nice and easy 118 and its £4.25

Find a decent seamstress / tailor too. Buy jeans too long if you have an odd leg length like me. Have them taken up to fit you. It'll cost a tenner, but you won't have them dragging all over the ground, or worse, too short