In a special guest piece for Her.ie, super stylist Brix Smith Start is sharing her top tips for the eight wardrobe items that every woman should own.
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My number one styling tip of all time is to invest in a capsule wardrobe with timeless classics that you love! As a nation we tend to supplement our outfits with low cost pieces and leave our favourite items hanging in the wardrobe. As long as you help to protect your clothes with a conditioning fabric softener like Lenor there is no reason why you can’t enjoy wearing them every day. Before you put together a capsule wardrobe it’s important to detox; always keep items you love and have sentimental value, but throw away things that are shabby and you no longer wear. If it doesn’t fit you, or it’s not comfortable, it’s out. Eight items is a fabulous base for a versatile wardrobe, and if you invest in beautiful classic pieces that you love you can always lift them with accessories, which will also inject some much-needed personality into your look!
Great underwear. Every New Year I find it refreshing to do a complete underwear clear out. Crucially, you need invest in a well fitted bra and make sure you have a fitting before you buy. This is essential as 80% of us are walking around in the wrong size! Balcony bras are great for a lift and maximising your cleavage. For those of you who wish to make your breasts look smaller then opt for a Bra Minimiser. These are ingenious as they make your bust appear one size smaller with elastic lycra material that adapts to your body’s shape. Finally always make sure you own a multi-way bra as they can be worn with strapless, halterneck, crossback or conventional pieces. Make sure the foundations of your wardrobe are right.
A chic, warm coat; I make the same recommendation every winter. Perhaps a classic, masculine Crombie that you can adorn with a fur collar, or a wool-rich arctic parka which is totally warm. One colour that they keep appearing in is dusky pink. It’s a great colour because you can team it with all the classic autumn winter tones such as slate grey, velvet blacks and deep navy.
A beautiful tote. When you’re choosing a bag obviously it’s important to think about practicality, but you also need to think about the versatility of a bag; can you take it to work, can you take it to dinner with friends; is it practical and beautiful? I’m all about accessories and a bag should be an investment piece, it’s definitely worth spending a little more on something that you intend to use every day. This season I’m in love with Sophie Hulme’s creations, I’ll be buying one of her structured totes in the deep navy, with a chain.
Cashmere knitwear. I love cashmere. Not only do I wear cashmere and sell it in my shop, but I design a cashmere collection named after my pugs, Gladys & Pixie. A classic cashmere jumper will last and last if you wash it using a gentle detergent, on a delicate cold setting with a drop of Lenor Spring Awakening. Don’t make the mistake of avoiding certain items for fear they will bobble, investing in a good fabric softener like Lenor which will help to prevent clothes from leaving you to wear the items that really suit you.
A Roksanda Ilinicic dress. They’re so ladylike and colourful, and she’s sure to become a huge name internationally. When you’re buying items you do need to take your colouring into consideration. Jewel colours such as emeralds, deep berry purples, blues and sapphires look dazzling on a brunette. Red heads should look out for bold block colours to match the flair of their hair as well as shades of green teamed with leopard prints. Finally, feminine pastels can really complement blond hair and fair skin tones.
A great pair of jeans. A capsule wardrobe should always contain the perfect pair of jeans – the all-rounder – ones that work for the more casual look but that can also be dressed up for a night out – the denim multi-tasker. I love Goldsign Jeans. They’re a fine-gauge denim, and contain lots of elastane, which makes them super comfortable and stretchy.
A white shirt. You will need an elegant white shirt. They don’t go out of style for a reason. A key look for AW13/14 season is unisex. Choose a buttoned down crisp white shirt which you can wash time and time again by helping to protect it from bobbling using Lenor fabric softener in your wash. My husband’s “Mr Start Woman” collection has a beautiful array of shirts in different tailoring – my favourite is the Alex Long Sleeve Boyfriend shirt.
A great pair of heels. Transforming your look from desk to dancefloor doesn’t have to involve a whole outfit change. Simply swap flat for a pair of fantastic heels! I’m so glad the kitten heel is back, and I have not taken off my Jimmy Choo Glitter Azas. They’re so comfortable, but really bridge the day/night footwear dilemma.
Just as a final point I really want to emphasise the importance of preparation. If you’re on the hunt for something special make sure you hit the fitting room armed with correct underwear, heels and a hairbrush. The true test of whether the colour is good for your skin tone will shine through even better if you don’t wear makeup. When you do wear makeup this will be the icing on the cake. These secret weapons will help you to get a better sense of whether the piece really works for you or not.
Brix Smith-Start is an ambassador for Lenor’s ‘Forever Fashion’ campaign which is encouraging the Ireland to become a Forever Fashion nation by helping women to enjoy their favourite clothes every day.
