Make Way For The New-Season You

By Sharmin Musca, Personal Stylist on April 18, 2013 in Other

Summer is officially over, but on the bright side, so is dealing with soggy sandals. It’s time to cover up and look ahead to the designer collections recently showcased in New York, London, Milan and Paris.

Look forward to shimmery metallic pieces for both day and night. Keep your eye out for opulent details such as shiny gemstones, luxurious textures and, of course, feathers and fur. Plenty of military detail and modern camouflage was also on show, as well as clear ’90s references and distinct layers like dresses over pants, plus a fresh take on suiting with the feminine skirt suit. The new handbag silhouettes included slim, structured clutches and minimalist cross-body bags. The distinct colour trends were red and winter white, worn both day and night.

Now before you go planning new purchases, it’s time to take stock of your current wardrobe. Whole new outfits won’t evolve if you can’t see past the few items you wear all the time. A streamlined wardrobe will help you to develop your personal style.

I’m as guilty as anyone of holding onto things for far too long. But regardless of cost (or guilt), the answer is not to keep things in the vain hope they might come in handy one day. Removing pieces you never wear (or that shouldn’t even see the light of day) will not only free up space, it will also ease your pain by wiping the offending items from sight and mind.

Here’s a three-step plan to get you going:

1. Take stock. Just what exactly is lurking in there?
2. Divide and conquer. Make three piles: a ‘give-to-charity’, a ‘maybe’ and a ‘keep’. Go through the ‘maybe’. It’s important to strike a balance – be ruthless but also think about how your style will develop and what you already have that will work with your new purchases.
3. Wardrobe maintenance. Storing your pieces in a well-organised manner will make it easier to see what you own when putting together complete outfits.

Now that it’s time to go shopping, don’t slip back into old ways. Plan your purchases, make sure they fit in with your newly cleared wardrobe and don’t go overboard.

On the streets this month I found:

Name: Sophie
Occupation: Student (jewellery design)
Lives: Darlinghurst
Fave Item This Season: G-Star boyfriend jeans
Street Style: Sophie wears Linda Farrow sunnies, a striking knit and black pants from Jac+Jack, Country Road shoes and a leather bag from Since Grey (Melbourne).

Name: Jess
Occupation: Sales assistant
Lives: Paddington
Fave Item This Season: Leather tee by Kahlo
Street Style: Jess rocks a matching top and skirt by Scanlan & Theodore, a Fendi necklace, Ray Ban sunglasses, Miu Miu phone cover and Scanlan & Theodore boots.

To book Sharmin for a style makeover or to create your own signature style, call 0405 518 155 or visit www.personalstylist.net.au.