I have a theory about why women shop a certain way that leaves them feeling they have nothing to wear. I did this for years myself, and when I changed my mindset, my whole wardrobe became a place filled with all kinds of useful outfits.
I believe that many of us shop for our fantasy life
We shop for how we want or presume our life will be in the near future. We shop for parties, glamorous lunches, elegant events, or holidays in the south of France, where paparazzi will be eyeing all our outfits. These outfits end up languishing unworn in our wardrobes or only getting a single airing.
For most of us, reality is very different
Our day-to-day activities usually include things like the school run, going to the supermarket, a coffee with a friend, going to the gym and maybe a dinner somewhere local with friends once a week. We may work in an office, from home, or somewhere not very glamorous.
Even for me working on TV sets and in the theatre, I usually wear sweats or jeans in to work, as I spend most of my day in costume or throwing myself around a rehearsal room. There may be the odd party, dinner in a fancy restaurant or some glam event, but they are occasional, and my regular routine is pretty mundane.
It occurred to me that I was shopping all wrong. I decided that I was going to shop for how my life actually is. And it was a game-changer. I started to put my money towards all the casual clothes that I wear on a daily basis so that I would look good, whatever I was doing.
Flattering jeans, well-fitting T-shirts, great sweats, cute little sweat tops, cargo pants, cords, shirts and jumpers. These are the staples of my wardrobe.
Of course, I still buy the odd party dress, and always have a few great jackets that can be worn casually or to smarten up an outfit. Plus, I love accessories that can transform an outfit.
Invest in jeans
The great news is that skinny jeans (a nightmare for anyone over a size 10!) are long out of mode. I haven’t worn a tight pair of jeans in years. I love a well-cut, generous jean that is comfortable and stylish. My last purchase was on the Me+Em sale where I got a pair that sits comfortably on the waist and skims the hips in a flattering way before widening out. Both comfortable and flattering. Me+Em are known for their great trouser cuts. They’re in the mid-price range but even that has become more costly in recent years. But a good pair is well worth the investment.
Jeans are incredibly useful. They can be worn casually but work equally well at smarter events. I love to put a great top with jeans. For my opening night of my current play, I wore jeans with a shiny gold top. I then added a black oversized tailored jacket. It wasn’t an overly smart event but needed a bit of sparkle and this worked perfectly.
Denim jackets are a favourite of mine too. Perfect for summer. A denim jacket looks perfect with summer dresses and skirts.
Find your neckline
I look good in a V-neck or a high round neckline. Shirts, either undone or done up, look good too. A lower round neckline, a boat cut or a square cut don’t suit me at all. Over the years, I’ve bought tops and dresses that I love, but with an unflattering neckline. The result is they never get worn. I now actively avoid these necklines.
Look for a good cut
To me, the cut, as well as the fabric (see below) of an outfit, is everything. Well-cut trousers make a world of difference to how you look, be it casual or smart.
As we mature, flounces and frills can get harder to pull off. For me personally, I look best in simple tailoring. I like to invest in having at least one classic suit in my wardrobe. This can be worn together or separately. The trousers will look great with a shirt, jumper or pussy-bow top. The jacket will work with jeans or over a dress. Choose a neutral colour that will go with everything.
Pay attention to texture
Natural fabrics like cotton, linen, silk, wool or cashmere are hard to beat. I remember many years ago when I was in Italy and bought a cashmere top that I still have, the woman said to me, “Think of cashmere as jewellery, it’ll never date and you’ll keep it forever”
Places like Zara, Mango and other high street shops often have stylish pieces, but if the fabric doesn’t fall nicely, or creases excessively or doesn’t feel nice to the touch, I won’t get it. They do sometimes have natural fabrics or even synthetic fabrics that work well.
You are more likely to get a good quality fabric at the slightly higher price range of shops, like Massimo Dutti. Uniqlo is great for cotton shirts and have great T-shirts.
I love mixing textures. Wool with silk or lace, tweed with silk, flowing skirt with a T-shirt. Mix it up. Smart with casual. This gives a much cooler vibe. I remember when I lived in LA in the 1990’s and went to a very smart event. I wore a long dress with a leather biker jacket. Quite common now but unheard of then. Some people were blown away with my combo and others were appalled, but I felt good.
Embrace the leopard
I wouldn’t go all out leopard, but love leopard skin shoes to make a plain outfit more interesting. I also bought a beautiful small leopard print silk scarf from Wyse, which I wear all the time. I love a leopard print belt as well.
I did treat myself to a beautiful leopard print fake fur jacket this winter from the coat queen, Charlotte Simone. I adore it and feel very glam in it.
Always accessorise
These can make an outfit. You can elevate a cheaper or more casual outfit by adding some great shoes, a chic bag or a piece of jewellery. Add to this a nice leather or suede belt to wear with jeans and other trousers.
Accessory tips
Here are some of my tried and tested accessory tips:
Silk scarves
This is a brilliant way to polish an outfit. A small silk scarf knotted round the neck is super chic. It can be worn with a shirt or under the collar of a jacket. I always prefer silk, but you can also get some great cheaper versions. Mango has a good variety at the moment and some very cute little fake leather jackets to wear them with.
To me, this is a must in every wardrobe as it completely transforms an outfit. It doesn’t have to be real gold (which is incredibly expensive) but avoid the very garish gold ones. I spied a great version in Mango.
I love to wear a round-necked black top and then add a short gold chain and small gold hoop earrings. Black and gold works so well together, but the truth is gold works with nearly every colour. Including grey and silver. I love to mix silver and gold. If silver is your preferred metal, then go with that.
I also wear a short gold necklace with V-necked jumpers, especially cashmere. So simple, so effective.
Bags
I do prefer real leather and good quality. However, you can find excellent, cheaper versions too. Zara makes some great bags (and shoes). They currently have some stylish small bags that have good metal trimmings. Metal trimmings are what usually give a cheap bag away, as well as straps that curl at the ends. The Zara ones are not leather, but it’s impossible to tell.
I love this small size as it’s very stylish. At the other end of the spectrum is the tote ba,g which looks very cool with a more casual outfit.
Dune has some great ones in store right now that are in a Bottega Veneta type braided leather — all synthetic in the Dune version but soft and slouchy in different colours and sizes, from small to extra big totes.
Earrings
Like many women, I now have multiple piercings in my ears. I have 3 in my left ear and 2 in my right one. I wear huggies (tiny little hoops) with little charms that I keep in all the time.
If I’m dressing up, I’ll switch to a bigger earring. Just as a gold chain can elevate your outfit, so can an earring. I love turquoise because with my colouring, it stands out well. Pearls, both for ears and neck, are a favourite too. They are very flattering as the colour gives your skin a glow. There’s a reason that Coco Chanel made beautiful gold and pearl necklaces and earrings, most of which were costume jewellery. I’m lucky to have some of these that I bought in the 1980’s and still wear today.
My wardrobe is now full of casual, everyday clothes that are easy to adapt to a smarter look. Without any effort, I’ll arrive at work with my comfy jeans, little sweat top, my long wool scarf and a wool jacket and get told I look glamorous. It proves that by putting a little effort and thought into the everyday pieces, you can feel both stylish and comfortable all the time. To my mind, this is a much more effective way of spending money on clothes.
