Couture Comment: Personal Style – Four Styling Tips for your Wardrobe

Personal style: we all have it, even if we don’t recognise it on occasion; from our choice of colours, garment shapes, length, necklines, hair and makeup, how we accessorise, all of these elements of dress are part of our personal style, be it male or female.

Sometimes finding our own style can be confusing, which is why I have been talking to Personal Stylists, one of whom I will introduce you to in our next conversation.  However, I am not going to leave you on tenterhooks until then!Whilst fashion is about what is trending whether it suits you or not, ‘style’ is about how you see yourself as you are portrayed to the world, which is why it is so personal.When celebrities are sashaying on the red carpet, cameras clicking, as they turn this way and that, you have to bear in mind for the majority of those in the spotlight, there was someone behind the scenes helping them to pick out the right look, that will garner them column inches in the media. From the vintage gown, to the well cut suit worn with trainers, it’s all style.There are four key elements to consider when you want to look your best and get the best out of your wardrobe:

• Quality
• Colour
• Fabric
• Fit

Look at it this way, a vintage garment is such because it has lasted not just the test of time, but is still wearable today.  I had a conversation a few years back with a friend – a former fashion designer – about a vintage dress of my mum’s, it was from the ’50s and apart from the lining needing a bit of support, it still retained its shape, colour and fit, due to the quality of the fabric, the design and style.  Even now the vintage look of past eras is a style that draws attention.Choice of colour especially our preferences, is also part of our personality and sometimes our mood, coupled with the seasons. White is often worn in summer for its freshness, black is considered to be sophisticated, red bold, green vibrant and so the list goes on. When you mix colours in blocks for example, an orange top with a purple skirt, it’s a pretty dynamic statement.Fabric, well you will hear me say this time and time again, quality, quality and then quality, it not only makes economic sense, it’s also environmental sense.  The quality of the fabrics you choose for your garments, makes a huge difference.  There’s a reason why some economy priced cotton t-shirts on first wearing look great, however one wash later…Fit: the fit of our garments is what people notice, it’s also the difference between feeling comfortably confident, and tugging at sleeves that are too short, or peek-a-boo button front tops that gape.  An oversized top of the wrong shaping for your body can drown a small frame, as well as making a curvier figure appear larger; fit attributes itself to proportions.I personally don’t believe there are strict rules when it comes to personal styling, that’s why it’s called ‘personal’.  I do however believe that we can gain more confidence with our clothes by having a clearer understanding of what complements us and our body shapes.Until next time when I will be talking with personal stylist Juliana Mubanga, who will share with us her insights.