Having Fun with Trends & Accessories

When Princess started airing, I got a few letters like this one:

One thing I've noticed is that on both episodes you've had a guest appearance from a stylist who talked about how to build a wardrobe that will be smaller but smarter, with higher quality pieces that cost less in the long run. I really love this idea but I am quite clueless about putting it into action. Is there any chance you might consider having a stylist do a guest series on your blog about building a wardrobe.

I asked Afiya to do some posts for the site and she agreed to do three. Here are part 1 and part 2 if you want to catch up. And today, I have for you the final installment from gorgeous and talented stylist, Afiya Francisco, on having fun with trends and accessories and developing your own style. Enjoy!

At this stage, if you've been reading my posts, hopefully you look at your closet every morning without any panic as to what to wear. But while classic pieces are absolute essentials for a cohesive wardrobe that can be mixed and matched there is the risk of being a little (dare I say) bland.

This is where you'll want to have fun with trends and accessories. As a general rule, I typically do not spend much on trendy pieces (remember the cost-per-wear ratio). But these are the pieces that you don't intend to keep forever, they inject some personality and fun to your wardrobe, but they are on rotation with the season. Fashion changes so quickly that you may soon regret having shelled out a ton on a style that you can no longer stand or that feels dated. Mind you, inexpensive is different from cheap. You still want to be sure that garments fit properly and are well crafted (nice finish, no loose threads or seams).

Accessories are also an easy way to add a little fun to your look without breaking the bank. Love a colour but it doesn't suit you, get a bag in that shade. Love military style but don't really think that you can pull it off? Tough boots nod to the trend without full dedication. Accessories allow you to be a bit more frivolous as they can pretty much go with whatever you're wearing.

So how to decide what trends are for you and which you should just bypass? The same rules apply as when shopping for classics: Ask yourself is it a '10'? Does it go with the items already in your closet?

When introducing new items I suggest that you think of three ways that you can wear it using items that you already own. Asking these questions will hopefully help to determine whether an item is worthy of being added to your closet. Shopping this way helps to save you money because you are not just adding random things never to be worn. Every item has a place and you know how you'll wear it because you thought it through before you left the store. Shopping with these key points in mind will hopefully prevent you from ever saying, "I have nothing to wear!"

Best Way to Identify and Build Your Own Unique Style

So how does one determine their personal style? I don't think that you need to over-think this or deliberate forever. Ask yourself what are the colours, styles, specific pieces that you love to wear? This may help you to realize that you often gravitate to a particular colour or style. Check out some magazines and determine what styles jump out at you.

Yes magazines are filled with glamourous celebs and stick thin models but they are still a great starting point to discover elements to your own style. Remember you're not looking for a specific shopping list but rather an overall aesthetic that you love. And your style may not fit neatly into one category, you'll probably love a lot of different looks but ultimately there is probably a unifying factor that works for you.

And keep your lifestyle in mind. Sure, you may love the rocker look, complete with skulls & ripped tees, but if you work in an office, skintight leather pants are probably not going to fly with your boss. That doesn't mean that you have to, or should, forego that particular style but rather tailor it to suit you and how you live. A studded bracelet or dark nail polish gives a hint of rocker edge but still is appropriate when paired with an otherwise professional outfit.

Make your wardrobe work for you. Hopefully with these tips you'll have a versatile wardrobe that reflects your personal style. Also, you'll stretch your clothing budget further because you will shop with specific pieces in mind that will enhance what you already own. No more throwing away cash with items that will never see the light of day.

Share this on Facebook


Share this on del.icio.us


Digg this!


Share this on LinkedIn


Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon


Tweet This!


Subscribe to the comments for this post?


Email this to a friend?