Closet control: Key item #5

To have a gorgeous wardrobe is every fashionista's dream, having a huge variety of unique but on-trend ensembles at the ready is perfection. However to each wardrobe there are basics that are a must, no matter what you're personal style without these basics you're wardrobe won't be at its best, over the next few weeks I'll post various sections of the 'perfect' wardrobe with pictures, diagrams and helpful hints on how to achieve you're very own 'perfect' wardrobe.

This post is about the fifth key item which will help you to build your 'perfect' wardrobe which is Collared Shirts.

Collared Shirts are an easy way to pull off a formal look. Whether you're going out to dinner, meeting a friend for coffee, or taking a shopping trip you can rock a collared shirt. It's best to have a few within your reach in a few different colours and cuts so you can maximise your options because a neon pink one with a white trim may look super chic paired with black skinnies and neon pink pumps for a bright, fun look during the day. However for a more formal look in the evening a muted claret shirt, tucked into a black bodycon skirt may be more suitable. Here are my suggestions for a small range of collared shirts that you can rock...

1. Casual, denim

2. Formal coloured

3. Formal black/white

4. Casual coloured

5. Short sleeved 

Collared shirts are essential to your 'perfect' wardrobe because they can be thrown on over jeans for a simplistic look or tucked into a statement skirt for the evening. The important thing is that they can be dressed up or down and you can get multiple wears out of them. Here's an example of how I would dress this collared shirt up and down... 

The first look is very casual. You would wear the blouse loosely over the distressed jeans and then wear the claret sneakers for a casual vibe. Finish the look with a chic ponytail and a swipe of lip balm. The other look is a lot more formal. The blouse would be tucked into the claret peplum skirt and this look could be worn with black tights and then the dolly shoes could be slipped on to give a cute finish. I love the clutch bag that I chose for this look and the gold bangles look wonderful with it. To finish this I would swipe both sets or eyelashes and wear my hair in loose curls.  

Overall I highly recommend you get a small selection of collared shirts to base your 'perfect' wardrobe around. I hope you enjoy this post and that it inspires you.

Love Dixie 

:) xox

Closet control : Key item #4

To have a gorgeous wardrobe is every fashionista's dream, having a huge variety of unique but on-trend ensembles at the ready is perfection. However to each wardrobe there are basics that are a must, no matter what you're personal style without these basics you're wardrobe won't be at its best, over the next few weeks I'll post various sections of the 'perfect' wardrobe with pictures, diagrams and helpful hints on how to achieve you're very own 'perfect' wardrobe.

This post is about the fourth key item which will help you build your 'perfect' wardrobe which is Black &White tops

Black &White tops are an essential in building your 'perfect' wardrobe because they're so versatile. You can dress them up or down and they're so simple. It's important to have a few different styles, cuts and shapes of black and white tops so you can easily suit them to the occasion you're dressing for. For example a vest top could be more formal, whereas a structured blouse is more formal. The best thing about black and white tops is the fact you can layer them so easily. 

When Shopping for Black and White Tops it's best to go for simple, plain tops. Buy different styles though such as tight, structured, flared etc. so you have few different options, here are my top 5 styles of Black and White tops...

 1. Vest tops 

These are essential for layering. You can wear them under a sheer blouse, tucked into a skirt, under a cropped shirt etc. There are so many different ways to layer them and they're so cost effective due to the fact they're not very expensive at all yet they last a long time and can be reused again and again in a variety of outfits. 

2. Blouses  

Blouses are important as they're more formal yet they can still be layered and dressed up or down. It's important to have both black and white blouses as you'll have a more options when choosing your outfit.

3. Long sleeved 

Long sleeved black and white tops are important because they perfect for layering. Also they're great to tuck into a patterned skirt, then team with a necklace and a knitted cardigan, or you could tuck into high waisted shorts, throw on a cropped jumper and some converse and you've got a casual look. 

4. Over-sized

Over-sized tops are great because they're very simple, versatile and comfortable; one of the most important factors in an outfit is how comfortable it is. Over-sized shirts can be worn in a variety of ways and are a simple piece to an ensemble. 

5. Short Sleeved 

Short sleeved tops are essential for layering and building up an outfit. They're also very useful for being a simple piece in an outfit  leaving the main piece in an ensemble to stand out. For example, if you wore a black short sleeved top and black tights with a wonderfully bright coloured Aztec print skirt, then the skirt would stand out due to the simple colour everywhere else. 

Black and White tops are essential to building your 'perfect' wardrobe because they can be dresses up or down, they're extremely versatile and they're brilliant for layering. Look at my example here of how you can dress up and down a plain black tee...

This shows how a plain black long sleeved top can be transformed easily. For a casual look, pair I paired it with distressed, boyfriend jeans, black high tops, a khaki overcoat and a gold chain. This look is simple, urban and comfortable - perfect for a shopping trip or walk around the park. My next look is more formal, I paired the simple tee with a pale pink bubble skirt, a pale pink clutch, black tights, pale pink heels and a gold collar style necklace. This look is girly, glamorous and cute, perfect for a dinner out somewhere fancy! 

So overall Black and White tops are should be versatile, simple and plain. This ensures they can be worn in a number of ways with a number of different garments, A few good ways to layer them:

-Tuck into a gorgeous skirt

-Wear under a skater dress

-Layer over casual jeans

I hope you this post inspires you and helps you on your way to creating your 'perfect' wardrobe

Love Dixie

:) xox

   

Closet Control: Key item #3

To have a gorgeous wardrobe is every fashionista's dream, having a huge variety of unique but on-trend ensembles at the ready is perfection. However to each wardrobe there are basics that are a must, no matter what you're personal style without these basics you're wardrobe won't be at its best, over the next few weeks I'll post various sections of the 'perfect' wardrobe with pictures, diagrams and helpful hints on how to achieve you're very own 'perfect' wardrobe. 

This post is about the third key item which will help you build your 'perfect' wardrobe, which is LBD's (Little Black Dresses.)

LBD's are super important for building a 'perfect' wardrobe because they are a 'go to' garment. This basically means if you're stuck for what to wear to a more formal event, you can't go wrong with an LBD! You can pair them with almost anything; heels, flats or ankle boots, cardigans, blazers or jackets, scarves, clutches or statement necklaces. The best thing about LBD's is there are so many variations out there you can find one that suits you perfectly. 

My advice on finding the perfect Little Black Dress is to go with simplicity, after all 'The greatest form of Sophistication is simplicity' The reason that having a simple LBD is the best idea is because it will be extremely versatile, you can add a denim jacket and ankle boots for a casual look or pair with sky high heels and a statement necklace for a formal event. Here are a few styles that I love... 

A simple round-neck, no sleeved, A-Line style dress. 

A long sleeved, round neck, flared skirt dress. 

This dress has a simple neckline and no sleeves with added Peplum detailing.

Cross over back detail, bodycon style dress.

V neck, wrap style dress with ruffled hem. 

LBD's are a wonderful edition to any wardrobe because of the simplicity  they'll always be a simple yet chic look. My formal 'go-to' look is my LBD (bodycon with simple neckline and jeweled cuffs) paired with a collar style necklace, statement heels and a clutch. The main focus for a 'perfect wardrobe' is to have items that are versatile and you can wear them lots of times in order to get your money's worth and to always be able to find something to wear,. The LBD fits that criteria perfectly! 

It's so important to pick a little black dress that flatters your body shape and that you can play around with to achieve different styles, look at my example of a simple transformed from day to night...

It's so easy to change the style of a dress. For the daytime look I chose a sheer, burgundy blouse which would be worn under the dress, as layering is commonly more of a daytime look. I chose a denim jacket as these are very casual and give an urban feel to the outfit  A pair of black tights are very simple and would look good with the dress. A pair of biker boots would look good with this dress as their casual and urban, also a backpack thrown on for more of an urban edge and finally a double fingered gold ring for again an urban feel. Casual look complete! 

To achieve the formal look, I was influenced by 'less is more' and my obsession with glitter! A statement necklace, is simple yet sophisticated, a nighttime must! Keep the colour palette neutral if you're going for sparkles, I'm sticking to champagne and gold. I chose a pair of Louboutins as they're classy and elegant which is the look i aim to achieve. I paired this with a sparkly, gold clutch as it's super chic and very useful on a night out. Finally an Yves Saint Laurent ring in a champagne colour to maximise the sophisticated look. 

And that is too very difficult, equally as gorgeous looks created with the base of the same dress. It's so simple to create different looks with one dress, it's all about what you team it with and the colours and decoration used. 

When shopping for an LBD it's important to try heaps on until you find the one that's right for you take into account the skirt length, the fit of the dress, the neckline, sleeve length and the sleeve type as these things will affect the overall look of the dress. It's also important to remember that it's okay to splash out when buying an little black dress as you can re wear it so many times, instead of buying lots of cheap dresses you get one or two wears out of, invest in a higher quality, more useful LBD you can wear again and again!

I hope this post gives you inspiration and helps you,

 Love Dixie

:) xox

Closet Control: key item #2

To have a gorgeous wardrobe is every fashionista's dream, having a huge variety of unique but on-trend ensembles at the ready is perfection. However to each wardrobe there are basics that are a must, no matter what you're personal style without these basics you're wardrobe won't be at its best, over the next few weeks I'll post various sections of the 'perfect' wardrobe with pictures, diagrams and helpful hints on how to achieve you're very own 'perfect' wardrobe.

This post is about the second key item which will help you build your 'perfect' wardrobe, which is skirts.

I think that skirts should definitely be a basic item in a women's wardrobe because they're so versatile. The amount of options available is astounding, anybody can find a few skirts that suit their taste and their body.  Having a few gorgeous skirts on hand is an essential, if you want a girly look one day you can grab a pastel, A-line skirt throw it on over a white t-shirt, add a pair of cute ballet flats, a few layered necklaces and a waterfall cardigan and you've achieved your look. However if you want to look very chic, you could throw on a black, leather skirt, with a white collared shirt tucked in, then add tights, an oversized, slouchy bag, a pair of Jeffrey Campbell Litas and you're good to go! It's so easy to create a variety of looks with one skirt, but it's important to know different types of skirts, here are some of the most common skirts...

A-line 

An A-line skirt is narrower at the top and gently flares out so it becomes wider at the bottom, resembling a A shape. 

Bodycon 

A bodycon skirt is elasticated and very fitting, they're very good for showing off curves. 

Maxi Skirt

A maxi skirt is a tube/cone shaped skirt that hangs from the waist and covers all or most of the legs. 

High-low 

A high-low skirt has a shorter hem at the front, than at the back, they're a worldwide favourite.  

Peplum skirt 

A Peplum skirt is a skirt with a flared ruffle attached to the waist, the skirt is usually bodycon so as to accentuate the ruffle.

Skirts are the perfect key item because they can be worn with a variety of things to give a variety of different looks. With so many different styles, cuts, colours, patterns and textures anybody can find a few skirts to suit them. All you need is a little knowledge of what works with your body shape and an idea of what colour looks best on you and you're already on your way. 

My favourite thing about skirts is that they can look formal or casual and you can dress them up or down so easily and they're such an easy option they're instantly feminine and flirty.Have a look at my example of how to style a zipped bodycon skirt...

  

By wearing a casual tee with a logo over the skirt you instantly get a casual feel, by pairing it with knee high socks, converse and a hair bow you get an even more casual look, very easy to do and extremely stylish and fun. The look in the middle is a casual formal look, tucking in a slightly casual tee and pairing with a blazer gives quite a formal look but with no jewellery and edgy flats the ensemble feels more casual, giving it the perfect balance of casual formal. My final look, the one on the left, is the most formal look of all, paring it with a top that has an embellished peter pan collar, an embellished clutch, black tights and black, sky high Louboutins the whole look is very formal. 

When shopping for skirts it's important to buy ones that have the most potential outfit wise, ask yourself these questions when looking for skirts..

Does this colour suit my skintone?

Do I own anything that goes with this?

Can this be dressed up and down?

Can I create a variety of different looks with this?

Does the cut flatter my bodyshape?

If the answer is yes to all or most of these questions then you're on to a winner! The skirt is defintely a good purchase and you're one step closer to building your 'perfect' wardrobe.

I hope this post helps and inspires you 

Love Dixie

:) xox

Closet control: Key item #1

To have a gorgeous wardrobe is every fashionista's dream, having a huge variety of unique but on-trend ensembles at the ready is perfection. However to each wardrobe there are basics that are a must, no matter what you're personal style without these basics you're wardrobe won't be at its best, over the next few weeks I'll post various sections of the 'perfect' wardrobe with pictures, diagrams and helpful hints on how to achieve you're very own 'perfect' wardrobe.

Todays post is about you're very first key item which will build the foundations for your 'perfect' wardrobe which is Jeans

Jeans are my number one key item due to the fact they're such a common thing; everybody owns jeans and they're worn on a regular basis. Because of this to have a few really good pair of jeans will ensure you're wardrobe is off to a good start! 

First decide which style of jeans you prefer, you should take into account your body shape and you're own personal style, the most common types of jeans are... 

Skinny

Skinny jeans are tapered (gradually lessened) through the thigh and calf and generally made quite longer so they bunch up at the ankle, a quick way to solve this is to have them hemmed by a tailor or a cheaper option is to hem them yourself. 

Straight leg 

Straight leg jeans have no tapering, the opening at the bottom and the top are mostly the same. 

Boot cut

Boot cut jeans are generally tapered slightly at the thigh and there is a slight flair at the calf. 

Flared 

Flared Jeans are tapered very slightly at the thigh and flare out a lot at the calf, they have a very 70's feel to them. 

Boyfriend

Boyfriend jeans usually look as though they have been borrowed from a guy (the hint is in the name) So they are usually a loose fit, low rise with cuffed hems. 

Jeans are a perfect key item because you can dress them up or down, for a casual look throw on some boyfriend jeans, an oversized tee, a leather belt, wear your hair up and chuck on some large sunglasses, or for a more formal look wear some skinny jeans with a collared shirt and a fitted blazer with heels to pull of an elegant, more mature look. Jeans are so versatile, it's how you style them that defines whether they're a casual or more formal piece, for example look at this pair of skinny jeans in three different outfits... 

When shopping for jeans it's important to keep three things in mind:

1. The quality of the jeans

2. The stretch

3. Your body shape

The quality of the jeans 

The quality of the jeans is important because you need to invest in pairs that will last as these are a key item in your wardrobe, you're better off paying a little more than usual for jeans because you'll get a lot of wear out them. Look at places such as Topshop, New look and Hollister to find jeans because they do a range of different styles so that you can find that pair perfect for you. The jeans you are looking for should be neatly sewn and last a long time. If they have any rips, tears or stains they're not worth it, unless of course that's the style you're looking for! 

The stretch

The stretch is important because it creates a nice line for your legs, all denim these days has stretch built in, you'll find its best to look for denim with around  2% stretch (check the label) as no stretch makes them too stiff and hard to move in and too much stretch means they need to be washed a lot which can ruin the quality of the jeans. It's best to find jeans that are a as tight as possible, as long as you can do them up fine and move in them quite easily. 

Your body shape

This is super important because in your everyday outfits jeans will feature quite a lot so they should flatter your figure well. It's important to first know you're body shape and second to know what cuts and styles flatter your body shape best, use this helpful guide to help you find the perfect pair of jeans... 

  

Apple: 'Ample bust, rounded stomach and slimmer hips'

Pear: 'Small bust, narrow shoulders, bigger hips, thighs or bum' 

Athletic: 'Sporty, strong body with a few curves' 

Hourglass: 'ample bust, curvy hips and a defined, slimmer waist' 

Slender: 'Very slim with few curves' 

Inverted Triangle: 'Shoulders are broader than your hips' 

Body type - Best style of jeans 

Apple - Bootcut 

Pear - Flared 

Athletic - Bootcut or Skinny

Hourglass - Dark bootcut or Skinny

Slender - Bootcut, a Slight Flare or Skinny

Inverted Triangle - Flared

When trying jeans on it's important to bring a trusted friend with you so they can tell you what suits you, using your new found knowledge of your body shape and what style suits you best this should make the task of finding those perfect jeans a lot easier. I find its best to stock up when you find the perfect jeans so they'll last longer. 

I hope this helps and look for more Closet Control posts 

Love Dixie

:) xox