I was recently afforded the opportunity to share what my Top 10 Style Tips are with Urban Fashion Lifestyle Africa, an online fashion portal which showcases South African and African fashion to the rest of the world.
I've shared a snippet of my tips with you. Check out the full list here.
I am all about practical style and being able to build a wardrobe which is durable and versatile. Nobody wants a wardrobe full of clothes yet still have nothing to wear. My tips are for the modern woman who wants to build a solid foundation of interchangeable, quality basics, while also having fun with their style and fashion.
1. Invest in the basics | Basics differ for us all depending on your style, your occupation and your lifestyle. The easiest way to figure out what your basics are is to look at what you like wearing on a daily basis (which you own), then do a comparison with what you’d like to wear every day (what you do not own). Your basics are the items which make up those looks. My basics include straight cut, high waisted denim, t-shirts (to tuck into my jeans of course), preferably white button-down shirts, structured blazers, trainers and brogues. I really like pencil skirts but I don’t wear them enough for them to be considered a basic item. Denim, on the other hand, is a hard-working basic because I wear jeans multiple times in a week. It made sense to find a cut and style which flatters my body and invest in multiple pairs. I work in a relaxed environment so I can wear combinations of denim, a t-shirt, blazer and trainers every day of the week. Figure out what your basics are and don’t be afraid to stock up on them in different colours and styles.
2. Find a Tailor | Once you’ve decided on your basics you need to make sure they look good on you. The majority of us are not model proportions. I have a small waist and wide hips so if pants fit my butt they’ll gape at my waist. If there’s one thing you take from my style tips is TAILOR YOUR CLOTHES! You’ll instantly look more put together and stylish.
3. Pick a part of your body to show off and focus on that | Dressing for your body shape can be a misleading concept because not all girls with smaller upper bodies and larger lower bodies look good in the same outfits. Style is a very personal thing. I prefer to think about it as bringing attention to your favorite part of your body. Do you have fabulous, toned arms? Wear tops which accentuate them. Do you have a tiny waist? Wear waist cinching tops and dresses. Got lovely legs? Show them off!
4. Wear comfortable, seam free underwear | Say no to visible panty lines. Just no.
5. Splurge on wearable, versatile items | This is a no-brainer but I’ve made the mistake of spending thousands on shoes I can barely walk in, so they stay in my wardrobe collecting dust. I pull them out when I’m feeling down because they really are so beautiful to look at but I cringe to think what I could have done with all the money I spent on them. If you’re like me and you need to actively save for designer pieces make sure they are versatile, you can mix and match them with multiple items in your wardrobe and that the pieces aren’t too trendy. You want to able to wear those expensive designer pieces as often as possible. I recently purchased a black, leather Gucci Marmont belt which I need to stop myself from wearing because it goes with literally everything. I’m even considering getting it in tan.
For more style tips check out UFL Africa here.
Photographs | 72 Photography
