You guessed it. Another bit of 80’s flair that’s made a comeback. The double-wrap skinny belt brings back fond memories of having plastic studded versions in cobalt, red and white 25 years ago. I loved the look back then and I’m all for it again right now.

You can wrap the belt high or low around the waist depending on your preference. I like how it adds an interesting layering and textural dimension to an outfit and it’s certainly helped my old knitwear feel like new. The double wrap belt works well over shirts, knitted tops and dresses too. It is more comfortable than the single wrap skinny belt because it slouches more loosely around the body.

I recently purchased a skinny black studded style from Express, which was inexpensive by the time I had used a discount coupon. It didn’t fit so I first cut five inches off the end of the belt and then did my usual make-it-fit trick. I’m pleased with the outcome. The year is young, but the double-wrap belt is my favourite accessory of 2009.

Double-wrap belts are available in a range of price points (from Forever 21 to Bloomingdales). They work quite well on short-waisted women when worn a little lower down on the waist than shown in these pictures.

A subdued pair of colourful tights worn within a monochromatic palette looks great. Our forum member Shiny captures the look perfectly in this ensemble. Her plum tights are a similar shade to the sweater dress and boots. The overall effect is playful yet sophisticated and very flattering.

The brightly coloured pink and red tights below are a different story. I don’t see them working for anything other than a theatrical occasion.

I surprised myself on this one. I adore bright colours and encourage people to add fun, colour-rich elements to their wardrobes. But somehow bright tights don’t make the cut. They look juvenile and jarring, rather than stylish. Maybe my eye will adapt to this trend, but for now, I say nay.

I’ve noticed that people are getting confused when I talk about hose and hosiery. Unfortunately I have been negligent with the use of these words, carelessly substituting the one for the other when they actually don’t have the same meaning.

• “Hosiery” refers to everything that can be bought in the hosiery section of a department store (excluding socks). The term covers all variations and styles of stockings, pantyhose, nylons and tights.
• “Hose” is a shortened version of the word pantyhose, which is a type of hosiery. A pair of hose is not a pair of tights. Hose is usually sheer and transparent whereas tights are generally thick and less see-through.

To make matters worse, I sometimes incorrectly use the word “stockings” as a substitute for the word hosiery. This is a habit I learned at school, where we referred to the hose and tights that we wore with our uniform as “stockings”. Stockings actually refer to the thigh-high hose that are held in place with garter belts. I can assure you that I did not wear those to school.

From now on I shall use the words hosiery, hose and stockings correctly. Of all people I should know better and apologize for the mix-up. Interestingly, I thought that “laddering” was a universal term (for example, see my recent post on hosiery sizes). Apparently, in the US, people say something along the lines of “I have a run in my nylons” when they’ve laddered their hose. I guess we can’t help but lose some things in translation.

I’ve found that going up a size in hosiery is often a good idea if you’re regular height or taller. For example, if you usually wear a medium, try a large. Or if you’d normally fall into the “C range”, size up to “D”.

Going up a size reduces the stretch, making colors more even and reducing pattern distortion. It also lowers the risk of laddering and increases the longevity of the hose, which is particularly good if you prefer the better quality, more expensive brands.

Saggy hose is unsightly, so don’t go up more than one size. If you are petite the stretch is already less than average, so you may not need to size up at all.

Top handbag designers like Gucci, Longchamp, Etro and Louis Vuitton have brought back the miniature dressy backpack as the new “it” handbag. You know what that means. Give it a season and we’ll start to see the look filtering down to mainstream retail.

I remember when dressy backpacks were all the rage in the 90’s. The much coveted black nylon Prada mini backpack was copied and available everywhere. They were advertised as being “comfortable and practical”, but for me they were neither. I didn’t enjoy being strapped into the backpack and found it annoyingly inconvenient to retrieve its contents.

But horses for courses. If you enjoyed the style of a dressy backpack in the 90’s, you’re in for a treat. Watch as they filter back into fashion.

Remember these backpacks from way back when? I wonder which other 90’s trends we should expect to make a comeback.

I love the look of a lass in a fabulous hat, but you might need to persevere if you aren’t one of those people who looks naturally good in headgear. The shape of a hat alters the size of your head and face in relation to the rest of your body, which can make it tricky. It’s a question of trying on several styles to see which works. Berets, newsboys, cabbies, cloches, buckets, caps, fedoras and beanies, there’s a look for everyone if the proportions, fabrication, style and colour are spot on.

I like it best when there is hair peaking though from underneath the hat. Lasses with long hair wear hats particularly well and I think it’s because the abundance of hair adds balance, softness and interest to the look. I look awful in most hats because I have a small head and very short hair. Hats seem to overwhelm my facial features. But this does not prevent me from wearing one when it’s freezing cold. Hats, like scarves and gloves, keep you wonderfully warm. I’ll happily forego a little aesthetic for extra warmth.

I hope you’re wearing hats if you look great in headgear. They make a superb statement and can become part of your signature look. It doesn’t need to be freezing in order to wear them either. Often in Europe, people gravitate towards hats and scarves before a Winter coat.

A few of my favourite hat styles: beret, knitted cap, slouchy cabbie, fitted cabbie, newsboy and cloche. Hats are such a fun accessory. If I looked good in a hat (and my hair behaved after wearing one), I’d be all over the look.

Australian Envirosax makes my favourite eco-friendly shopping bag at the moment. It’s attractive, compact, portable and lightweight. It’s made of a durable waterproof polyester, holds up to 44 lbs and rolls up into an impressively small 1.4 oz package. You‘ll hardly notice its presence in your handbag.

Spread the environmental message with style with reusable eco-chic shopping bags. For $8.50, or $37.95 for a series of five, they make great stocking stuffers, hostess gifts and items to put into gift packages you’re sending abroad.

The envirosac is offered in a variety of design options and colours for both adults and children. I like the graphic monochromatic series and stocked up on these over the weekend. If these particular eco friendly shopping bags don’t tickle your fancy, there are plenty of others to choose from.

I’m giving wide waist-cinching belts a rest and wearing my skinny belt collection more frequently at the moment (I needed a change). Skinny belts are less bulky to wear under jackets and coats at this time of year, and easy to adjust if the length is too long.

Adding a skinny belt to an outfit creates texture, layering interest, added waist-definition and if you like, a pop of colour. They are particularly effective when worn over the following items:

• cardigan (both short and longer lengths)
• jacket, or coat
• soft, silky knit or woven blouse
• tailored button-down shirt
• dress, or tunic
• high-waisted pants and skirts

I’ve found that positioning the belt fairly high on the natural waist is key. This prevents the “blouson effect” thereby keeping the torso streamlined (few women get away with blouson-ing their tops with a skinny belt). The silhouette is flop proof if you keep the look sleek on top.

Wearing a skinny belt a little lower and looser when you’re short-waisted is in theory the right thing to do. But I haven’t minded short-waisted gals wearing skinny belts on their natural waist. It resembles an empire cut, which looks adorable. Bustier gals should try skinny belts too, because they are usually a better option than wider waist belts. The look can work with the right top or dress (low neck, ample length and tailored torso).

You’ll find skinny belts everywhere and at every price. They are a creative and cost-effective way of adding variety to your existing ensemble mix. Trust me, you don’t need to be skinny to wear a skinny belt.

(1) Boyfriend cardigan worn closed with skinny belt, (2) Cropped cardigan worn open with skinny belt, (3) Knitted top with double skinny belt, (4) Knitwear with bowed skinny belt (nice for fancier occasions), (5) Skirt and tucked-in top, (6) Pants and tucked-in blouse, (7) Dress and skinny belt, (8) Tunic and skinny belt.

The current economic downturn means that we need to stretch our fashion dollar further. One of the most cost effective ways to update and refresh a seasonal look is through the addition of shoes, handbags and accessories.

Flat totes continue to be a practical and fashionable win. If you’re into faux patent leather and enjoy the look of a slouchy oversized tote, this Gap carryall is for you. They are available in purple, grey, cream, camel and black in stores (fewer colours are available online). The bag is sturdy and 100% plastic without looking cheap and “plastic-y”. It’s a vegan-friendly steal at $49.50 (full price). Add a discount coupon, or wait for the sale and you’ve scored an even better deal.

One of my clients pointed out this tote to me last week and I was impressed. I bought the grey and she came home with the cream and purple. The canvas strap is a little useless, so you can either cut it off or tuck it away. This comfy, casual shoulder tote will stylishly hold the kitchen sink. Thanks Joanna! I can see these totes becoming our travel favourites.

Accessories are popular in Hong Kong, but there was one in particular that stood out more than I remember from previous trips to the city: the cell phone ornament. It consists of a delicate trinket that’s intricately knotted onto silk thread and looped onto your cell phone. It’s not only decorative, but is also supposed to bring you good fortune.

This is not a new idea – these ornaments have been around almost as long as cell phones themselves. The trinket can represent anything from the sign of your Chinese Zodiac, to Hello Kitty. There’s probably a science devoted to the selection of the most desirable cell phone ornaments, but to me, the offerings seemed random. You name it and we saw it dangling off the end of a cell phone.

The prices are just as varied. All the way from diamond encrusted status symbols that are available from high-end jewelery stores, to playful street market versions that are as cheap as chips. I decided I wanted one of the latter because they looked so cute. My Chinese Zodiac sign is “the dog”, so that’s the ornament I chose. It’s tiny and the detail is impressive. It cost just over a dollar and makes me smile whenever I haul out my phone. I hope I’m a little luckier too.