This sounds counter intuitive, but there is method to the madness. Obviously, after a certain fall in temperature you’ll want to wear sleeved garments under sleeved layers. But before it gets really cold, sleeveless garments can work beautifully, even if you tend to feel the cold quickly like I do.

Sleeveless dresses and tops layer exceptionally well. No fabric bunching. No cutting off the circulation to your arms. Pure comfort. With it being a tunic cardigan season, sleeveless tops and blouses are practical items to wear under long sleeved knitwear and indoor jackets. And the same sleeveless items will double duty for warm weather worn on their own.

We haven’t reached freezing temperatures in Seattle yet, so I’m still wearing sleeveless dresses, knit tops and blouses layered with cascading or boyfriend cardigans, pullovers and cropped jackets. In the chillier mornings and evenings I’ll add a trench or wool coat on top of those layers. My feet are deliciously warm in boots with socks or hose and I’ll also throw in a scarf from time to time. Inside I peel off my coat but leave on the layer that’s over the sleeveless item. Easy.

It won’t be long before I’m in long sleeves most of the time, but for now layered sleeveless dressing makes sense. Do you wear sleeveless items in colder weather like I do?

Of course, wearing long sleeved tops, blouses, shirts and dresses under long sleeved knitwear and jackets is fabulous. But hopefully this might inspire you to extend the life of your sleeveless items. We’re always trying to get the most from our wardrobes!

Grey in all its hues featured in abundance last Autumn and Winter. Dove and silver grey were carried through for Spring and Summer. Now we’re back to Autumn collections and there is even more grey. That’s a whole year of grey!

Grey has been a relatively new neutral in my wardrobe. It’s flattering as long as I wear it with white, cream, or a bright colour. But I have enough grey and black in my wardrobe at the moment and won’t be purchasing more items in these colours. So it’s frustrating when I see clothing items that I love, but are only offered in grey or black. I guess that’s one way of keeping my budget in good shape.

I don’t personally wear brown or any of the earth tones that go with that palette, but I’m missing it in stores for clients who do. If you don’t like grey, black and white, there is little for you to purchase in the neutrals department at the moment. Perhaps offering only one colour spectrum of neutrals is a conscious retail decision in our tough economic climate. Buying budgets are tight and stores need to keep their stocks lean.

I adore the versatility and softness of grey and will continue to wear the grey goodies in my wardrobe. But my tolerance for the colour in stores is wearing very thin. Too much of a good thing. Does anyone else feel the same way?

Plaid shirts and blouses are everywhere at the moment. For the most part they’re super casual in cotton or flannel fabrications, but they can look dressier when worn in drapey silks, chiffons and polyester blends.

The trick to wearing flannel plaid tops is to add feminine touches. In other words, if you don’t want to look boyish wearing a flannel shirt like we did in the 90’s, add the following girly design elements and accessories to this season’s look:

• Choose a tunic length: This really makes the style feel “new”.
• Add a belt: My suggestion is to swap out the self- fabric belt that came with the tunic to prevent it from looking like a robe. Opt for a webbing or distressed leather belt instead, either low-slung or waist-cinching.
• Keep the ruffles: You might be sick of ruffles, but having them on an otherwise masculine garment makes sense.
• Mix in lace: Layer a lacy camisole under the shirt and if you’re daring, throw in the pearls too.

This item might not be your cup of tea if you can’t get your head around wearing flannel plaid. But it can be cute once you get the details right, which is why the plaid tunic forms part of MOTG formula #9. I have happy stylish clients wearing that formula combination right now. Promise!

Tunic looks with ruffles, belts and lace. Fabulous over jeans or stretch knit pants with killer boots. But I’m one of the lasses who won’t we wearing casual plaid this season. I’ll wear a plaid top if it’s in a dressy silk fabrication and opt for a the denim shirt look instead.

There are ruffles and frills on everything at the moment. You’ll see them on T’s, blouses, shirts, knitwear, bottoms, dresses, jackets, coats, skirts, shoes, boots, bags, scarves, underwear and necklaces. I adore ruffled items and I’ve been sporting them since I was a little girl. I like the textural integrity that a soft self-colour ruffle adds to a garment. It’s feminine, pretty and baroque looking.

But now that it’s a hot trend, fashion retail is killing the look. It’s reached the stage where you’ll battle to find a top with interesting, non-ruffle, style detailing. I have clients who do not fancy ruffles and it’s been a challenge to find them suitable tops, especially since some of these ladies are well endowed.

Variety is an important component of a great fashion season and so far, I don’t think we are getting that in the styling options for tops and knitwear. Too many ruffles. I’ll be happy to continue wearing the items in my closet, but I’m not purchasing anything else with ruffles this season. I guess I preferred ruffled items when they weren’t mainstream fashion.

How do you feel about ruffles? Have you noticed the epidemic in stores? For those of you who do not live in the US, are ruffled items a hot trend in your neck of the woods too?

My favourite season is here! Most people blossom in Spring but I blossom in Autumn. Clear blue skies, fiery foliage, and the crisp, fresh nip in the air puts me into a fabulous mood each day. That, and the fact that I can haul out my boot collection.

It cools down quickly in our neck of the woods, but that might not be the case for you. If it’s still hot at this time of year, it’s completely stylish to continue wearing Summer clothes into Autumn. But if you are starting to get bored with your Summer outfits, here are some ways to look more seasonally “Autumn”, even in warm weather:

• Wear darker colours: Keep the fabrication Summer weight with cotton and silk blends, but wear more black, grey, brown, ink blue, earth tones and muted colours instead of white and acidic brights. But please don’t think that you can’t wear bright colours in Autumn, or black in Summer. Of course you can and I do it all the time. I’m merely suggesting a change from what might be routine in your style.
• Change your accessories: Swap out tropical looking jewelry like shells and brightly coloured stones for more somber and dramatic looks. Tweed floral pins and brushed metals will do the trick.
• Add a cotton scarf in Autumn colours: Pair a scarf in muted tones to a sleeveless outfit.
• Change your handbag: Switch to black, brown, taupe or grey if you’ve been sporting a colour for Summer.
• Change the shade of your toenail polish: Opt for rich, dark hues instead of bubblegum brights. It’s a nice salute to the new season if you’re still in sandals.
• Wear pumps, loafers or ballet flats: Still too hot for boots, but cool enough for more foot coverage. Tweed, animal print and rich suede screams Autumn.
• Keep jackets and knitwear lightweight: Waist coats, biker waistcoats and short sleeved or sleeveless jackets and cardigans are effective ways to layer in the heat.
• Add boots of any length to short shorts, or super short miniskirts: This is daring and you’ll need youth on your side to pull it off, but it’s fabulous when the components are right. I tend to stick to clamdiggers with boots and add a breezy top as a more age appropriate take on this look.
• Wear slouch boots with short dresses: This is my favourite way to introduce Autumn back into my style this season. I pair sleeveless cool wool sheaths and jersey frocks, or short sleeved silk dresses with mid calf slouch boots. The dresses are best a few inches above the knee for mid calf boots to work, otherwise you’ll look dumpy. I’ve found that doing the look sleeveless works well because it keeps you cool, but this is not essential.

It’s still hot in Hong Kong when Autumn comes around, but the stylish lasses there do a fabulous job of incorporating a seasonally appropriate twist to their outfits. Refresh your memories on how they do it.

I recently mentioned the avante guard painters shirt as an item for fearless fashionistas this season, and you might be wearing one sooner than you thought! An interesting giveaway opportunity came our way and I’m excited to share it with you: the “one size fits most” painters shirt by boutique brand Zina of Beverly Hills. It retails for $245 at Neiman Marcus and looks quite haute couture.

The painters shirt is not for everyone because it takes courage to surrender your waistline to this extent. We’re talking major deconstruction if you wear it as is. But you’ve also got the option of pairing it with a waist-cinching or low slung belt if you’d prefer to rein in some of the volume.

There is definitely a place in fashion for eclectic pieces. I adore voluminous items and feel that they can look stunning when worn in the right way. What are your thoughts on this particular painters shirt? Would you wear it? How would you wear it?

To be eligible for the giveaway, please reply to this post and be sure to write “I would wear it” somewhere in your comment. We will choose the lucky recipient using a random number generator and get in touch using the email address you provide.

Entries for the giveaway will close on September 18 at 5pm (PST).

The Zina Painters Shirt. With this model’s proportions I would have belted the shirt a little higher in the waist, or on the natural waist, to avoid looking long waisted.

It used to be a faux-pas to wear double breasted jackets without buttoning up. Left open, you would get a weird fabric flopping thing happening around the torso and bust area making you look shapeless and unpolished. Buttoning them up was the only way to achieve a form fitting shape that showed off your waistline. Single breasted jackets, on the other hand, retain their shape along the contour of the torso when you leave them un-buttoned.

But deconstructed and boxy clothing is back in fashion and wearing double breasted jackets open is the “it” look. The jackets are also tailored accordingly. The upside is that when unbuttoned they create the same flattering vertical line down the front of the body. The downside is that it still means surrendering the waistline and taking some structure away from the bust area. Double edged sword.

Buttoning up tailored, double breasted styles is always flattering, but leaving them open is a fun new twist on the style. What do you think?

Military jackets and coats are trending this season, which means that we’ll see more military inspired merchandise in stores than usual. But really, I’ve been wearing military inspired jackets every season for 20 years because I’m drawn to the look. I love uniforms! I can confidently say that the right military jacket is perfectly timeless.

You’ll find military jackets in both knits and wovens. The knitted version offers added comfort but lacks the crispness of its woven counterpart. I’m a woven gal at heart so I’m not attracted to knitted military styles, but they have their place. Knitted variations are instantly more casual and forgiving over the bust area.

I’m not seeing enough military-inspired jackets with revere, V-neck collars (like the one I wore at the Seattle get-together last year). This is a missed retail opportunity. Tailored, V-neck, single-breasted jacket silhouettes with military design features can work on most body types. But high- neck, double-breasted versions are harder to wear. I hope we see more mainstream styling come through. That way, anyone who likes military styling has a bash at wearing the look.

The budget babe recently wrote a great post on military jackets where she says:

“scoop up an affordable military jacket to spice up a simple t-shirt and jeans combo, or to toughen up a cute dress. I feel like these never go out of style as long as you stick to a clean design that isn’t too costumey”.

I wholeheartedly agree. Keep your military jacket or coat monotone and sophisticated. Avoid overly ornate embellishment for a timeless, chic edge. Very fab.

An assortment of both knitted and woven military jackets and coats. They look particularly gorgeous with jeans, which tone down the severity of the style. Remember that you can also leave them open. The vertical line that is created by leaving a jacket un-buttoned is very flattering.

I usually post my seasonal “must haves” after we’ve discussed most of the upcoming trends, but I’m cutting straight to the chase this time round. I thought it would be fun to compare how you feel about the “must haves” list now and later in the season. Things that are “no way” today might tickle your fancy later.

The list cuts across all body types, age groups and budgets. It’s a question of finding the right style at the right price, AND wearing it in an age appropriate and flattering way that works for you. So unless you’re vehemently opposed to the aesthetic, try to keep an open mind and give new trends a bash.

• Boots, boots and more boots: It’s always a season for boots when the weather cools down and the possibilities are endless. Slouch boots get my top vote if you’re after something exciting, casual and hip to renew your existing wardrobe. Knee-high riding boots are always classically fabulous and so are booties.
• Skinny or straight leg jeans: If skinnies aren’t your thing, straight legs are just as fab. Either way you’re after a more tapered leg to tuck into boots, or wear with both voluminous and sleek tops or tunics.
• Check/plaid top: Casual or dressy versions in both tunic or shorter lengths are cute.
• Leather or pleather jacket: Biker, vintage, classic or avant-garde, your perfect style is available in all sorts of lengths, colours and fabrications. Go wild.
• Boyfriend jacket: Wearing a tasteful deconstructed silhouette is edgy. The silhouette bends body type guidelines and I love the solvable challenge it presents in our wardrobes.
• Cascading cardigans: Also called “fly away cardigans”, they look new and hip compared to their cropped, fitted counterparts. You’ve got to give this forgiving, playful and comfy alternative a go.
• Waistcoat: A versatile layering piece in either a knit or woven. It’s the perfect way to add structure to an outfit when it’s not quite cold enough to wear a jacket.
• Trench coat and wool coat: Chilly weather means an assortment of trenches and wool coats. One tires of wearing the same coat all Winter long, so try adding another colour or entirely different style to the mix.
• Winter dress: You need frocks to showcase your boots! If the elusive sweater dress is hard to find, opt for frocks in wool crepes and Ponte de Roma fabrications instead.
• Leggings: Still a sleek, comfy and great accessory and there are plenty of new takes on the style.
• Textured hose: Think self-coloured pantyhose in patterned diamonds, polka dots, lace motifs, fishnets, stripes and floral designs. It’s a great way to add personality to a simple frock and boots ensemble.
• Scarves: chic, warm, arty and easy. What’s not to love about a growing assortment of scarves.

For the more daring fashionistas, there are tapered pencil skirts, billowing painters shirts, Ponte de Roma skinny pants, slouchy pleated pants, something ruffled, military jackets, items with motocross detailing, shoulder pads, shaggy waistcoats, leg warmers, leather skirts, over-the-knee boots, small handbags, denim shirts, Winter short -shorts and sky scraping platforms.

I’ll post on how to wear the new looks as the season unfolds. Once you get your head around how to make the new fashions wearable, it’ll be as easy as pie.

There is going to be a lot of black in the Autumn and Winter collections this year. More than normal. I adore the right black wardrobe items and my personal style wouldn’t function without them. Black is a good basic and certain items just look best in this colour. But I’m a little worried about the sea of black that’s forecast for stores this season.

Black is not flop proof. It can look dull, severe and lifeless against the skin, especially as you get older. Yet for many women it’s become an easy fallback option because of the perception that black is versatile, chic and slimming. Black is all of those things, but it has to be worn in the right way. It can look great when worn head to toe, if there is ample textural interest. Texture adds movement and depth to the hue, bringing it back to life. Black is also beautiful paired with white, cream, grey or rich reds, blues and browns. As for the rest, it’s a little trickier to get right.

I hope there’s enough colour variety this season. Although it’s stylish to wear black in the right doses, it’s refreshing and uplifting to wear a colour other than black, especially on a chilly day. Do you wear too much black?

Some typical pairings of black items this season. Wearing black with black is often encouraged, once again confirming my earlier suspicions about a 90’s revival in fashion.