This Autumn season is for purple lovers. The writing was on the wall towards the end of the Spring 2007 season when glimpses of vivid violet started appearing in very small doses amongst the multitudes of black, white, red, yellow and cobalt items in stores. I distinctly remember seeing a magnificent, bright purple suede Prada ballet flat at Nordstrom in May. It stood out like a sore thumb and this was a sign. When top designers introduce “a new colour” into their collections at the end of a season, fashion buyers often test a few items of that new colour in stores almost immediately. This is precisely what happened to “it” colours like yellow and cobalt a few seasons ago. The early experiments make it possible to spot future colour trends. This was the basis of my hunch about purple being big for Autumn and sure enough, it’s by far the most popular jewel tone. There’s purple clothing everywhere at the moment.

This particular shade of blue-purple is the colour that reminds me most of my Flashdance 80’s fashion days. I personally like it best with magenta, warm mustard yellow, grey and black (but not all at once). Love it or loath it, purple is the “it” colour this season and its richness has certainly spiced up Autumn’s traditionally dark palette. If head-to-toe in this royal hue is a little too much for you, sport a shoe or handbag in purple instead.

Stylists and image consultants often swear by the fact that you’ll lengthen your legs by wearing the same colour shoes and legwear. While I agree with this style tip, as a strict rule it can get boring, especially if your daily dress is business casual. Contrasting the colour of your footwear with your pants or jeans is striking and makes an outfit pop.

I believe that lengthening your legs has more to do with the fit and length of your pants, and the style of your shoes. If your pants are bootcut, flared or wide (not skinny), and they skim the surface of the ground when you wear heels, you’ll achieve that long lean vertical line despite the colour of your shoes. And pointy toed peds will elongate this line even further .

By all means sport an alternative colour shoe to your legwear if you fancy that idea. You don’t need to have long slim gams to pull off the look if you adhere to other important leg-lengthening rules. Adding contrasting and eye-catching shoes to a classic ensemble is a perfect way to keep your look hip when current trends aren’t your cup of tea.

It’s easier to do dress business casual when you can pull your ensemble together with a sassy jacket. You’ll get away with wearing just about anything underneath if your jacket is fab and you won’t be taking it off. But what do you do when it’s too hot to wear a jacket, but you still need to look professional? It’s all about incorporating the right amount of tailoring and finishing the look off with punchy accessories.

Here are some guidelines for keeping it cool and chic:

• Blouses become your best friend because they’re airy and versatile. Leave them voluminous if you prefer that look and keep it streamlined with straight leg pants on the bottom. Add a waist belt for a bit of extra tailoring and pop a camisole underneath for added interest or if the fabric is sheer.
• Wrap-tie shirts are a modern-classic choice and forgiving around the mid-section. Ann Taylor has perfected these.
• Better-end styled knitted tops that are dressed up with eye-catching accessories and tailored bottoms will give you all the polish that you need.
• Wearing knee-length skirts and tailored walk shorts instead of slacks automatically keeps you air-conditioned.
• Consider sleeveless work-appropriate day dresses with cropped cover-ups if necessary.
• Carry a statement handbag even if you end up sitting at a desk most of the day. You’ll want to make the best impression when you do occasionally see clients.
• Finish it off with dressy open-toed sandals, sling backs or wedges and make sure that those feet are buffed.
• Finally, on fabrics: pure woven cottons, raw silks and linens will keep you cool but crease uncontrollably, so opt for fabric blends instead.

Enjoy the warm weather while it lasts!

These trendy blouse options are suited to a less conservative environment. They will have you looking professional, polished and appropriate, even as temperatures soar. Enjoy their versatility and wear them under jackets when it starts to cool down.

I have been preaching my perfect pants length mantra for as long as I can remember because it’s a fashion faux pas that I feel especially strongly about. While the default perfect pants length (when hems skim the surface of the ground) works beautifully for boot-cuts, flares and wide-legged pants and jeans; it won’t work for skinnies, tapered-legs and super straight-leg pants and jeans. Narrow pant-leg openings scrunch at the ankle and over your heels instead of skimming the surface of the ground no matter how long their in-seam. It’s therefore fab to wear these types of long pants ankle length. This is an acceptable and ultra fashion forward look. And thus far the only exception to my very rigid rule.

Skinnies and tapered pants are stylishly acceptable ankle length.

No, they don’t. While I can’t argue that white or cream pants are practical (one wear and in the wash they go), they’re stylish regardless of your size. The important factors are the fit and the ensemble. Here are guidelines for choosing a perfect pair of white or cream pants:

• Choose a shaped waistband that’s lower in front than at the back. A wider waistband (about one and half inches) gives our bodies that extra bit of structure around the tummy area.
• Keep the front plain (no pleats) and the pockets off. Side entry pockets or any type of patch pocket tends to show through the front of light pants. Flatter fronts keep your fit smooth and streamlined underneath your tops.
• Make sure that white pants made of softer fabrications like viscose, silk, rayon and linen-blends are lined.
• Consider denim and thick cotton twills in white/cream. These fabrics don’t need to be lined and the classic “5-pocket styling” works well.
• Stick to boot cut leg openings as the most versatile and flattering option.

Striking contrast is key to creating a stylish ensemble with white pants. Match them up with a dark top and shoes and your look will pop.

All women can look incredible in the right pair of white pants. Get your head around the fact that white is a modern update on black, and that it doesn’t make you look fat.

Excellent white and denim pant silhouettes from Ann Taylor and Nordstrom.

Camisoles are an extremely important part of your wardrobe. Cropped, rigid, highly lacy, shiny and often itchy cami’s sold in underwear departments are no longer the norm. The camisole has transformed into an unfussy, longer, softer, more stretchy and superbly comfortable item that’s part of everyday outerwear. After a proper bra fitting, finding a range of camisoles that work for you is the next step.

Camisoles are fabulous because…

• They smooth out your silhouette underneath your clothes, thereby giving you a slimmer and more polished appearance.
• They make an outfit more interesting when the top and bottom peak through from underneath (either through a contrasting colour or fabrication).
• They act as a flattering layering item by deflecting the eye to your upper body.
• They give you effective coverage when you bend over (both on top and bottom).
• They can make ultra trendy looks wearable.
• They keep you warm when it’s chilly.

There are countless options. From built in-bras, solids and prints, to v-necks, lace trims and breathable cotton-rich fabrications. Express, Nordstrom and Banana Republic have a particularly good assortment at the moment. Try the concept if it’s new to you. If you already sport the look, ensure that you have a good collection. My wardrobe wouldn’t function without them.

Basic, longer camisoles are available alongside most clothing ranges.

All body types can look fab in the right dress. It’s a question of knowing which style is best for you. With Spring’s dress explosion and mid-season sales upon us, it’s an excellent time to buy frocks. Pretty pear body types look wonderful in A-line or what I call “fit-and-flare” dresses (fitted at the top and flared at the bottom). The key is to define the waist and torso and add a bit of volume at the bottom.

Emphasize the upper body:

• Look for necklines with detail that draws attention to your shoulders, face, neck and décolletage. V-necks, halter necks, square necks, shirt necks, sweetheart necks and strapless styles can work wonders. 
• Look for bodices with details such as pleating, ruching, embellishments, embroideries and horizontal trim designs that draw the eye upwards.
• Empire cuts with straight seams (a high-waisted seam that sits directly below the bust line) are good because they accentuate your bosom, emphasize the smallest part of your body and give you the room that you need to smooth over your hip and thigh area. Empire cuts with gathered seams might make you look and feel pregnant.
• Printed wrap dresses with A-line skirt constructions tend to create a visual balance between your upper and lower body. Ones that are in heavy matte jerseys will have enough drape to smooth over your curves flawlessly while their belting detail helps define your waist.

Smoothing over the hips, thighs and bottom area:

• Look for styles that create volume on the bottom in order to deemphasize the hip area (everything A-line). The volume can either be soft and flowing, or structured and architectural. Shirtwaister dresses and strapless styles are good choices.
• Look for vertical seaming through panel and princess lines.
• Keep the length at the knee and add “a leg-lengthening and slimming heel” (even if it’s  just a kitten heel, because height slims down curves). Sometimes, shoes with ankle straps can cut short the longer line that you are trying to create, which makes sling-backs, peep-toe pumps and long boots better options.

Steer clear of sheath styles with pencil skirt bottoms and bias-cuts. They’ll cling to your body and spotlight the areas that you wish to camouflage.

Have fun experimenting. You might be pleasantly surprised because there is nothing quite as pretty and feminine as the perfect dress. Here are some ideal A-line dress silhouettes for pear shaped body types (Nordstrom and Dillards).

Halter and knot detail, ruched and embellished strapless bodice, vertical panel detailing.

 Straight empire cut, empire cut with vertical seaming, pleated wrap bodice.

I adore spots. Like stripes, polka dots are a “timeless and of the moment” choice. They are fun, graphic, modern, age-less and always a statement. Polka dots come in various sizes, forms and colours. Some spotted prints are loud and extreme, while others are soft and subtle. There aren’t any hard and fast rules when it comes to choosing the best spot for you. Large or small, contrasting or tone-on-tone, equidistant or unevenly spaced, and overlapping or uniform, your choice of polka dots this season is abundant. Think of spots on items like girly blouses, cardigans, dresses, skirts and jackets. And if you still can’t get your head around actually wearing dots, there’s always the option of a stylishly spotty accessory.

Spotted Spring statement pieces from Louben, Charles Gray (Nordstrom) and INC. (Macy’s).

It comes as no surprise that the cropped trapeze jacket is one of the “it” styles for Spring. We started seeing hints of this boxy silhouette come through last season. The public’s adoption of this fringe trend has caused it to filter down to mainstream retailers this year. This boxy 60’s-inspired style will be more flattering than you think if keep three things in mind when you re-create the look:

• Keep it snug on your shoulders. The shape that you lose on your waist (due to the A-line nature of the style) must be compensated by the shape that you gain around the shoulder area. You will loose the flattering element of this style if it does not fit your shoulders properly.
• Keep it short. Above or on the waistline is preferable especially if you are a pretty pear or petite body type.
• Keep the layer underneath long and lean. Showing your waistline is imperative if this boxy style is to work. A knitted longer length top is the perfect solution

I’ve never advocated boxy styles, because form-fitting clothing is usually more flattering. But I was pleasantly surprised at how well this style worked if I adhered to the points above. This held true when dressing several different body types. Have you tried the cropped trapeze jacket?

Cropped trapeze jackets from Sashimi and French connection, available at Nordstrom.

Does your briefcase add that extra bit of sass to your look? If it doesn’t, think again. Confident, chic, creative and sophisticated women shouldn’t be carrying boring black canvas laptop bags sold at office supply stores. If you mean business – make sure that your briefcase also reflects your own personal style.

Whether you are classic, funky, artistic, trendy, bohemian or retro – there’s a briefcase or laptop bag out there that’s perfectly stylish for you. An oversized, long and lean tote might also do the trick if you need to stow away books and papers instead of a laptop. You might even find a fabulous messenger bag to hold your professional daily stash if you work in a more casual setting. With today’s range of options, your stylish briefcase might double as your handbag during work hours.

The best assortments of briefcases are usually found online. Try sites like LeatherTree, LuggageOnline, BagsBuy and eBags. Brands like Coach and department stores like Nordstrom also have good online selections.

A few less conventional styles to whet your appetite!