Here’s an assortment of items across a range of price points that have been winners on my clients recently. It’s fun to see fresh and “new” silhouettes come through, and in colours other than black and grey. It’s great to see a more consistent level of good quality across brands like Universal Standard, Boden, Club Monaco, Halogen and COS. I’m loving the availability of extended sizes too. 

1. Universal Standard Short Puffer Jacket

This is the first time I’ve seen a plus-size brand size down to supply regular sizes in the same items. Usually it’s a regular size brand sizing up to provide plus sizes, and I like how the tables have turned. This puffer is available from a US2-4 to a US26-28, and the complete size assortment was displayed in the casual Point of View area at Nordstrom. A step in the right direction. It’s one of the best short puffers of the season, and well made too. Avant-garde, fashionable and architectural. Looks like a COS piece. The cut is sublime and works on a range of body types. The high-low hem is flattering. The colour is in between a cinnamon and burgundy, and quite accurate in the stock photo. It’s very versatile, looking as good with a dressy outfit as it does a casual one.

2. 1901 Cape

Bring out your inner Sherlock Holmes with this darling cape jacket. It’s SUPER cute, especially in the check. The waist tie is removable so that you can button the jacket like a proper cape if that’s more your vibe. Runs a size big so size down. NICE quality and crease-resistant. The checked cape has matching wide cropped pants. That’s a lot of check to wear in one outfit, but fabulous if that’s the statement you want to make.

3. Catherine Malandrino Faux Fur Collar Snap Down Jacket

One of the best $47 purchases of the year, and unfortunately the stock photo does not do the item justice. It’s a sweater jacket with a small faux fur collar that works on all neck lengths and bust sizes. Its gentle cocoon silhouette gives it an on trend vibe, as well as a Modern Retro one. It’s soft, comfortable and works over single and multiple layers. Dress it up or down. Wear it over dresses, skirts, jeans or pants. Leave it on indoors, or wear it as outerwear. VERSATILE. The ink blue with black collar gets my top vote. The black with the leopard collar next.

4. Boden Velvet Pants

The best velvet pants of the season at a relatively affordable price. Beautifully made and a fabulous fit. They have worked on everyone who has tried them on, although some need a slight waist alteration at the back. A magical fit that works on curvier and straighter body types because of sturdy fabric, a longer length rise, a bit of stretch, and enough room on the legs so that pocket linings don’t grin through. Available in petites, regular and talls in an assortment of colours, and up to a size US18. Very deserving rave reviews. The mustard is on its way to me.

5. Boden Velvet Blazer

The best modern classic velvet blazer of the season. It has worked on a range of body types, and is absolutely GORGEOUS quality. The stretch makes it extra comfy and allows it to mould to the body. Wear it with the matching velvet pants, or with jeans or trousers. Available in petites and regular, but not in tall. It might feel a little short on tall gals, but not too bad. Read the rave reviews. The mustard is on its way to me.

6. Zara Coat

BEST brown on-trend cocoon coat of the season. The silhouette is very flattering in an architectural way, and has worked on a range of body types. There is ample structure in the tapered hem and architectural drape of the style. My client tried it on and took my breath away. The shade of brown is cool-toned too. Wear it over single or multiple layers.

7. Club Monaco Dress Kyosti Sweater Dress

One of the best holiday dresses of the season. Warm, covered, avant-garde, architectural and very comfortable. Fabulous quality. Both colours are beautiful. Best suited to a straighter hip and less curvy bottom half, although a gentle hourglass can feel fab in it too. No shapewear required. Works really well on a broader shoulder line and shorter neck. Length is longer in person unless you are very tall.

8. Club Monaco Knitwear

Do yourself a favour and browse Club Monaco’s knitwear this season. Try it on, and look at all the colour options. It’s a little dressier and more unique than most of what is out there at the price point, and much nicer quality too. The colours skew cool-toned and neutral, which isn’t good for me, but might be ideal for you. The styles in this collection are the winners on clients so far.

9. Halogen Atlantic Pacific Faux Fur Coat

The quality of the coat is brilliant for the price point, and better than the usual Halogen level of quality. It’s a delicious shade of spicy cinnamon and makes a gorgeous on-trend statement. Modern retro, versatile and fun. Great length. It spans a range of sizes, which is one of the best things about it.

10. COS Pleated Dress

This is a repeat style for good reason because its works extremely well on a larger bust, and both curvier and straighter body types. Not good on extreme pretty pear shapes, but wonderful on adorable apple body types and broad shoulders. Substantial fabric and great drape. Can be dressed up or down. Wear it as dress with hose and boots, or over leggings. Our Inge has last year’s version in navy and looks sensational in it. She wears it over leggings and with booties and pops a coat and scarf over the top. Urban Casual Chic.

Boots in white shades are on-trend. There have been lots of questions on the blog and forum about how to incorporate them into outfits, so here is the first of two outfit formula posts on the topic. 

A few things upfront:

1. Platinum blondes, light silver, and white-haired people naturally bookend white boots in outfits. If the white boots match nothing else in the outfit, they will effortlessly create a complement with their coloured light hair.
2. It is not essential to bookend the look. You can have ANY complexion and hair colour and rock white boots.
3. When you wear tops and toppers in shades of white, white boots look more integrated into the outfit.
4. Create a two or three-item complement with white boots using a belt, a scarf that picks up some white in the pattern, a handbag, or a an item of jewellery. My white pearls do a good job of picking up the white in my footwear.
5. Don’t worry too much about mismatching white boots in an outfit. Their jarring and bright effect as a stand-alone addition is in itself a trendy look, although an acquired taste.

Some visuals to get those white boot outfits rolling:

1. Column of Colour

The white boots here are a mismatched addition, which I think works well. Less expected than black, animal print, or cognac boots to match the top layers. There is no bookending with light blonde hair, but there is an extremely narrow white stripe in the pinstripe of the blazer that picks up the white of the boots. It’s very subtle, and might as well not be there. The column of navy, and the long layer of toffee add vertical integrity to the outfit which offsets the high-contrast horizontal line created by the white boots.

2. Low-Contrast bottoms & Topper

Wearing white boots with light bottoms like these light wash jeans creates a low contrast that lengthens the leg line. Adding a low-contrast coat further elongates the outfit and harmonizes with the light blue and white. Here the white boots are less visually jarring than in outfit 1 above. They blend like the froth of cappuccino.

3. Graphic Matching

Wearing wardrobe items with white in them makes white boots look integrated into the outfit. Here, the white of the sweatshirt and colour blocking of the topper match the white of the boots. The black-white-denim palette is a graphic classic where the white adds crispness to the outfit.

4. Suited & Unexpected

Another mismatched combination that looks as if the wearer forgot to swap out her shoes. Personally I like the unexpected and jarring effect of the white boots. They look interesting, fun, crisp, and make a bold statement. There is very subtle bookending with the black hair of the wearer and the soles of the boots, which in turn matches the black bag. These small visual details help pull together the look.

5. Black, White & Grey

Wearing a black-white-grey outfit with white boots is a classic colour combination. First, the column of black creates vertical integrity which offsets the horizontal line created by the high-contrast boots. The white in the plaid and stripe of the coat pick up the white of the boots to create a harmonized whole. When the coat comes off, the repetition of the white is thrown out the window. That’s fine because mismatched boots look just a fab.

I’ve been wearing white footwear forever. It’s my thing, signature to my style, and bookends my blonde hair and white pearls. White footwear is my wardrobe essential, so much so that I don’t think about how I’m going to integrate it into outfits because white footwear always works to my eye. It’s a completely subjective thing. It might not be your preference, and it’s all good. Horses for courses, always.

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Fab Links from Our Members

Scarlet was trying to figure out what the brand Jen7 is, and came across this article explaining it. “Interesting concept. The jeans are supposed to be for the original customer of the ’90s, who is now in her 40s, and whose body may have been changed due to child bearing.”

Rachylou liked that Emma Thompson wore sneakers to her damehood ceremony.

Vildy recently found this series of videos on how to style various basic items ten to twenty ways. “What I like about them is how she classifies each look — street style, preppy style, etc. It’s enjoyable to see how she tweaks each outfit to represent modern iconic looks, while at the same time keeping a very small wardrobe. A different kind of versatility than just dressy, casual, etc.” Vildy thought this fit right in with the shop-your-closet-challenges on the forum.

There is a lot of variety in the reds available at retail right now. From a bright orange tomato red and blue-toned Christmas red, to pink watermelon reds, deep cherry reds, and all shades of burgundy. It used to be stylishly best to perfectly match the reds in an outfit, making sure that they were all the same. A modern and more relaxed approach is to incorporate different reds in one outfit. 

Here are some combinations that work particularly well.

1. Tomato Red & Christmas Red

The clash of the warm tomato red bottoms and cool Christmas red pullover and even richer and deeper cool red bag creates harmony. It’s a tonal family that enjoys spending time together, and a column of colour that creates vertical integrity. White footwear freshens the look, although it isn’t essential.

2. Tomato Red & Burgundy

I think tomato red and Christmas red complement most colours — almost like a neutral does — but I also understand that the combinations are an acquired taste. Here, the brightness of the warm red top adds punch to the cool-toned burgundy and navy plaid suit. The black footwear and shoes are an interesting addition. I’d have added white, red or burgundy footwear and bag. Another option is to add navy to pick up the blue in the plaid.

3. Christmas Red & Cherry Red

The top and bottom in varying shades of red have an ombré and two-piece dress effect, and harmonize like water colours. The footwear looks like an exact match to the top, but could have been another shade of red. Any colour bag would feel right at home with this outfit.

An orange-y tomato red has been one of my favourite colours forever, and is well represented in my wardrobe. I have a few other reds in my wardrobe like cool reds, watermelon and burgundy. This collection shows all my red wardrobe items.

I used to be a purist, only wearing one shade of tomato red, and making sure that my reds matched perfectly in an outfit. Especially when matching handbags and shoes. But over the last few years, I’ve broadened my red horizons and will also happily wear mismatched reds. I like the punch and unexpected combinations that look more interesting. I’ll combine watermelon red with tomato red, burgundy and Christmas red in one outfit and enjoy it.

I prefer not to wear a cool-toned Christmas red as a top, jacket, scarf or dress, but it’s fine in bottoms, bags, belts and footwear. Warm reds like tomato and watermelon look better against my complexion. I will wear a burgundy top or dress, and better still, combine it with a warm tomato red.

I’m a solid Yay for mismatching reds both in my wardrobe and in my outfit. How about you?