Trends are not a one-season thing any more. They can last five years, and often even longer. A fringe trend is one that hasn’t quite gone mainstream. This season there is lots of trendy variety in silhouettes and washes for those who are bored with their denim looks. Extended sizes are available, but not as widespread as I’d like to see. 

I’ve narrowed down the trends to the five silhouettes that I believe are the easiest to fit, style and wear. The common design detail is a high or very high rise. The point is to showcase the length of the rise with a tucked or semi-tucked top, or shorter untucked top. Choose a shorter high rise if you’re short in the waist and rise. If you are long in the rise and torso, the rises won’t feel that high. Some of the styles have a button fly, and there’s lots of nodding back to the ‘80s and ‘90s.

1. High-Rise Straight Jeans

At the moment, a fringe trend and an acquired taste — give yourself time to get used to the look if it’s not instant affection. The silhouette is NOT tight or skinny in the slightest. The thigh and lower leg fit are fluid, and some styles are more fluid than others. Some styles have carpenter detailing. Hems are cropped or regular length to accommodate booties, oxfords, loafers, sneakers or shooties. You’ll probably need to roll the hems for high-shaft booties, or have them hemmed shorter. The Levi’s Wedgie is a good style to try, but note that the fits across the washes are different.

2. High-Rise Skinny Jeans

Think skinny jeans that are TIGHT to the ankle with a very high rise, and that’s the look. They’ve been on-trend for a while and are completely mainstream. The look is tailored or body-con, and there is no getting away from that. Lengths vary, but ankle length and cropped to a few inches above the ankle is common. They’re a good style to tuck into tall boots for rain, ice or snow. Personally, I prefer the silhouette with Summer shoes like loafers, ballet flats, oxfords and sandals because I like the skin exposure on the ankle with a very narrow hem, so I don’t wear these with booties. (I prefer booties with a roomier and straight hem). I’d wear the high-rise skinny with tall boots though, because that’s classic equestrian.

3. High-Rise Classic or Ankle Jeans

This is what the industry has called “Mom Jeans” and I cringe at the description. They’re a little roomier in the thighs than High-Rise Straight Jeans (#1), and more tapered on the lower leg. Full lengths are common, and a good item to find in a vintage consignment store. A fringe trend.

4. High-Rise Bootcut Jeans

These will take you back to the ‘70s because of the high rise. The versions in the late ’90s and  ‘00s were much lower in the rise, and to my eye look dated now unless you cover the rise and waist with an untucked top. Bootcuts are fitted on the hips and thighs, and flare out on the lower leg. They are a lot more tailored than wide legs. Some bootcut hems flare out more than others. They are FULL LENGTH, and completely mainstream. The trendy way to wear them is with sneakers and substantial flats. Of course, they look classically perfect and elegant with a pointy-toe heeled bootie or pump at the right length (almost skimming the surface of the ground).

5. High-Rise Wide Crops

These have been on-trend for a while, are a version of culottes, and completely mainstream. Fitted on the waist and hips, and wide through to the hem from the thighs down. If you style them similarly to the way you would a flared midi skirt, it’s an easy silhouette to wear. I prefer to wear these in the Summer months with warm-weather footwear, but they work well with booties, oxfords, tall boots and pumps too.

I’m into these silhouettes, and have all but the Mom Jeans and high-waisted bootcuts represented in my wardrobe. I’ve had the wide crops for years, but added the high-rise straights and high-rise skinnies this year. I’m leaving the high-rise bootcut jeans for Spring, although I recently bought high-rise chino bootcuts that I wear with chunky white sneakers and adore the vibe.

What do you think of the new silhouettes, and will you be refreshing your jeans capsule with any of them?

Shapewear is never essential. Instead, you can find silhouettes that look great with your favourite ultra comfy undies and look fabulous. That said, shapewear has come a long way from the discomfort of the past. Thanks to product and fabric technology, some of my clients are wearing tummy control shapewear daily because they find it comforting and flattering. 

Twelve years ago, I remember one of my clients sitting on the floor of the Nordstrom dressing room, desperately trying to pull on a pair of Spanx. We laughed so much, which made the task even harder. The client eventually got them on but decided that the visual effect wasn’t worth the effort, discomfort, and inconvenience. She was put off any kind of shapewear for an extremely long time, and rightly so.

In 2018 I have a much better range of shapewear products to recommend to clients because it’s ten times more comfortable, much easier to pull on and off, and equally effective.

TC Fine Intimates

TC’s Everyday Waistline Shaping Brief is very gentle on the body. So much so that you can wear it daily. TC’s Adjust Firm Control Perfect Brief is more constricting, but still quite gentle. Neither style rides up, digs into your skin, or presses heavily into the waist. Your tummy doesn’t feel compressed after a meal. The panties smooth out the tummy area, and the fabric is soft.

Thinstincts

Thinsticts Mid Thigh Shorts are equally gentle, and you can wear them daily. They smooth out the contour of tummy, hip and thighs. I find that they work best under dresses and skirts, as opposed to pants.

Jockey

Jockey’s Slip Shorts don’t smooth out your silhouette quite as effectively as the other three styles, but they are very comfortable under skirts and dresses, offering insulating coverage and preventing thigh rub and chafing.

Some clients like to wear these styles of shapewear under the new on-trend high-rise jeans and pants with tucked tops. They also work well under skirts and dresses. Don’t buy your shapewear too small or it will ironically create more lumps and bumps instead of smoothing out the silhouette.

I don’t spend a lot of time in the car, but enough to have a preference for the type of outerwear that is most comfortable when driving: SHORT outerwear like peacoats, woolly bombers, blazers, denim jackets moto jackets, a cape coat, and short puffers. 

I prefer the look, warmth, drama, elegance, and outfit versatility of longer coats. But they are less comfortable to wear when driving. They are bulky and get in the way. They also often crease at the back when you sit in them, which drives me bananas. So I take them off when I drive (or am a passenger), and lay them down on the seat. I put the seat warmers and heat on full blast to stay warm without my coat.

My long, insulating coats are excellent for urban walking and shopping with clients. When I’m taking public transport, sometimes I take my coat off when I sit, and sometimes I don’t. But I often don’t get a seat in the bus, tram or train which means I keep on my long coat.

My clients run the gamut. Those who spend a significant part of the day in the car tend to stick to shorter jackets and coats, and sporty gear styles that don’t crease, across a range of lengths. Others have similar preferences to me, or don’t wear a coat at all because they’re moving directly from one heated environment to another during the day.

Over to you. Do you have an outerwear preference for when you drive, and do you wear your coats and jackets in the car?

Forum member Bijou recently asked an interesting question: which aspects of our style do you regularly refresh so that you feel up to date, on-trend, and fabulous? Bijou boiled it down to the items that are the backbone of her style and work the hardest. For Bijou, it was dresses because she wears them frequently, and they’re signature to her style. 

The responses to Bijou’s post were fascinating. Some said tops, bottoms and footwear, and others said hairstyle, eyewear, colour, and outerwear. This makes perfect sense because there is no one, correct way to update or refresh your style. Fads are a thing of the past, trends last longer than they used to, and so-called style rules are obsolete. You can be as trendy, Modern Retro, classic or avant-garde as you like, and look absolutely fabulous.

When it comes to refreshing my own style, I prioritize these aspects, and strictly in this order.

1. Hair & Eyewear

Refreshing my hairstyle and eyewear is top priority because it’s integral to my signature style. I don’t go for drastic changes because I want to keep my hair short and blonde, and my eyewear Modern Retro. But I do change things up in a subtle way over the course of a couple of years to feel adequately refreshed. I’ve been growing out my fringe since January and wearing my pixie naturally wavy half the time. I added a new pair of vintage white prescription sunnies in February, and am looking at a new pair of red specs.

2. Jeans

Jeans are a wardrobe essential. I can wear them year round, to work and play, and white jeans are a favourite. Although I’m wearing jeans less frequently than I used to — favouring dresses, skirts and pants — I wear jeans A LOT. I want them to be the trendy aspect of my style because I’m not as trendy with shoes, pants and tops.

I don’t refresh my capsule every season, but I unexpectedly felt that my jeans capsule was too classic for Autumn & Winter, so I’m in the midst of editing and adding on-trend silhouettes. I’ve committed to the first two dark wash styles in the collection, and have the rest on order. I hope to add four new silhouettes.

3.Outerwear

I wear a lot of outerwear because of my climate. Since it’s my second favourite wardrobe item to purchase, I like to refresh with a few trendier items more frequently than most. I enjoy the drama of a trendy topper, and how it takes centre stage in an outfit. It also makes what you wear underneath feel “new”. This season I added an animal print coat in a gentle cocoon silhouette, and cape coat with faux fur. I’d like to add another short fashion puffer, but haven’t yet found a suitable style.

4. Handbags

I’m not into adding the new “it” bag of the season because I’m very set in my ways with bag silhouettes that work for my lifestyle. But since handbags are my favourite wardrobe item, I’m regularly refreshing my capsule and swapping out bags to create different moods in my outfits. This year I added a straw bag, and four Furlas (two of which were birthday presents). The Furlas are wardrobe workhorses.

5. Footwear

Footwear completes an outfit, adding a whole lot of interest and personality. Wearing on-trend footwear refreshes the look of golden oldies too. I do what I can to add a smattering of trendy shoes to my style each season, which is challenging given my fussy feet, urban walking lifestyle, and zero tolerance for uncomfortable shoes. This year I added mules, Western shooties, chunky white athletic sneakers, and more pairs of white boots.

6. Dresses & Skirts

From now on, I only wear knee-covering midis and dresses with sleeves, but I refresh with on-trend styles within my narrow range of style preferences. Midis are on trend at the moment, so I milked it and added a LOT of trendier dresses to my wardrobe this year. Some of the styles are Trendy Classics, which is even better.

Blouses, knit tops, knitwear, blazers, socks, scarves, belts, swimwear, make-up, nail polish, watches, workout wear, loungewear and jewellery stay relatively modern classic for my style. I’m less likely to amp up the trend factor in these items, if at all. Pants run the gamut. Sometimes I amp up their trend factor and sometimes I don’t. I focussed on dresses, skirts and white jeans for Spring and Summer, so trendy pants were not a priority. For Autumn and Winter, I’m focussing on jeans and dresses, and figuring out what I want to do for pants. I’d love to replace the orange and red pairs I recently passed on, but haven’t found anything suitable yet.

These six areas are a lot to tackle, and some years I’m more inspired, motivated and energized than others. Some seasons are more my look, which makes things easier. But lack of time, a limited budget, the wrong headspace, other priories, or just not being in the mood can get in the way. That’s OK too, because there are more important things than refreshing one’s style.

Over to you. Which components of your style do you refresh most regularly to feel on trend, up to date and fabulous?