Lulu Soler is a busy working mum of twins, who shares inspiration to look and feel beautiful on her blog Simply Lulu Style. She is a modern classic dresser with a polished style and a preference for simple, chic outfits. She adores statement jewellery and firmly believes that well-fitting, versatile staples are key to making your wardrobe work for you and not the other way around:

“My style has changed quite a bit. In the last 5 years, I’ve been a working professional, pregnant with twins (and I was NOT a cute pregnant lady), and a mom. In the beginning of motherhood, I was a yoga pants queen. As the kids have gotten older and I don’t have to tote them around as much I’m able to really dress more like ‘me’.  My style is everchanging. I’m a prep at heart with a twist of trend. I love fashion trends, but I try to stay grounded and buy simple pieces that I know will be classics.”

There’s just something about a tailored long jacket that adds instant chic and polish. This fantastic collarless blue number has a Chanel-esque retro vibe that works brilliantly with the fashionable feel of the rest of the outfit. The jacket worn open creates nonchalant structure, while the V-neck top elongates the neckline and adds textural interest. Distressed toothpick jeans are worn as slim-fitting boyfriends. Sporting trendy high-heeled lace-up sandals in a tan shade close to the natural skintone lengthens the legline. Chunky statement bracelets and necklace bring some beloved bling to the party.

A wonderful outfit that illustrates the power of Modern Classics. Lulu loves blue, and the colour loves her right back! A dark blue denim shirt is super versatile because it can be molded and worked into any style. Here, our blogger has tucked it into a kicky short full skirt, and turned up the collar for extra spunk. The wide white and blue stripes on the skirt are playful and crisp. The brown animal print belt adds depth to the outfit because it represents both pattern and texture. Pointy-toe pumps are 100% on trend, and mixing in the cobalt with the darker shades of blue is absolutely delightful. One single bracelet, rings, small earrings and gorgeous red Kate Spade bag are Lulu’s ladylike accessoires of choice. And don’t you just adore her cute freckles!

The neon pink silky shirt makes this look for me. It packs such a happy punch and livens up the beige tones in the outfit. Love the bootcut jeans too. They look elegant, plus a flare or bootcut can read a tad more dressy than skinnies or straight legs. And dressy is undoubtedly one of Lulu’s style descriptors. The one button blazer hits at exactly the right spot to create great outfit proportions. Patent pumps with pearly finish add subtle shine, the blue necklace is flattering against the pink and beige, and the bold arm candy is signature Lulu.

As a petite blogger, Lulu sometimes has fit challenges. Here are her tips to achieve good fit:

“There are definite challenges. But no one has a perfect body. I’m sort of lucky because even though I’m petite I have long legs. So often I have to buy regular pants and have them slightly hemmed because petite pants are too short! Find a good tailor and know your body are my tips. I really know what looks best on me and what doesn’t. Focus on the parts of your body you like and enhance them.”

 

Tucking skinnies into boots is such an easy mom-on-the-go formula. No worrying about perfect pant lengths, no need to commit to one heel height, and no soggy hems. A fluid fitting chunky knit jumper with fun contrasting elbow patches adds in the modern. The white button-down layered underneath is the crisp classic element. Knee-high mixed media boots with buckles bring textural interest and a touch of trendy toughness to the look. As does the spiky gold bracelet. Lulu is a jewellery girl at heart, and happily mixes gold and silver metals here. A bright red Kate Spade bag with clean lines and sweet XL bow detail is the perfect complement to the simple grey with blue and black colour palette.

Having a closet filled with go-to classics has definitely made the hectic morning routine easier for our busy mom:

“I’ll be honest, I’m not polished every day. But that’s part of being real. Most of the time I’m planning an outfit as I’m putting it on in the morning. There’s a lot of things I think about as I’m getting dressed — weather, mood, what’s not in my gigantic laundry pile. It’s really important to have good staples in your closet to make getting dressed easier. Great denim (I live in my jeans), classic crewneck sweaters, blazers, blouses. Beautiful classics that have great detail. Pieces that speak for themselves, that I can throw on with some great jewelry and go!”

A stripe with a difference. The intricate embroidery and neon pink turn this short-sleeved top into a statement piece. Pairing it with white pants makes the neon pop even more. So fun! The soft blue chambray shirt works beautiful with the rest of the colours. In addition, layering a button-down under a short-sleeved top is a clever way to get some extra mileage out of your Summer clothes. Keeping the jewellery fairly minimal and opting for a neutral-coloured tote and pumps lets this beautiful top be the well-deserved star of the show.

A fab casual coat elevates your outfits. Pick one in a beautiful, flattering-for-you colour and it will make you extra happy. I love this shade of blue with Lulu’s strawberry blonde hair and complexion. The oversized, knit collar provides plenty of textural interest without looking overhwelming on our 5’1″ blogger. Opting for a streamlined column of denim under the topper helps too; wearing the lighter blue shirt untucked over the darker skinnies creates an unbroken line. Fun leopard print pumps, a coral multi-layered necklace and several bracelets spice up the look. The neutral satchel picks up the brown in the footwear and finishes off the outfit.

What do you think about Lulu’s beautiful classic outfits with punchy accents? You can browse the rest of her looks over at her blog, and find out what inspires her on Pinterest.

Aquatalia makes extremely well-made weatherproof footwear. And I mean stomp around in snow and puddles all Winter long and your feet stay dry. Their knee-high boot styles also tend to fit a narrow calf, and above all, are very comfortable. You might need to size up half a size because they run small. 

• Aquatalia by Marvin K. Orso Boot: Ignore the calf circumference description of 15 inches on the site because the boot fits a 12 and 13 inch calf absolutely beautifully. It will also stretch to fit a 14 inch calf. Also available in non-suede options and more sizes available on Zappos.
• Aquatalia by Marvin K. Rhumba Boot: Super soft suede hugs a narrow calf with ample structure. But it’s not overly tight so no “muffin top”.  Dressy, versatile and comfy if you can do the high heel. Also available in grey and merlot.
• Aquatalia by Marvin K. Upstart Riding Boot: The perfectly sleek and gorgeous riding boot.  
• Aquatalia by Marvin K. Diane Casual Boot: A little sassy mixed media in a casual style that’s not rugged, moto or equestrian.  

These beautiful boots are expensive, and so far, I haven’t found them suited to wide feet. But they are a quality piece with a high longevity factor. Hopefully you’ll score a pair on sale if they’re your cup of tea. It’s better to have one pair of killer stunning perfect boots, than four pairs that in some way aren’t quite right.

Wearing a tuxedo suit, or “le smoking”, is stunning but probably a little dressy for casual holiday events. One way to get around this is to ease the formality, structure and severity of the tuxedo jacket by combining it with casual elements, like jeans and fluid tops. 

Tuxedo jackets are available in a variety of lengths, colours and fabrics. From Winter white, black and ink blue, to gold, silver, velveteen, sateen, jacquards and patterns. I’ve found that a slightly shorter tuxedo jacket is most versatile because it works just as well with jeans and trousers as it does over skirts and dresses. So unless you are tall, opt for a shorter rather than a longer tuxedo jacket.

Here are the components:

Tuxedo Jacket: I’ve chosen a black tuxedo jacket because it’s the most available colour, but there are many other options too. A satin trim is not essential, as long as the cut resembles a tuxedo jacket. Clean lines, narrow lapels, low stance, tailored fit, and welted pockets.

Relaxed Top: I vote fluid pullover, tee, or blouse in soft fabrications because those details do wonders to relax the stiffness of the jacket. Wearing something stiff and structured under something equally stiff and structured amps up the dressiness factor. Of course, by all means choose a structured top if that’s your cup of tea. These are guidelines and not rules. Keep the top untucked for an extra relaxed effect.

Relaxed bottoms: You’re after casual bottoms, so think jeans, mis-matched tuxedo pants, slouchy trousers, silky track pants, leather track pants, harem pants, leather jeggings, combat pants or a flouncy leather skirt. As soon as you add a pair of tailored bootcut trousers or pencil skirt, you amp up the dressy factor. That’s not wrong, just something to bear in mind since we’re trying to relax the tuxedo jacket.  

Party Footwear: Wear dressy party shoes to complement the dressy jacket and contrast with the casual bottoms. I vote refined, pretty and dressy pointy toed footwear because it’s particularly on trend this season. Leave off the chunky and distressed boots.  

Accessories: It’s a party so a clutch is a must. Structured or unstructured is fine, in either a casual or dressy vibe. I’ve chosen a very dressy and blingy clutch because it’s a fun juxtaposition against casual bottoms. Add jewellery, hosiery, eyewear, and watch as desired. 

Top the entire lot off with a big warm coat, and wear sensible shoes to and from the venue if the weather is bad. Take off the coat and swap out the shoes once you’re back indoors. Most importantly, have a ball!

Casual beanies in all sorts of colours, textures, shapes and patterns are the fashionable hat choice at the moment. It’s fab how the beanie has become quite the trendy item and fashion statement across all age groups for both gals and guys. It’s a practical and fun form of headgear. 

In the same breath I want to remind you that the wool beret is another fun hat option. It’s not the trendy choice, but certainly still a stylish one because it’s a modern classic. And the classics are powerful pieces when incorporated into a modern style. 

When my clients try on newsboys, cloches and beanies in the hat department, I usually sneak in a beret too. And they often purchase the beret along with another hat. The beauty of the beret is that you can shape it into a few different silhouettes, which either expose or cover the ears. It can be dressed up or down, and on the whole is a dressier option than the beanie. So it’s a versatile hat and one that has a high longevity factor. 

I don’t wear hats unless I really have to because short hair, specs, and a small head are not conducive to a successful hat look. To my eye, a larger head, hair that peeks through from under the hat, and no specs work better. That said I do sometimes wear hats to keep warm and prevent earache in the cold. I have a chunky cream wool beanie and a cream beret, both of which I had to purchase in the kids department because like I said, I have a small head.

Over to you. Do you wear berets, or are you devoted to beanies and newsboys?