I instantly fell in love with this twinset when I saw it online. Yet I do not wear cardigans, nor do I wear oxblood, lilac and mint. Somehow its cropped length, cashmere comfort, ladylike integrity, twin character, retro vibe, and clashing colour palette appealed to me in a big way. Although hectic to some, this set screamed “happy” to me, and wearing happy clothes makes me happy. It was once again raining during our photo shoot, so good thing I have lots of happy clothes. 

Granted, it’s the bright persimmon parts of the twinset that sealed the deal, and the only reason why I’m wearing oxblood, lilac and mint at all. And I would not have bought the twinset if the persimmon stripe of the under sweater was positioned away from my face. As long as I wear colours that don’t typically work for me with shades that do, I can create a flattering visual effect. 

The cropped length of the twinset makes it an ideal proportional match for flared skirts, which is why I paired it with a dressy, box-pleated charcoal midi. My flared black skirt was another option, but the grey is softer with the clashing colours of the tops, so I went with that. The cardigan can be partially closed under the bust point to create a structured look. But I prefer to wear it unbuttoned because I like the boxiness factor and the patterned effect of the mismatched twin stripes. Scrunching the sleeves adds a relaxed touch. I have frequently worn this twinset with boyfriend jeans and trousers this season. It also works with my tomato red pencil skirt, but because I am into wearing flared skirts at the moment, I haven’t worn that combination yet.

The midi skirt is patterned with a tiny geometric square that makes it feel like a false plain. Pattern mixing the twinset with the skirt is not everyone’s cup of tea, but to me the combination feels fresh, fun and on trend. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I don’t wear jewelry, which makes mixed patterns my bling. 

I’ve had the grey square-toed studded one inch heeled ballet flats for years and like them matched with the skirt. Heeled booties or shooties would have looked more hip, but I was in the mood for “pretty” so went with those. To add to the pretty, I kept my legs cozy with sheer black hose. Opaques would have looked overly harsh with the outfit. I finished off my indoor look with retro black specs, silver watch, wedding ring, and a small black clutch. Subtle and not eye-catching because the twinset makes enough of a statement on its own. 

For outside, I topped off the outfit with a short, wool charcoal coat that I used to love a lot more than I do right now. I bought it before I had my style epiphany a few years ago at a time when I occasionally liked wearing items with complicated style detailing. Now I look at this coat and see a complex vibe that does not gel with current style preferences. There is too much detail, too much ruffle, and not enough simplicity. But I am not ready to let the coat go just yet. It’s beautifully made, toasty warm, fits well, reminds me of my late Mum, and I still enjoy wearing it with this skirt or a pair of jeans. Enough reasons to hold on to it for a little longer. 

I wore this outfit last week on Thanksgiving Day because it is dressy yet casual, neutral yet colourful, structured yet roomy, modern yet classic, and minimal yet maximal. The opposing juxtapositions felt just right for a festive day of eating and reflection with dear friends.

Patent leather made a huge fashion comeback about nine years ago. Some thought that the trend wouldn’t stick around, but my word it has, becoming extremely popular and totally mainstream. It’s available year round, in huge quantities, in all sorts of items, and in many colours. Footwear, bags and belts can also be trimmed with patent for a less shiny effect.

You are on Team Patent Leather if you like patent and you are on Team Non-Patent Leather if you don’t. It’s as simple as that. Note that you do not need to like patent more than other types of leather to bat for the team. You just have to consider it a viable alternative to other leather treatments.

I love patent leather, both smooth and cracked. I have plenty of footwear, bags and belts made of patent  and frequently incorporate these items into my style. I also have a black moto jacket with cracked patent trim. I often prefer the patent version of a particular item because it looks dressier and more polished. And since I bat for Team Dressy and Team Polished, this makes sense! I’m a high shine gal with the magpie gene. Team Patent Leather. 

Over to you. Are you Team Patent or Team Non-Patent Leather? Tell us why and no batting for both sides.

Ink blue or dark navy footwear is still hard to find, but it’s less scarce than it used to be now that inky blues are a fashionable colour. I’m all for retail supplying a wide colour assortment in all wardrobe items, so bring on the ink blue footwear. That way there is something for everyone. 

It’s interesting how bright blue footwear, which I’ve found harder to style in outfits, is more available than ink blue footwear. I guess retailers and customers believe that purchasing black footwear is a more versatile option. And because you can wear black footwear with ink blue bottoms, why offer both colours? Bright blue footwear on the other hand gives you an entirely new incentive to purchase the colour because it’s very different to black. 

These days I love all wardrobe items in ink blue and would welcome a pair of shoes in the shade into my wardrobe. And if they were patent, or trimmed with patent, so much the better. They would not be a substitute for black footwear, but also another neutral that I would wear with black, denim, charcoal, red, white and ink blue bottoms. 

Would you wear ink blue footwear? Or is black your style preference when it comes to dark shoes.

When an outfit feels flat or is “missing something”, think of incorporating accessories and footwear that add colour, texture, pattern or shine. Accessories with these qualities give an outfit depth, which makes it look more interesting, eye-catching and attractive. 

There are countless ways to incorporate accessories and footwear with colour, texture, pattern and shine, into an outfit. But you don’t need to incorporate all of them at once! Choose one or two trends from a category and leave it at that. Or choose a couple of items across a few of the categories. Or choose an item from each category if you’re an outfit maximalist. It’s also possible to cover multiple trends with just one item. For example, a pair of studded animal print shoes covers pattern, texture and shine. 

I’ve chosen items that stretch the possibilities of each of the categories just a little further. Perhaps they will spark off a few more interesting outfit ideas for your own style. And as we head into the festive season you might find some holiday gift inspiration for friends and family. Accessories, in particular, are a great gift idea because they are versatile, often inexpensive and they don’t have complicated fit issues.

Colour

Try a cashmere infinity style and kiss your scarf tying and sensitive skin challenges goodbye. Use a watch face to add colour to an ensemble. Remember that you’re allowed a few pairs of less than perfectly practical shoes. If you’ve fallen in love with a pair of colourful four inch heels, enjoy them on sitting occasions.

Texture

Autumn and Winter clothing is especially texture-rich so now is the time to wear those outfits. A patent rain hat with an embossed surface is a great way to stay dry in light rain. Wear a lace collar like a necklace over a collarless top. Add a pair of studded fingerless gloves to a casual outfit to create a rocker edge.

Pattern

Patterned belts and bags have been my favourite way to lift my own outfits this year. Wear them with solids or pattern mix to your heart’s content. Umbrellas are also more than just a practical item that keeps you dry. Add a fun umbrella to your style and think about how it works with your outfits. I certainly do.

Shine

Shiny clothing is not the only way to add sparkle to your outfits. Think arm candy like big metallic cuffs and cocktail rings. Or shiny sci-fi shoes. Metallic and patent belts and footwear, or a rhinestone clutch are other effective ways to add shine to your look.

I would not be able to choose between these four “outfit depth creators” if I had to pick a favourite. I enjoy wearing solid colours as much as patterns – especially patterned footwear and belts. Texture-rich outfits are the way I prefer to wear neutral from head to toe. And shine speaks for itself when you have the magpie gene. 

Over to you. Of the four categories here, which is your favourite way to lift an outfit?