I encourage women to have a wardrobe that is practical, and that suits their climate, lifestyle and environment. I warn against the dangers of shopping for an imaginary lifestyle because that’s when you fill your closet with orphans, feeling like you have nothing to wear despite a cupboard full of clothes, footwear and accessories. 

But there’s an exception to the rule of only purchasing for the needs you know about. I believe it is a good idea to have at least one outfit hanging in your wardrobe as a fast fallback option for a formal or dressy occasion. That way it’s ready to wear whenever the occasion arises. No need to scramble at the last minute trying to put together a more formal outfit, perhaps ending up with something that isn’t ideal because you ran out of time and had to settle.

There is no need to go on a major shopping expedition and spend loads of money on a formal wear capsule. I’m talking more along the lines of scouring the formal wear sale rails when you’re already out shopping and in the zone. Try on those cocktail frocks, dressy separates and fancy shoes too. If you happen upon a killer look at a reasonable price, snap up the items straight away. Pop them into your closet and voila! You have a stress-free fast fallback outfit for a very dressy occasion.

So the trick is to find an outfit that covers a range of dressy occasions, be it a wedding, theatre night, a cocktail event, a fund raising event, a work soiree, a very fancy dinner or a Christmas party. Look for a fairly versatile, seasonless outfit that you can dress up or down with footwear and accessories. Stay away from anything overly trendy so that it has a longer shelf life. Perhaps it’s a little black, blue, purple grey or red dress in your best silhouette. Perhaps it’s a lace skirt and tuxedo jacket. Perhaps it’s a beaded topper with satin cigarette trousers. A dress with subtle sparkle. Sequined trousers with a silky blouse. Or a lace sheath with satin trench coat.

On recent shopping trips with clients, we’ve been fitting on and purchasing a lot more formal wear than we used to precisely for the abovementioned reason. As hard as it is to spend the money on something that you have no intention of wearing in the near future, you’ll be thankful to have prevented the outfit stress when that super dressy occasion pops up on your calendar. 

Nancylee would like to introduce you to Threadflip, where you can sell clothes and accessories as well buy items from others. Great for after closet cleanouts.

Inge loved the matchy-matchy outfits posted by Miss Moss. They made us both smile.

Christieanne says that the blogger behind Surely Sonsy is inspiring her to wear a pencil skirt. Gorgeous! 

Goldenpig liked Wardrobe Oxygen’s advice on what to to pack for a sightseeing and tropical vacation. Coincidentally, I wrote a post just after that about a beachwear ensemble that includes kaftans and cover-ups. Beach fun is in the air. 

Last but not least, this lady featured on the Sartorialist makes me want flat white oxfords more than ever. 

I liked blinding neon back in the early ’80s and wore it from time to time. But when neon resurfaced in 2009, I gave it a thumbs down. Now that it’s back with a vengeance for 2012, I love neon more than ever before. 

I boil my change of heart down to three things. First, we were so starved of bright colours for several retail seasons that I find myself eating them ALL up while the going is good. Second, this time round neon has been integrated into fashion in a more wearable way. As a trim, accessory, or accent with neutrals. Third, today’s neon is not all as blindingly bright as it was a couple of years ago. Some retailers are showing neon with a pastel twist. 

I don’t own ’80s style neon that’s so bright you need to wear shades. But I do wear extremely bright citron (citrus + neon) wardrobe items that will pass for “today’s neon”. Citron is one of my favourite colours and wearing it makes me feel extra happy and energized for the day. 

I particularly like the way neon has been used to colour block neutral shoes and clothing this season. Neon trims and accents look modern, summery and cheerful when paired with a subdued beige or blush. I also love the idea of a small neon clutch because it’s a lively little parcel of energy.

I am a yay vote. Today’s neon, especially citron, in just the right shade, doses and wardrobe items looks fresh, crisp and just a little mouth watering. I particularly love it mixed with neutrals, used as a trim, or worn as one statement piece like a blazer, bag, skirt or blouse. 

Do you like today’s neon? Will you wear it? Or do you wish it would go away.

It’s a season of colour and pattern. Time to pick a team! You are on Team Colour if you prefer wearing solid coloured (non-neutral) wardrobe items to patterned wardrobe items. You are on Team Pattern if you prefer wearing patterned wardrobe items rather than solid, non-neutral coloured items. Note: The patterns include neutrals but the solids are non-neutral. Furthermore, we are talking ALL wardrobe items: clothing, footwear and accessories. 

This is a hard one. I love wearing solid coloured wardrobe pieces, as well as patterned clothing, footwear and accessories. I like to mix up solids with patterns. I like to pattern mix. I  like to wear solid brights from head to toe, and I like to wear solid colours with solid neutrals. I can’t choose so I’m back on the bench like I was last week. 

Over to you. Are you on Team Colour or Team Pattern? Tell us why and no batting for both teams.