Prints are especially big for Spring 2012 so that’s why we are talking a lot about them at the moment. 

You are on Team Patterned Top if you prefer to wear patterns on the top half of your body, like patterned knit tops, shirts, blouses, sweaters, jackets, dresses and scarves. You are on Team Patterned Bottom if you prefer to wear patterns on the lower half of your body and away from your face, like patterned skirts, trousers, jeans, shorts, cropped pants, leggings, hosiery, handbags and footwear. 

I wear pattern in all forms on top, from argyle knitwear, pinstripe jackets, plaid blazers and a striped tee, to polka dot and animal print blouses, abstract floral print dresses and all sorts of patterned scarves.  I also wear pattern on the bottom. Micro checks, glen plaid and tartan trousers are close to my heart, as are pinstripes. I love wearing patterned skirts, black patterned hosiery, patterned bags and animal print shoes. 

I was going to bat for Team Patterned Bottom because I thought I preferred to wear patterns away from my face just a little bit more. But I just bought a tartan jacket that makes me feel fabulous, my argyle pullovers are favourites, and my floral dresses always make me smile. Clearly I like to wear pattern as much on top as on the bottom, so I guess I’m sitting this one out on the bench. 

Over to you. Are you on Team Patterned Top or Team Patterned Bottom? Tell us why and no batting for both sides.

Purchasing wardrobe items for an imaginary lifestyle and climate is a common practice. This happens when your style preferences and lifestyle do not match up. When you purchase items that are in line with your style persona, but that you rarely have the occasion to wear them because you don’t lead that life. 

It might be buying cocktail wear when you rarely attend formal events. Buying multiple pairs of dressy shoes when you spend most of the time crawling around the floor with a toddler. Having an abundance of casual wear when you’re in business separates five days a week. Accumulating a very large wardrobe when you wear scrubs or a uniform for work. Buying wool coats, cashmere and tall boots when you live in a hot climate. Adding a large capsule of breezy dresses and airy tops to your wardrobe when you live in Seattle. Does this sound familiar?  

It makes practical sense to build a wardrobe that suits your lifestyle and climate. After all, most of us have to stretch our budgets and make cost effective wardrobe choices. Items that are bought but not worn are essentially a waste of money. So it’s definitely a good idea for your wardrobe to reflect your dominant season(s), and that you purchase items that will get regular wear. 

But I’m also going to play devils advocate here. Although it’s not sensible to purchase items that are worn infrequently, it’s fun to do that from time to time. If our budgets can bear it, we’re allowed a few pairs of uncomfortable but killer “sitting shoes”. Purchasing a couple of incredible dresses at the prospect of wearing them once a year is not such a bad idea. And there is no shame in buying an amazing wool coat that will only be worn a handful of times if it makes you feel extra fabulous when you wear it. Adding in the odd great accessory that will barely come out to play is not the end of the world. 

We don’t need to make practical and sensible wardrobe decisions 100% of the time. Where is the fun in that? I say 90% is a great goal. There is room in our lives for a few frivolous purchases because just knowing that we own them makes us smile, and the process of attaining them was enjoyable. That’s worth it in my book. 

But this should be the 10% exception. For the most part, your wardrobe should reflect your lifestyle.

To what extent do you purchase items for an imaginary lifestyle and climate? Is it more or less than 10%?

In our Quirky Corner this week we spotlight two very different style stars who continue to fascinate audiences worldwide.

There are many leading ladies in fashion, not all of them actual women, I dare say. The iconic Birkin bag is named after English actress and singer Jane Birkin whose trademark tomboy style has a large following. Luxury brand Hermès supposedly created the bag in 1984 especially for Jane after she’d told their CEO that the perfect weekend bag was impossible to find. The exclusive handmade purse with the hefty price tag then quickly achieved legendary status. A star was born! In Bringing Home the Birkin: My Life in Hot Pursuit of the World’s Most Coveted Handbag, Michael Tonello tells all about his roller-coaster quest for the holy grail of handbags, and spills the beans on how he became an extremely successful eBay entrepreneur.

French designer and self-made woman Coco Chanel was the only fashion icon to be named one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century. With good reason. Mademoiselle Chanel revolutionized women’s fashion by designing clothes suitable for an active lifestyle and introducing silhouettes and fabrics that were far less restrictive than those of the previous decades. In The Gospel According to Coco Chanel: Life Lessons from the World’s Most Elegant Woman, Karen Karbo distills Coco’s life experience and personal philosophy into a how-to guide for modern day survival and success.

Duo Giveaway

Globe Pequot Press and skirt! Books have kindly offered to give away five Karen Karbo bundles that each contain a copy of The Gospel According to Coco Chanel: Life Lessons from the World’s Most Elegant Woman, and How Georgia Became O’Keeffe: Lessons on the Art of Living. This final instalment in the author’s “kick-ass women” trilogy features influential artist Georgia O’Keeffe, famous for her large floral paintings and New Mexico inspired works.

Visit our Competitions section for a chance to win one of the five book bundles. In the meantime let us know in the comments if there is a grande dame that has particularly inspired you over the years.

I mentioned that soft dressing would be making a comeback after seeing the Spring 2012 shows at Fashion Week. We also saw printed pants fringe trending last year. I even made printed pants a fun must have item for this years warm weather shopping list. 

Well ladies, printed pants have hit stores in all sorts of silhouettes. In particular, there’s the soft wide leg printed trouser as seen in the photos here. Flowing, silky, bold and voluminous. They are being matched with untucked soft woven tops or drapey knitwear (often quite voluminous too), and platform sandals. The look reminds me of the early ’90s when pallazzo pants in ditsy florals and polka dots were huge. Back then, they were often matched with soft boxy mandarin collared blouses or stiff linen gilets (sleeveless jackets). 

This look has a relaxed and feminine appeal that is NOT form fitting. For that reason alone it’s a breath of fresh air because so much stuff these days is form fitting both on the top and bottom. It’s also an ideal breezy combination for scorching hot weather. You could add a belt to create waist definition if that’s more to your taste. 

As much as I appreciate this trend, it is not for me. I’m just not a wide leg pants gal. I never wore pallazzo pants and doubt I ever will. I am all for the soft dressing and printed pants part of the look. I also really like the baggy effect on the hip and thigh area. But the hems of the trousers have to taper at the ankle in order for me to wear them. That way there is less volume on the bottom and I won’t feel like I’m drowning in my pants. There won’t be fabric flapping around at my ankles either. So I am a yay vote for others, and a nay vote for myself. 

What’s your verdict? Would you wear soft wide leg printed pants? Do these pants look too much like pajamas? How do you feel about wearing soft volume on the top and bottom? Like a sack of potatoes, or can it work?