If you’re still looking for practical and fun outerwear, these might tickle your fancy:

1. Guess Quilted Puffer Jacket: Great for après ski and casual settings with the kids.
2. Tahari Grechen Pillow Collar Down Coat: My tall clients look AMAZING in this puffer coat. Very wow.
3. Calvin Klein Coat, Funnel Collar Double Breasted: I’m all over the colour and cut. The funnel neck works particularly well on those with long necks and short hair. Runs a little large.
4. Esprit Wool Blend Trench: In true Esprit style, basic with fun casual flair.
5. Boden Carnaby Coat: Weatherproof and classic. Nice colours and length. Also runs a little large.

Happy shopping!

I’m sure that most of us have done this at one point or another. You leave the house in one pair of shoes, and change into a second pair when you reach your destination. I can think of three instances when this works quite well:

1. Braving the elements: When it’s snowy, slushy or very wet, it’s a good idea to wear sensible shoes when you’re outside. For example, snow boots or rubber wellington boots in the treacherous outside conditions and ordinary shoes when you’re back indoors on safe ground.
2. Commuting in Comfort: If you commute on foot, you can wear comfortable walking shoes during the commute but switch to prettier and dressier footwear once you reach your destination.
3. Visiting in Style: Some households do not permit shoes indoors. If you’re uncomfortable wearing socks or walking barefoot in another person’s home, bring along a pair of slippers or house shoes to change into once you’re there.

The strategy definitely has drawbacks:

• Sometimes the more practical footwear doesn’t look fabulous with what I’m wearing. Like when I wear snow-friendly Doc Martens with a business casual outfit that’s begging for dressy boots, or when I pair ballet flats with a frock that looks infinitely better with pumps.
• Carrying an extra pair of shoes is cumbersome and storing them on the other side is not always possible.
• Keeping the heel height of both pairs of footwear the same is a pain. Trousers that are hemmed for heels drag on the ground when wearing flats. Annoying!

All in all these are reasonable compromises, so I from time to time I do switch my footwear. I pull together the look as best as I can with the practical shoes, and keep the second pair of shoes in mind so that the transition is easy. I’m fine with making the temporary sacrifice in the spirit of safety, warmth and foot comfort.

Is this something you do? If so, do you have any additional tips to share?

After boots and ballet flats, pumps are my favourite type of shoe because they are seasonless, comfortable, dressy and very versatile.  They look good with just about anything: from trousers, clamdiggers and short shorts, to jumpsuits, jeans, skirts and dresses.

Here are my top sale picks from Zappos with both low and high heels. Fab for fancy occasions, date night, smart casual dressing, or a day at the office. Be sure to click through all the colour options if the ones pictured are not to your taste.

1. Elie Tahari Juliette Pump: These ladylike darlings remind me of my late Mum. Classic and elegant.
2. ECCO Hanna Buckle Pump: Right up my style ally in bright red.
3. Michael Kors MK13022: Please wear these graphic works of art for me if high heels are your thing.
4. Madden Girl Unifyy: A modern basic at a great price point.
5. Rockport Audry Welt Pump: The red piping on these gorgeous pumps makes my heart flutter. Nice textured heel too.
6. Rockport Luciana Corset Pump: Their Victorian vibe is adorable.
7. Nina Paladin: Quite the Mad Men inspired shoe with 96 brilliant reviews.
8. Fitzwell Vincent: Another brilliant price and quite comfortable shoe.
9. Gentle Souls Osaka: Interesting with a particularly comfortable foot bed.
10. Pour La Victoire Bridal and Evening Cami: You might like these if party platforms are your style.
11. Kate Spade New York Kylie: So Pretty! Not that we’d expect anything less from Ms. Spade.
12. Me Too Yana: Cute and comfortable.
13. Me Too Chaka: Love the wedged heel on this one.
14. Kenneth Cole Reaction Lighter Note: Simple studs kick this pump up a notch.
15. J. Renee Jolie: Metallic gold snake skin is ornate and fabulous.
16. J. Renee Gabriele: High heeled, peep toed, and bowed.
17. Isola Stella: Deliciously fun!
18. Franco Sarto Ensign: Retro with a modern twist.
19. Spring Step Sauci: Bohemian and different.
20. Isola Rouge: A peep toe classic in all animal patterns.
21. J. Renee Alecia: A retro beauty.
22. Poetic Licence Countryside: Kick off the Spring Season in this low heeled pump.
23. Franco Sarto Net: More bows on a lovely low heel. I vote bronze.
24. Donald J Pliner Edrice: Stiletto heels are not for me but they might be for you. The ocean blue colour on the other hand, sends me into orbit.

Happy shopping!

Do you prefer to create a high or a low contrast between the colours in your outfit?

I am 100% Team High Colour Contrast. There has to be a high colour contrast in my outfit in order for it to feel like me. I can achieve the contrast with accessories, clothing and footwear. When I wear black from head to toe, I’ll wear white pearls or a bright scarf to soften the harshness of the black against my face, and to create a strong contrast against it. When I create low contrast on top, like a red top with a red jacket, I’ll pair high contrast shoes, specs, belt or handbag with the outfit. My cream coats and jackets are low contrast against my blonde hair and pale skin, but wearing a black top underneath these items instantly creates the contrast. The black buttons on my cream jackets and coats also create strong visual contrast.

Another way I introduce contrast is with bright clashing colour combinations, like red with yellow, turquoise with red, fuschia with white, and purple with green.

When I do wear a low contrast outfit like ink blue with black, it’s always with white or cream in order to add back in the element of high colour contrast.

Team Low Colour Contrast prefers to wear a monochromatic ensemble and colours in the same colour family. For example, a black dress worn with a gunmetal grey necklace, pewter shoes and eggplant handbag is a low colour contrasting outfit. Wearing a white dress with pastel pink cardigan, silver sandals and white handbag is another example.

Swap out the pastel pink for fushia and throw in black shoes and belt, and you’re back on Team High Colour Contrast.

Note that contrasts can be created with both neutral and non-neutral colours. This is not a brights versus neutrals distinction at all.

It’s interesting to observe this style distinction between my clientele because there are clearly two camps. Importantly, there is absolutely no right and wrong here. The one you prefer depends entirely on your aesthetic preferences. And perhaps you like to switch between high and low contrast depending on your mood.

Over to you. Are you Team High or Team Low Colour Contrast? Although I’d prefer you to pick a side, I’ll allow batting for both Teams because it’s the last week of the year. But if you do pick both, then let us know what makes you decide between high and low contrast for any particular outfit.