Macy’s is currently offering 40% off almost all of their coats. Purchase on a Macy’s card and you’ll score an extra 15%. Nordstrom’s Half Yearly Sale is also still going strong. Here are some of my top picks:

1. Esprit Double Breasted Pea Coat: Fun, preppy and sporty. Runs small.
2. Kenneth Cole Reaction Puffer Coat with Faux Fur Trim: Cozy, warm and flattering.
3. Guess Zip Front Tweed Coat: So fab! Its subtle military vibe is great and the fabric hides dirt and pet hair effectively.
4. Jessica Simpson Coat with Leah Stand Knit Collar: BCBG designs her line, which is why the styles are often really great.
5. Green with Envy Belted Wool Coat: Good length and rich colours. Nice patch pocket detailing.
6. Steve Madden Toggle Coat: Looks better on than you might think. Casual and practical with a roomy hood. Love the black piping. A well made coat and perfect for Mum on the Go.
7. Artifacts Short Pea Coat with Peplum Hem: I’m probably the only one who loves the neon pink, but the blue is lovely too. Interesting button and back detailing. Excellent price point.

There is SO MUCH more available in stores so be sure to take a look if coats are on your shopping list. Try a colour to brighten up a cold Winter’s day!

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I frequently layer cardigans and jackets over my dresses at this time of year because I want to extend them into Autumn. Some layered creations are arty and creative,  some are more retro and trendy, and others are modern classic. This outfit errs on the side of modern classic with a hint of retro glam.

Cardigans over dresses can look frumpy, so you need to get the combination just right in order to look and feel fab. Here I’m wearing a straight sleeveless patterned sheath dress with a retro 50’s collar that stands away from the neck. I layered with a high-necked frilly black short sleeved cardigan because the necklines are compatible. The chiffon frills on the cardigan also give the look a bit more of a vintage flavor, which I rather fancy.

The dress is form fitting but the cardigan is not fitted at all. It just hangs over the dress covering up my shape at the back and sides. I could have belted the cardigan over the dress to create a waistline and some curve, but I’ve done a lot of “waist cinching” over the last few years and I’m a bit bored with it. I feel more hip wearing my cardigan loose over a tight sheath like this right now. Who knows how I’ll feel in 6 months – I might be back to belts and waist cinching.

Adding a string of oversized pearls to the inside of this neckline is subtle, yet effective. The necklace might not be all that visible when you look at yourself head on in the mirror. But our outfits are three dimensional and other people will see the necklace peeking out from under the sides of the collar.

To add a modern touch to the look, making it feel less traditionally classic, I added polka dot hose, grey suede booties and an emerald green satchel. The oversized watch and specs add even more modern elements. I top it off with a coat. Classic, but not frumpy at all.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Omega Watches. All opinions are 100% mine.

World renowned Swiss watchmaker OMEGA is re-launching one of its classic  lines: the Ladymatic. Originally launched in 1955, the feminine and elegant timepiece was the brand’s first self-winding watch to be designed especially for women and it featured the smallest automatic movement OMEGA had ever made. Several decades later OMEGA has chosen to revive the old brand name with a new look collection.

When I first saw the Ladymatic on the OMEGA website, it was not love at first sight. I don’t bat for Team Diamonds so the bling put me off. Also, being an oversized watch kinda gal, the dainty size was not my cup of tea.

My feelings changed when I saw Nicole Kidman, the official OMEGA brand ambassador, sporting the Ladymatic in the video below.

The Ladymatic is larger than I thought, so it fulfills my aesthetic need for an oversized watch. It’s somewhat glitzy integrity makes it both time piece AND jewelry statement. Nicole Kidman is wearing the watch with a formal gown and it is the only accessory gracing her ensemble. I love strong, simple statements like that. No other accessories required when you wear a watch that looks like the Ladymatic.

Just goes to show how important it is to see wardrobe items in stylish action before you pass judgment.

Be sure to take a look at the videos below, and OMEGA’s Facebook fan page too. My favourite style is the gold body and white face above. Which is yours?

Age, lifestyle, climate and fashion persona play a crucial role in determining which wardrobe items are best for you. The same is true of wardrobe essentials. If we each put together a list for ourselves right now, they would all look slightly different. It is a personal thing.

So although they are often listed as such, I don’t believe the following six items are a universal set of wardrobe essentials.

1. White Button Down Shirt or Blouse: I’m personally a huge fan, but only about 20% of my clientele wear them. Many women are adverse to wearing woven button down shirts because of fit and comfort issues. Some don’t like the idea of dry cleaning and ironing. Others don’t like white, or just find the style too business-y.
2. Dressy Black Trousers: I don’t have a pair unless my cropped harem pants count (and I don’t think they do). I prefer a classic black pencil skirt over a pair of black dress pants. Most of my corporate clients wear black dress pants, but most of the others don’t. Even if you do need to satisfy a business formal dress code, you can do so with formal skirts and dresses.
3. Assortment of Basic T-shirts: 80% of my clients have a collection of good quality basic layering and graphic T’s. It makes perfect sense for child-friendly and uber-casual settings.  But I don’t own one tee apart from a few comfies I sleep in. I’d prefer to wear a casual shirt or blouse in casual settings because that’s my style.
4. Little Black Dress: I own many little black dresses because I LOVE dresses and sport a dressy style. But you don’t need to own a little black dress! In fact, black might not be your best colour. In this case a little charcoal grey, eggplant, brown, ink blue or red dress might be more suitable. Or perhaps you’re a separates gal instead of a dress gal and that’s fabulous too. Only about 60% of my clients own LBD’s.
5. Trench Coat: First, you need the climate for a trench. You don’t need a trench coat if you live in Singapore and you never travel to colder climates. Second, even if you have the climate you might not be a trench coat gal. Only 75% of my clients have trench coats. The rest prefer to sport sweater coats or short wool jackets.
6. Jeans: All my clients own jeans and I too am a big fan. But that doesn’t mean that you need to wear jeans to be stylish. I know enough super stylish gals who don’t wear jeans. They prefer denim or casual skirts and dresses. It took my late Mum 58 years to wear jeans. In her last year at 59 she finally wore jeans and quite liked the look. Even though I thought Mum looked killer in her jeans and blouse, it wasn’t her style. She much preferred wearing a casual skirt.

Guidelines on wardrobe essentials are helpful because they provide a solid starting point. But fine tuning these guidelines for YOU and your needs is key. Style is nothing if not a celebration of individuality.