Often, we find fabulous items, but then discover that they are “dry clean only”. Blast. Well, I don’t follow laundry instructions religiously at all. In some cases I am overly cautious, and in others I take a chance.

On the cautious side, there are some things I avoid, even when the instructions say it is safe to do them. I never wash anything in hot water. It shrinks your clothes more often than not. And I seldom use the dryer. Your clothes never look quite as pristine as they first did after a few spins in the dryer.

But when it comes to the “dry clean only” label on knitwear, blouses and dresses, I often bend the rules by washing gently with mild detergent instead. I use the “hand wash delicates” option on our washing machine and once again, I use cold water. I do not physically wash the items by hand (that would be a deal breaker).

Items like lined jackets, coats, dress slacks, button down shirts and Greg’s shirts, jackets and suits still go to the cleaners because they actually do a better job at laundering the items than I do. I might be using home dry cleaning kits incorrectly, but so far I have not found them to yield satisfactory results.

Bending the dry cleaning rule does mean that you’ll need to press your items once they’re dry. As much as I loathe ironing my clothes, I’m prepared to do it as long as things don’t pile up.

Do you also bend the rules?

Bye-bye black and grey. Make room for tan. Another huge 90’s trend and I think we need to proceed with caution.

Tan, khaki, stone and beige all refer to a similar shade of pastel brown which is just about the most unflattering colour on the planet. I might be alone, but I think that most people look awfully washed out when they wear these shades. Tan is not to be confused with darker and richer colours like caramel, mushroom, camel and toffee, or lighter colours like cream and off-white. Those are much easier to wear than the tricky shade that falls between them.

But there are ways to wear tan and beige without looking washed out. Here’s how:

• Choose textured fabrications: Tan comes to life when you add iridescent sparkle, sheen and surface interest. Shadows begin to dance over the colour, giving it depth and luster. This makes it visually more flattering against the complexion. Keep the colour flat and chances are high that you’ll look flat too.
• Look for jacket styles with contrasting trims: Tan blazers, jackets, trenches and coats look more appealing with bold dark trims, like black or tortoise shell buttons, zips and buckles. It can make all the difference.
• Add a bold neutral: Tan jackets in flat casual cottons look better when you wear them with bright white, rich deep browns or black tops, because the combination creates a bold contrast. For the same reasons also I quite like tan items when they are combined with bright orange, citron and tomato red. A scarf in these colours worn up against the face will also do the trick.
• Wear dressy tan bottoms: Casual tan cotton bottoms tend to look blah, but as soon as you pop the colour into a lustrous dressy fabric away from the face, the picture changes (the J. Crew trousers above are a good example).

Of course, your natural colouring also plays a role. Ladies with dark hair and skin tones will wear tan and beige better than those with lighter complexions just because the mixture creates an eye-catching contrast.

I won’t be adding the iconic Burberry trench to my wardrobe because I much prefer cream and white to any shade of tan. But if tan tickles your fancy, there are ways to make it work.

Women have always borrowed items from the men in their lives, but at some point it actually became a fashion trend. We saw some of this in the 80’s, when we were literally borrowing tops and jackets from our fathers, brothers and boyfriends.

In the last few years the trend returned along with the 80’s revival, and this time it got a name. We started hearing about…

• Boyfriend blazers
• Boyfriend cardigans
• Boyfriend jeans
• Boyfriend shirts

These items are still very much in style, which means that they are more than just a fad. But are they here to stay? So far, the only “boyfriend inspired”  item I can think of with real longevity is the oversized, masculine watch.

Do you think any of the others will become a mainstream basic? Are you wearing boyfriend inspired items?

Bare Necessities is a wonderful online lingerie site that I visit often, especially during sale time. They offer a wide assortment of product at varying price points, styles and sizes which means that there is usually something for everyone.

Bare Necessities is kindly giving away a luxurious bra and tanga set valued at $169. To enter the competition, answer the following questions and post it in the comments section below.

• Who would you like to be with on Valentine’s Day?
• Where would you like to spend it?
• And, of course, what would you wear?

There are no right and wrong answers, so let your imagination go wild. You can spend Valentine’s Day with anyone, anywhere and wear whatever tickles your fancy.

Note that you need to be a signed up YLF member (with a profile picture) in order to participate. We will pick the winner using a random number generator. Entries to the competition close Friday 12th February at midnight, Pacific Standard Time. Unfortunately, the competition is restricted to US and Canadian residents only.

To recap, here are the things you need to do to be eligible for the giveaway:

1. Sign up as a YLF member if you haven’t done so already
2. Ensure that you have a profile picture
3. Write a comment below (while logged in!)
4. Do this all by midnight Friday the 12^th of February 2010

Good luck!