Spring 2009 catwalk collections were full of harem pants: pants that are baggy on top and tapered at the bottom. A few fashion forward Euro chain stores like Topshop, H&M, French Connection and Zara have started testing the look in stores right now. I wonder what the reaction to this trend has been and whether the look will continue into Spring.

Genies and MC Hammer spring  to mind when I see harem pants (watch his video to refresh your memory). And yes, you guessed it, all the styles have either gathered or pleated fronts. So what’s the verdict on the look. Will our eyes adjust to their retro appeal, or will they look ridiculous forever?

An article in the October issue of fashion magazine Grazia was food for thought. A recent survey conducted in Britain’s tough economic climate revealed that “one in three women forgo food to spend cash on clothes and make-up”. The term “fashiorexic” was used to describe a fashionista who would rather cut her food budget – eating out less frequently, physically eating less and purchasing at inexpensive grocery stores – than her fashion allowance.

Forgoing nutrition for fashion is scary and certainly not acceptable, but the article does raise an interesting question about the lengths to which people will go to keep their existing shopping habits alive. Eating out at restaurants as a couple or family can be expensive. Once you’ve slapped on a tip, paid for parking and possibly a babysitter, you’re out of pocket the same amount of money you could have spent on a premium pair of jeans. A restaurant experience is short lived, whereas an item for your wardrobe is not.

I’d love to hear how you feel. Would you give up your food lifestyle to keep the fashion dollars flowing? Would you happily curb spending on other luxuries like vacations, spa treatments, gym memberships and entertainment to fund your fashion fix? How far would you go balance your style budget?

I’m giving wide waist-cinching belts a rest and wearing my skinny belt collection more frequently at the moment (I needed a change). Skinny belts are less bulky to wear under jackets and coats at this time of year, and easy to adjust if the length is too long.

Adding a skinny belt to an outfit creates texture, layering interest, added waist-definition and if you like, a pop of colour. They are particularly effective when worn over the following items:

• cardigan (both short and longer lengths)
• jacket, or coat
• soft, silky knit or woven blouse
• tailored button-down shirt
• dress, or tunic
• high-waisted pants and skirts

I’ve found that positioning the belt fairly high on the natural waist is key. This prevents the “blouson effect” thereby keeping the torso streamlined (few women get away with blouson-ing their tops with a skinny belt). The silhouette is flop proof if you keep the look sleek on top.

Wearing a skinny belt a little lower and looser when you’re short-waisted is in theory the right thing to do. But I haven’t minded short-waisted gals wearing skinny belts on their natural waist. It resembles an empire cut, which looks adorable. Bustier gals should try skinny belts too, because they are usually a better option than wider waist belts. The look can work with the right top or dress (low neck, ample length and tailored torso).

You’ll find skinny belts everywhere and at every price. They are a creative and cost-effective way of adding variety to your existing ensemble mix. Trust me, you don’t need to be skinny to wear a skinny belt.

(1) Boyfriend cardigan worn closed with skinny belt, (2) Cropped cardigan worn open with skinny belt, (3) Knitted top with double skinny belt, (4) Knitwear with bowed skinny belt (nice for fancier occasions), (5) Skirt and tucked-in top, (6) Pants and tucked-in blouse, (7) Dress and skinny belt, (8) Tunic and skinny belt.

Have you ever wondered why black shoes can look blah when you don’t have black hair? Or why cream shoes look fab when you have blonde, blonde hair. It may sound silly, but in some situations it is very effective to “book-end” your look by matching the colours of your footwear and your hair.

A repeated ensemble colour pulls an outfit together. Similarly, matching one of your natural colours can complement your look. This is why people suggest wearing a shade that brings out the colour in your eyes. The effect is especially powerful when the top and bottom part of “the whole of you” are a similar colour. It creates balance and frames your outfit.

Sometimes the matching is subtle. Here are a few examples:

Obviously, a pair of yellow, green, pink or cobalt shoes adds flair to an outfit because bright shoes are a statement (and hopefully you don’t have green or pink hair).

This is by no means a hard and fast rule, but it might come in handy if you get stuck with an outfit that doesn’t quite pop. It’s the reason I own several pairs of cream shoes and boots. They always seem to be my personal answer to a boring outfit.