Establishing a general colour palette for blondes is a little trickier than the no-brainer reality that brunettes look great in blue. There are several variables that factor into the equation. The first one to consider: what kind of blonde are you? Tow-head, ash blonde, dark blonde or strawberry blonde? Complexion and eye colour are next.

Over the years, I’ve drawn the following conclusions:

• Strawberry blondes and tow-heads wear muted brights, ice-cream tones and dirty colours better than ash blondes
• Olive skinned dark blondes get way with wearing pastels and look particularly good in white and brights
• Ash blondes wear clean, cold and warm colours equally well, but tend to get washed out by insipid shades
• Most blondes look good in black, but occasionally dark slate grey or ink blue is a softer and more flattering choice
• Pale skinned blondes can look super in white if it’s appropriately contrasted with a strong colour like black or a bright
• Cream is a good choice for blondes that have cream strands running through their hair
• Blondes with blue eyes wear blue well and blondes with green eyes wear green well

I’m a rosy cheeked, short-haired ash blonde with creamy complexion and green eyes. I partially highlight my hair with ultra-blonde streaks, which is why I wear cream well. I look best in strong, sour bright colours like fiery red, canary yellow, citron, lime green, emerald green, fuchsia, cobalt blue, and bright turquoise. I look equally good in black and white combinations, ink blue and a dark olive green. I look a little blah in brown, but it comes alive when I add red, yellow, cream, white or black into the mix. I look dreadful in pastels, beige, light grey, muted brights and antique colours and avoid them like the plague. What type of blonde are you and which colours do you wear best?

As an ash blonde, these are some of the colours that work well on me.

Our mothers probably have more impact on our style and dress sense than we would care to admit. Here are some aspects of my late Mother’s style that I was grateful to learn:

• Good style starts with the best bra and I cannot stress this point enough.
• Perfect polish goes a long way. Styling your hair, wearing a scent and grooming your brows are easy ways to increase your style quotient. Mum was big on polish and I had this drummed into me at an early age.
• My Mother had good posture because her Mother made her walk around with a book on her head. When I do catch myself slouching on the odd occasion I can hear my mother telling me to STAND UP STRAIGHT.
• Dress up instead of dressing down because you’ll make a good impression that way.
• Don’t overdo make-up. Hallelujah. I especially love this one. Overly made-up faces are unsightly at any age.
• Black and white is a winning combination. I wear a lot of black and white and continue to love it’s dramatic effect.

There are also aspects of my Mom’s style that I would have liked her to change:

• Not wearing real fur. Mum did it freely in a time when the awareness was very different to what it is today. I am very opposed to fur and would have definitely gotten her to see things my way.
• Embracing denim. Wearing jeans was hard for my Mum. She thought denim looked un-ladylike and overly casual. But she eventually got her head around a pair of white jeans because they’re smarter. With encouragement, she would have eventually embraced smart casual dressing because she looked superbly elegant in jeans.
• Painting the toes red. My Mum was convinced that red toenail polish made her feet look like they were dipped in blood. Hilarious. Red looked so much better than the brown, earthy tones she chose instead.
• Adding silver to the mix. Gold was Mum’s only choice of metal, because she felt that she didn’t look good in white gold and silver. This was not true and she’d have enjoyed mixing metals.

Has your Mother’s personal style influenced your own? Would you like to change anything about your Mother’s style?

And for all the Moms out there: Happy Mother’s Day!

This post is dedicated to all mothers, and in particular to my late mother, who loved fashion and was an extremely stylish lady. She died eight years ago this month and would have turned 67 in September. I am proud to say that her style is alive in me.

A very stylish German friend 10 years my senior wears an oversized white ceramic Chanel watch that I have admired the day it was gifted to her. She wears it every day instead of a wedding ring and it’s very much part of her signature style.

I never thought I could wear bulky watches, let alone white ones, because I have dainty wrists and pale skin. But then another friend of mine with equally dainty wrists got herself a funky white and titanium watch and it looked great. I was inspired and bought a more refined, less sporty version (alas, not the porcelain Chanel watch that I covet).

It’s my everyday watch and I love it. My retro silver watches are resting as I enjoy the crisp and modern elements of this new accessory. It makes my outfits feel extra Summery and matches my pearl necklaces. It’s like wearing an iPod on your wrist. Good arm candy.

I’m glad I saw past my preconceived ideas and gave the white-watch-look a chance. I thank my friends for the inspiration.

Wearing tunics and dresses over jeans or pants is my favourite look. I’m all for outfit variety, but when it comes to a uniform, this is mine. I was first inspired by the look when my late mother sported the trend in the ‘70’s. There’s something extremely elegant AND funky about this ensemble combination and I’ve been besotted with it ever since. I started incorporating this look into my wardrobe 10 years ago and I haven’t looked back.

You don’t need to be tall or tiny to wear tunics and dresses over pants with style. It’s a question of getting the components and proportions right. You’ll need to pair slim boot cuts, straight legs, skinnies, leggings or clamdiggers with the right tunic or dress. Here’s how:

• The correct length: The shorter you are, the shorter you’ll need to go on the tunic or dress. You’re looking at a length somewhere between mid-thigh and a few inches above the knee. Go shorter or longer and you’ve lost that long lean line. Regular height and taller gals can shop in petites for this item as it often brings the hemline up to the correct place.
• The correct silhouette: Pear-shaped and apple-shaped gals need structured A-line silhouettes like shift dresses and baby dolls. Hourglasses, inverted triangles and rectangles get away with straighter and more fitted styles like shirt dresses and sheaths.
• Heels or flats: The trend is especially good with some sort of heel if you’re petite or pear-shaped, but it’s not a necessity. Judge the overall look once the ensemble is complete.

Chances are high you’ll need to commit a tunic or dress to wear over jeans or pants. It’s seldom that a dress will work over pants and on its own. It’s either too short to wear as a dress, or too long to wear over pants. Sometimes dress and tunic lengths work out perfectly and you get the biggest bang for your fashion buck by wearing them both ways, but it’s no guarantee.

Pairing tunics and dresses over pants is comfortable. And the right style tunic or dress is particularly forgiving around the tummy and thigh area if those are spots you’re self conscious about. Don’t be afraid to try something new. You can be a modern-classic that pushes the fashion envelope once in a while.

Tunics of varying lengths worn over pants, jeans and clamdiggers.

These are the types of dresses that work well over pants provided they are the correct length. From left to right: Sheath, shift, shirtdress and baby doll.