Trouser jeans: a trouser cut in denim or denim-like fabric.

Trouser jeans are an absolute wardrobe essential. Their versatile, seasonless and ageless appeal make them an item that almost anyone can wear. They are a fundamental component of smart casual dressing and the perfect chic alternative to regular denim. I have been wearing them for years and I’m constantly on the look out for updates.

Buy them dark to be extra smart because they’ll fade eventually anyway. Blue is best but black is also a good option. Dress them up with fancy heels, or down with fashion sneakers and ballet flats. But be sure to commit to a length when you wear them. Wide-legged pant styles are particularly unflattering when worn too short (you’ll get that leg-widening effect). Your hems need to skim the surface of the ground when you stand so that you can barely see your shoes (creating a leg-slimming effect). 

Your choice is abundant at the moment with the resurgence of wide-legged pants this season. From classic to funky, cuffed to plain, side-pockets or clean, trouser jeans will add the luster that sparks all existing favourites in your wardrobe. Do yourself a favour and try on a few if you haven’t already. I promise that they’ll be a lot more forgiving than skinnies.

Nordstrom                 Diesel               Classiques Entier            Arden B.

Ann Taylor Loft                 Gap               Anthropologie               Old Navy   

Most retailers are selling trouser jeans right now (petites and talls are available too).

Sleepwear is where I personally draw the line – there is no style quotient in the land of nod and comfort is the only criteria. If you can’t wear itchy lace sets, that’s okay (I certainly can’t). If you dream best in boxer shorts and a tank, go for it. Shapeless, roomy, comfy PJ’s  are adorable and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

With sleepwear costing as much as outerwear, it’s usually the last item on my shopping list. Then again, this aspect of your wardrobe is extremely personal and best left between you and your bed sheets.

Victoria’s Secret has a super variety of sleepwear, but their quality is not high end. Not a bad place to get a cheap quick-fix if you need something fancy (or sexy).

How many times can you wear your knitwear items (pullovers, cardigans and sweaters) before you need to launder them? I have found that unless you’ve spilled, traveled, traipsed in muck, or perspired heavily, 4-5 times works well. Lighter coloured knitwear will need to be washed more frequently; while patterned styles survive a little longer. My cream cardigan needs to be washed every second time I wear it, but my cheetah printed one lasts a good deal longer.

This wear-to-wash ratio can be applied to any type of yarn, including cashmere, silk-blends, wool, viscose blends, acrylic and polyester. Pilling is unfortunately inevitable and can happen after one wear! Excessive laundering of knitwear can sometimes create pillage when inferior yarn was used.

Keep an eye on the entire family’s knitwear and make sure that it gets the proper attention. Appropriate wash care balances keeping knitwear items looking pristine with maximizing their useful lifetime.

Rising above your belly with style is not easy when it comes to jeans. The rise (distance between the crotch and the waistband) of a pair of trendy and updated denims is often still too low. But DKNY has the answer: a style called the “soho”. For women with a little extra around the midsection, their extra dark wash, slight stretch, boot cut hem and snugly contoured higher rise make them a smart, sophisticated, comfortable and current-looking option. And their affordable price of $48 makes them an even better find!

You’ll find  DKNY’s soho jeans in department stores like Nordstrom, Macy’s and Neiman Marcus.