Devoid of glamour and with an emphasis on unstructured comfort, the 80’s is sometimes referred to as the “death of fashion” and “the tasteless decade”. Twenty five years later, fashion trends are inspired by the 80’s – but with added glamour this time around. For those of us who are old enough, cruise or cringe down memory lane as you peruse the list of items below that have made a comeback this autumn season:

• Broad, two-toned striped knit tops
• Skinny pants
• Longer length T’s
• Leggings
• Micro minis
• Broad waist belts
• Mélange grey knit
• Grey jeans
• Deep V–neck tops with welted waist bands
• Red and black tartan checks (plaid)
• Red, black and white colour combinations
• Hounds tooth (black and white micro check)
• Bubble or bell skirts
• Patent accessories
• Membership jackets
• Plastic jewelry
• Ankle boots
• Leg warmers
• Punk chic t-shirts and studded belts

Fortunately, electric blue eye shadow, fuchsia lipstick, oversized shirts, shoulder pads and big hair never made the revival. Apart from skinny pants and leggings, retailers have ensured that their 80’s inspired punk and gothic collections are feminine and flattering. We’ll therefore be wearing the clothes that we once loathed again – only this time with style!

Another frequently asked question: what should men wear on their feet when they are wearing shorts? Well, unless they are engaging in a sport and are wearing the appropriate gear, wearing white terry cotton sports socks and sneakers with shorts is completely unacceptable. And – notwithstanding the fact that it is done all the time in western and northern Europe – wearing any form of sock with a sandal and shorts is also taboo.

There are only 2 stylish options:

• A pair of sandals, thongs or mules without socks
• A pair of fashion sneakers with “invisible socks”

Invisible socks are socks that cover your foot alone. They lie below the ankle bone and barely peek out from above a sneaker. The result is the comfort of a sock without looking like you are wearing one.

Please inform any gents that you know who seem to be struggling with this issue – they might be grateful for the information!

Mules and thong sandals from Kenneth Cole. WrightSock “no show” socks for sneakers. All are available from Zappos.com.

It’s perfectly acceptable to mix gold and silver jewelry, but there are some simple rules that can help you do so with style:

• Keep your watch matched to the rings on that hand – it’s a good idea to match the metal of your wedding ring with your watch. You’ll be able to wear a ring in a different metal on the other hand though.
• Keep jewelry that is in close proximity the same metal – earrings and necklaces should be the same metal; rings and wrist adornments should be the same metal; belt and bag hardware should be the same metal.
• Keep all fine jewelry the same metal – if fine jewelry is all that you wear, it’s usually best to keep it either all gold or all silver.
• Ignore the above rules if the pieces that you wear are made of mixed metals themselves – jewelry or accessories that mix silver and gold will allow you match either metal.

A couple of things you don’t want to do:

• Wear gold and silver rings on the same hand
• Wear a fine gold and diamond wedding ring with a sporty silver watch on the same hand

This is a tricky subject to write about because there are exceptions to every rule. When in doubt, stick to wearing one type of metal at a time.

It’s easy to get caught up in the illusion that with a full closet, we have a wardrobe that is brimming with possibilities. However, most closets are stuffed with items that you don’t need, shouldn’t be wearing, or don’t even get around to wearing. The objective is to create a wardrobe that is fluid and consists of pieces that are easy to combine. This does not just refer to clothing, but to shoes and accessories as well.

The first step to creating a wardrobe that works for you is to prune what you already have. You’ll need to re-evaluate your existing wardrobe one piece at a time. Be ruthless when you prune, because ultimately every stitch in your wardrobe should be flattering to your body and suit your lifestyle.

Ask yourself the following questions as you tackle each item:

• Is this flattering for my body type?
• Is it the correct size? (Remember to dress for the body that you’re in today)
• Is alteration worth considering?
• Is the garment outdated?
• Is the piece still in good condition?
• Is the colour right?
• Is the pattern right?
• Why do I never wear this item?
• Is the garment comfortable? (If it looks good but feels awful – get rid of it.)
• How many pairs of black pants, white collared shirts, black T’s and white T’s can I have? (You may find that you have many of each but none are perfect – weed them out.)
• Have I outgrown this look?
• Is the piece ”me”? (Everything is right about the garment but you feel that it’s just not right for you, which is why you don’t wear it – pass it on.)
• Is this item style-enhancing?

Ideally, your wardrobe should consist of only the cherries. If you don’t love everything in your closet, re-evaluate it before you contemplate any more purchases. Pruning should happen at least twice a year. After years of doing this, I still regard cleaning out my closet to be an act of liberation!