In my many years of frequent closet editing, I can’t remember a single item from my wardrobe that I truly regret passing on. Maybe it would have been fun to still have the odd item from my teenage and university days in the ‘80s. Instead, I have wonderful memories of the fashion era, which is special too. 

I do regret passing on items from my late Mum and Grandmother’s wardrobes that they wore in the ’60s and ‘70s. I LOVE the fashion from those decades. I remember their gorgeous trapeze jackets, jacquard coats, capes, bell-bottoms, platform boots, full skirts, chain belts, lace dresses, maxi dresses, and fringed knitwear. Although my Mum’s colour palette was very different to mine — she favoured earth tones, black, light blue, and muted pinks — I would have enjoyed having some of those items here with me today. Sentimental and vintage in the very best way. My Mum’s Mum, my Oma, adored red and yellow like I do, so it would have been extra fun to have her stash seamlessly work with my own colour palettes. But alas, it’s gone.

Over to you. Do you regret passing on items too quickly, and wish you had some of those items today?

This week’s roundup has a bit of everything, so take your pick. Transitional items are coming through as we head into Spring, but there’s lots of Winter merchandise too. The fab part about transitional and Spring knitwear is that it’s cotton and cotton-rich. That usually means less pilling, no itching, and machine washable options.

• LOUBEN Cable-Knit Cotton Hoodie: This cotton cabled hoodie looks sporty, tidy and polished. It's dressier than fleece, and versatile if you dress it up and down. If you like magenta, this is an option. I wish it came in white, but have my eye on the gorgeous French blue.
• Polo Ralph Lauren Argyle Wool Sweater Vest: A cropped vest in a fun argyle to layer over tees, shirts and blouses for Team Neutrals. It does not need to be tucked into bottoms.
• DvF Kate Charlottenburg Floral Button-Up Shirt: A botanical floral in gorgeous luxe fabric for Team Classic Blouse.
• Brooks Brothers Pearl Tassel Necklace: A tasseled pearl necklace is a rare find, and this one looks as good doubled up to a shorter length.
• MOTHER The Curveball Puff Shoulder Sweatshirt: Trendy and great to wear with skirts and high rises. It's short, and super comfy. Works on petites.
• Brooks Brothers Silk-Cashmere Shawl-Collar Sweater: A lovely classic that looks fab on a fuller bust and curvier body type. Layers well under jackets, coats, and vests. Yummy quality. Comes in other colours.
• Brooks Brothers Year of the Tiger Sparkling Intarsia Tennis Sweater: If you like animal prints, try a tiger pattern. The shallow V-neck of this collegiate style is flattering. Great quality.
• MOTHER The Double Insider High Waist Bootcut Jeans: Bootcuts are back with a vengeance as a serious nod to '90s trends, and this one is good on a curvier body type.
• Vince Camuto Metallic V-Neck Sweater: If you like to wear black fitted knitted tops, try this one. Fab texture.
• Karen Kane Plus Color Blocked Dress: This interesting colour-blocked dress is made of substantial fabric and drapes like a dream. The graphic colour-blocked design creates vertical integrity. Good length and comes in a wide range of sizes.
• Brooks Brothers Double Knit Pinstripe Jacket: This is a knitted blazer that has knitted jogger pants to match. VERY comfy and well-made. The stretch of the knit allows it to mould to the shape of a range of body types. The pinstripe is unique.
• Brooks Brothers Double Knit Pinstripe Drawstring Pants: A knitted pair of joggers in a dressy pinstripe is unique and super cute. Comfy. It has a knitted blazer to match.
• B.O.G. COLLECTIVE June Mule: I love the look of these refined mule-esque clogs and ordered them for Summer. They were too wide on my low-volume feet. But gorgeous and fab nonetheless, and I had hoped they would fit. The extra side coverage is a more secure fit on the foot. Comes in other patterns and neutrals.
• Brooks Brothers Year of the Tiger Knit Beanie Hat: A tiger beanie with ears for Team Earth Tones. Charming! It has a scarf and pullover to match.
• COS Relaxed-fit Midi Shirt Dress: If you like voluminous shirt dresses with an architectural flavour, this is an option. Comes in navy and emerald green. It's a LOT of dress so consider yourself warned. I have my eye on the navy.
• Brooks Brothers Supima Cotton Tennis Sweater: Am I the only one feeling the tennis or cricket sweater in a crisp white cabled cotton? It's fab quality and is an iconic classic. Comes in navy. I don't wear V-necks well, but thought the shallow shape could work if I filled the gap with a pile of pearls. I'll let you know.
• Theory Demitria 2 Stretch Good Wool Suit Pants: I got these and they are STUNNING quality, luxe, and a gorgeous colour. Apart from being too long for sneakers and flat boots, they are a perfect fit. I will have them hemmed since I don't wear heels. I wear them more fluidly than the model. Very comfy. The rise is not too high, and the fit is best on a straighter body type. It's GREAT to wear tailored bootcuts again, plus I got them for a song.
• Vince Camuto Floral Sequin Sleeve Cotton Sweater: A fab cotton-rich party sweater to have in your dressy capsule.
• Reiss Taylor Cotton Blend Sweater: Very pretty luxe yet sporty sweater that works well with black and cream shoes. Fab on those who wear V-necks well. Good with skirts and pearls.
• CeCe Mock Neck Cotton Sweater: A bright and pretty statement pullover for Team Red. Comfy, and drapes well. Works well with skirts too.
• FLY London Fly Long Bagu Wedge Chelsea Boot: These come in navy, black, forest green, taupe and this subtle metallic. They can work for slight bunions and higher volume feet. Supportive, comfy and fab if you can manage the heel height.
• FRAME Mini boot-cut Velvet Trousers - Farfetch: Bootcuts are having their fashion moment and these velvet darlings are absolutely GORGEOUS. Beautifully '70s, dressy, dramatic and luxurious. High longevity factor. The rise is a good length, and not too high. Red pants are signature to my style, and these earned a place in my wardrobe. They will probably work well on both slightly straighter and slightly curvier bodies.
• Persaman New York Kathleen Satchel Bag: For those looking for a light blue bag with silver hardware - this is an option.

You can see the pictures alongside the items on the collection page.

Solid white button-down (or button-through) shirts haven’t been popular on YLF or with my clients. Back when they were a wardrobe essential for my style, I was one of the few people I knew who wore them. For many they felt corporate, overly dressy, stiff, uncomfortable, too classic, and generally unattractive. Fits gaped at the bust, or were boxy and tent-y around the midsection. Some didn’t like collars, while others felt awful in white. And some simply disliked the wear and laundry aspects of keeping a white shirt clean and pristine.

Many years later, and I’m wondering if feelings about white collared shirts have changed, because the way we wear them has changed. Fabrics are softer, more casual, and some are wrinkle-free. White button-down shirts don’t need to be tailored, uncomfortable and stiff. If you wear them fluidly, they are forgiving and comfy. They can be layered in ways to create an interesting, finished, and crisp effect.

You can wear a white shirt without layers and make a statement. Or you can layer them under pullovers, cardigans, jackets, coats, vests, gilets, dungarees, sheath dresses, bra tops, capes, bustiers, ponchos and wraps. You can also wear them over a lace camisole, turtleneck, tank top, or striped tee. You can button them all the way through, or leave the collar open. You can pop the collar or leave it down. White button-downs are excellent colour contrast vehicles.

Here are some layered visual examples across casual and dressier looks.

I’m a button-down shirt person. I have worn them my whole life in cotton, linen, or cotton blends, and across a range of fits, silhouettes and lengths. I enjoy their roomy and boxy fit. I love their crisp, dressy, polished effect, and find them easy to fit. I wear them very fluidly, casually, semi-tucked, fully tucked, or untucked with casual bottoms or a skirt. I frequently scrunch the sleeves and pop the collar if it’s open. If the collar is buttoned through to the top, I wear the collar down. Button-down shirts are my ‘T-shirts’, and integral to my style.

For a while I preferred button-downs in patterns, and especially in some type of blue and white stripe. But I’m back to wearing solid white versions and those with self-colour white embroideries.

This is my current assortment. The first style is crisp and stiffer than the other two, which are soft and roomier.

I wear them UNlayered on a hot day because the silhouettes lend themselves best to wearing them that way. That said, I also like to layer them under lightweight jackets, or wear them with my pants suit. I like to pop a white camisole underneath to make the white look richer and brighter. I’d like to layer more creatively with a solid white button-down this year and will therefore get a very simple long-sleeved style in a fluid fit to do that with.

I used to frequently layer with my white shirts when I wore black and white outfits a decade ago. I’m not into black these days, having switched to dark blue. But layering with a white button-down shirt appeals to me so I’m going for it. I’m looking at Banana Republic, Ralph Lauren and Boden for the crisp wardrobe essential.

Over to you. How do you feel about layering with white button-down shirts these days?

Wearing jackets under coats has its advantages. The double layer of toppers keeps you warm and insulated, and the layering can have a fab visual effect. The combination is great when you want to wear a jacket indoors because your outfit looks better with a jacket over the top. Or the jacket keeps you warm inside when a coat is too bulky.

Here the model is wearing a turtleneck under a streamlined blazer, and a roomy coat over the lot. The coat is especially roomy in the armholes, sleeves, and across the back, because that’s where the layers can get uncomfortably tight.

On the other hand, you might find this combination too layered, heavy, constricting, hot, and bulky. Or it’s simply not necessary to wear a jacket indoors. Or it’s not cold enough to wear a double set of toppers. Some of my clients commute by car and brave the short time they are outdoors in the elements with a jacket and leave off the coat. Some of my clients will happily wear coats over their pants or skirt suits. Or over denim jackets and streamlined blazers.

I sometimes wear blazers and denim jackets under my roomier coats if I want to wear a jacket indoors. I find the look comfortable because my jackets are fluidly tailored and the coats that go over the top are very roomy. I’m a YAY. How about you?