NYC radio and television presenter Kelly Dillon (30) writes about beauty and her love for fashion over at her website kellydillon.com. She is a Chanel gal who loves trousers, the colour black and a good shopping deal. Kelly’s style is texture-rich, Retro and Modern. She also enjoys a little hard-edge rock ‘n’ roll just as much as the glam side of the seventies:

“My style has definitely evolved over the past few years and is still evolving. When I look back to three years ago, I see that I have matured and changed so much, and my style has changed with that. I have learned so much about fit and shape, and I now know what works for my body and what doesn’t. As I am getting older, I’m all about classic, timeless pieces. I love having great staple pieces that will last me awhile. I’m also now all about quality. I would much rather buy something that is expensive but made well, as opposed to something that is made poorly and is cheaply priced. Overall I would say my style is classic, chic and glamorous with a vintage feel.”

Great irregular item juxtaposition between the dressy coat and sporty Isabel Marant lookalike sneakers. Playful and very now. The strong simplicity of this mixed media man coat, with its low stance, slim sleeves, structured shoulder and straight cut, makes a strong impact. Even more so, because Kelly is wearing it over an all-black outfit, consisting of a thin turtleneck top in a soft material, and black skinnies tucked into high-top sneakers. The column of black accentuates the long vertical line, and adds to the modern urban vibe of the outfit. Kelly’s long hair, very girly and feminine no matter what she wears, softens up and brings lightness to the look. A simple, large tote and vintage oversized sunnies are a fab finishing touch. 

This is a gal who is having a ball with fashion! Wearing bold bright red both on the top and bottom reflects someone who is confident in her style choices and is not afraid to stand out. The classic pencil skirt silhouette is very simple, allowing the colour to do the talking. It’s a flattering knee-length that tapers in from the hip and follows the body’s contours. The fuzzy sweater adds fun texture and a big dose of modern. Tucking in the jumper creates waist definition, plus the all-over red emphasizes a sleek long line. Black pumps and a fab black and white colour blocked bag provide graphic crispness, while the oversized gold chain necklace is quite the conversation starter.

Now this is an outfit that packs a punch and a half. And isn’t there something delightfully ’80s Dynasty-esque about the head-to-toe leopard print? Of course, heavily matched outfits are fashion forward, and the cut of the suit, and the way Kelly is wearing it, make it totally 2014. The fluit fit baggy trousers with elasticated hems drape beautifully. The low-stance tuxedo jacket is made from the same soft material that collapses back onto the body, which creates soft structure. While the subtle peplum emphasizes the waistline. Kelly’s blond locks echo the lighter tones in the suit, as does the gold hardware on the slightly hard-edge crossbody bag.

Blue paired with black is one of my favourite colour combos, and I especially like the colour blocking on this blouse that Kelly picked up for a steal. Our blogger manages to infuse her outfits with a rock ‘n’ roll element that feels “completely her”, like the zippered hems of the pants, big sunnies, and colour-contrasting leopard print booties. She cleverly juxtaposes these tough edge pieces with touches that bring a feminine softness into the mix. Case in point: the see-through material of the blouse, the unbuttoned collar for an alluring peek of skin, and the top knot leaving her neck exposed further add lightness to the look. And there’s Kelly’s beloved Chanel bag, the iconic classic that literally goes with everything.

Kelly is a master at mixing low and high-end pieces, and loves a good bargain hunt. Here are her tips for finding affordable pieces:

“I am very thrifty and I almost never pay full price for anything. I’m all about vintage shopping. In NJ and NY there are so many fab thrift and consignment shops. Some of course are more expensive than others, and over the years I’ve learned which ones to get the most bang for my buck at. I also love a good discount store like TJ Maxx and Century 21. I also love to shop sales. It can be overwhelming at these types of stores because there is so much to choose from. I never buy something unless it fits my style. You may find a piece that really isn’t your style for an insanely cheap price, but if it doesn’t fit your look there is no need to buy. Price isn’t everything. Make sure you are buying it because you absolutely love it, and not just to get a bargain. Stay true to yourself and your style.” 

In essence a very simple outfit, but one with tons of attitude. The full pleated skirt is undoubtedly the centre of attention. It drapes like a dream, and the dark pewter colour and metallic sheen have a bit of a steampunk vibe to it. The cropped asymmetric zip leather jacket brings further edge to the look. By wearing it as a top, Kelly is defining her waist. Exposing the skirt from natural waistline to hem also lengthens the legline. The just-below-the-knee midi length looks extra elegant paired with low-vamped heels. Finally, the already texture-rich outfit is further texturally enhanced with the chain strap and quilted material of Kelly’s black Chanel bag. Fab! 

This dramatic, glamourous mod outfit has stolen my heart. The black and white faux fur coat was part of the H&M Paris Collection, and makes a strong visual graphic statement. The soft faux fur looks cosy and has a bit of bulk to it. This is reined in by the well-fitting shoulder and bracelet sleeves (which add to the fun retro feel). Tucking skinny pants into high-heeled go-go-esque boots, and adding a cheeky newsboy cap and quirky oversized round sunnies further play up the retro glam aspect. Absolutely sensational! 

We’d love to hear what you think of Kelly’s chic glamourous style. You can browse all her outfits over at kellydillon.com, or check out what inspires her via her pinboards.

Combined with items you have worn many times before, each of these fab finds will make the whole outfit feel new. Some of them are on sale right now. Be sure to take a look at all the colour options. 

• Sam Edelman Okalas: I’ve raved about these shoes before and have two patterned pairs because I love ankle straps and find the Okalas very comfortable. They’ve recently brought out versions in light nude and black croc, both of which have gone into my shopping cart. Read the rave reviews. 
• Stuart Weitzman Manned Oxford: Refined hard edge and impeccable quality. I have happy clients in these oxfords because the heel is low, and as far as masculine shoes go, this style is pretty feminine. Works with a small bunion. 
• Steven Slaater Peep-Toe Bootie: Comfortable, modern, and a great transition into mild Springs and Autumns. 

• Tart Noel Faux Fur Jacket: A fun Retro piece and one way to top a formal dress. As great matched with jeans, heels and clutch. 
• Paige Sydney Denim Jacket with Faux Shearling: A texture-rich casual moto jacket that is fitted when zipped up. Warmer than denim and softer than leather. 
• Hudson Signature Bootcut in Labyrinth: A 34 inch inseam for tall gals with a high back rise. Elegantly casual and not skinnies. 
• Foley & Corinna Disco City Bag: A versatile bag that can be worn as a crossbody, a clutch, or a shoulder bag. It’s smaller than it looks so consider yourself warned. Comes in an assortment of colours, of which the light blue is particularly fresh. 
• Badgley Mishka Alba Mirror Clutch: An avant-garde clutch that can be worn as a wristlet. It also has a shoulder strap, although holding this unusual shape as a clutch gets my vote. It’s a large clutch, but pretty flat so not bulky. 

Sometimes all it takes is a new bag, pair of shoes, or topper to make existing outfits feel “new”. I find this strategy particularly useful during our long Winter months.

Pastels have been trending for a couple of years and the trend seems to be gathering steam. I expect pastel tones to be stronger than ever this year, across ALL seasons, and totally mainstream. Lilac, blush, and baby blue are top of the list, with peach, lemon and mint right behind them. 

Pastels are the light, unsaturated versions of a colour. So think of any colour, add lots of white to it, and there’s the pastel. They are lighter than their corresponding mid-tone, bright, jewel tone or earth tone. 

My clients and friends run the gamut when it comes to wearing pastels. Some wear them frequently, especially in Spring and Summer. Some will wear a particular pastel shade in small doses. Others are warming up to the idea, dipping their toes into stronger pastels like baby blue and lilac. Others like the idea of wearing pastels, but feel that insipid shades wash them out and are therefore unflattering. And some won’t wear pastels on principle because they’re too “childish”, “sweet”, “precious”, “prissy”, “weak”, “pretty”,  “Easter-egg” and “feminine”. It’s the connotations of pastels that bug them as much as the soft intensity of the colour.

We probably all wore our share of pastels when we were infants. But what about after that? The next time I remember wearing pastels was in the late ‘80s when I wore a lot of peach and some baby pink with faded denim. I had a thing for pastel lime green in the early ‘90s, and loved light blue in the late ‘90s. Some time after that, my relationship with pastels came to a grinding halt for more than a decade.

A few years ago I rekindled my affection for light blue and also introduced some blush pink into my wardrobe. These pastels are actually a lot more versatile than I thought they were, and I love that they add a soft, pretty and gentle integrity to my style. I enjoy pastels worn with white, some brights, and black. So I want to continue adding light blue and blush to my wardrobe along with my usual sour brights, black, ink blue and shades of white. I am still toying with the idea of peach.

Over to you. Is there a place for pastels in your style? If so, which are your favourites?

Although I bat for Team Pretty, I also enjoy the challenge of softening hard-edge looks. This particular outfit takes the masculine, hard edge a little outside my comfort zone, but it’s fun to wear. It is the polar opposite to the soft and pretty outfit that kicked off the year. The combination of lots of black, lots of leather, severe shoes, a very angular clutch, and awfully masculine trousers is what makes it atypical for my style — more typical would be wearing one of these pieces in a softer ensemble. But there was “just enough softness” to prevent the outfit from bossing me around. 

I’m having a negative reaction to the extra tight and cropped skinnies that are dominating the retail landscape. I like skinnies, but prefer older silhouettes that are longer and looser. As a result, I’ve been filling up my wardrobe with roomy straight legs, baggy boyfriend jeans, slouchy pants, and dressy bootcut trousers. Any trouser and jeans style that is more voluminous than “sausage-casing-skinnies” has my attention, which is why I bought True Religion’s Overdye Cameron Boyfriend Jeans. I love the denim version, so thought that a cotton style in a light colour would also be fab. 

These boyfriend jeans are essentially baggy stone chinos and a very different look for me. Although I adore clothing with an androgynous integrity, I have never gravitated towards chinos. I usually find the stone versions cold, overly casual, a little too “combat-inspired”, and slightly frumpy. They would have been a completely different animal in bright white, and would have looked a whole lot prettier to my eye. But I kept the stone pair because I love the way they fit, both back and front, and enjoy the challenge of making them feel like they belong to my style.

I like chinos best with a black or white support act, although I will have a go at matching these pants with pastels and sour brights too. Fitted black turtlenecks are one of my wardrobe essentials and a true modern classic. All classic pieces need a bit of an update from time to time, so I added a fluid black turtleneck to my essentials capsule to refresh the silhouette. I found this one at Zara, loved it, and duplicated it in navy. It has a welt, but is too long and sloppy-looking to faux-tuck. So I fully tuck the top for a more polished effect. 

These pants need a heel to prevent them from looking dumpy. To bookend the top, I matched them with new pointy toe black booties by Fidji, which are tailored and refined in fit, but still pretty severe. The Alexander Wang clutch is a recent purchase from the Rack, and also hard-edged. I loved the simplicity of the style and crisp detailing, so it earned a spot amongst my other wardrobe pets. If I do want to create a softer look with a black clutch, I’ll use my little Chanel. 

The soft components of the outfit that make it completely wearable for me, are the additions of the Burberry belt, my new apple green specs, and nude lipstick. A black belt, black specs, and dark lipstick would have sent me over the edge, and I wouldn’t have felt right in the combination at all. Too harsh and not my look. Small details however, make all the difference. 

I topped off the outfit with Rudsak’s Raven Asymmetrical Mixed Media coat, which I bought as last year’s Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Despite being a hard-edged and tough piece, this coat was love at first sight because of its clean lines and impeccable crisp quality. I fell in love with the fit and length of the sleeves, which are fashionably long and narrow. This length of sleeve is a rare treat for my gorilla arms so I’m as happy as a clam. The coat reminds me of something Greg would actually wear in a more masculine version, and it reminds us both of Carrie-Anne Moss in “The Matrix”. So we call it my Matrix coat. 

Although I’m very happy with this outfit, I’m even happier when I incorporate more soft elements. In one variation of the outfit I swapped out the chinos for a pair of cream and black micro-checked straight legs and replaced the fluid black turtleneck with a very fitted one. The checks are pretty and the body hugging turtleneck a dash more feminine. In another I swapped the chinos for white boyfriend jeans. White is prettier than stone, and popped me back into my comfort zone. 

It’s fun to wear outfits that challenge us from time to time. It keeps our style fresh, our fashion feet moving, and the creative juices flowing. There is a sense of accomplishment in working through the style challenge, and it can help us to pinpoint the components that increase the happiness factor of an outfit.