We attended the Westfield Style Tour at Seattle’s Southcenter over the weekend to check out the event and meet Stacy London of “What Not To Wear” fame. Stacy is fabulous and what a treat it was to meet and chat with her. With the help of her team and Westfield Style, Stacy has put together Style Tours and Style Lounges at select Westfield Shopping Centers in the US.

The Style Tours happen twice a year, in Spring and in Fall. A designated area in the center is set up where Style For Hire stylists, who were trained by Stacy, will work with clients of all sizes and ages for 15 to 20 minutes for free. They will show you how to put a few seasonal looks together with items that they have chosen from an assortment of stores in the mall. The stylists share dressing tips and concepts that flatter your figure and colouring, using the merchandise that they have on hand as examples. You do not fit on the items in the Style Tour area because it has no dressing room facilities or size options. The idea is that you leave with outfit inspiration for the coming season and style tips on how to dress for your body type. After you’ve finished with a stylist, you can head on over to the Beauty Bar where you can have your make-up done for free too. 

The Westfield Style Lounge works in much the same way as the tour, but on a smaller scale and more permanent basis. You can book an appointment with a Stacy London trained stylist at one of the lounges, and they’ll take 15 to 20 minutes to help you with your dressing challenges at no charge. If you don’t finish in that session, you can book extra time with the stylist at their hourly rate. 

I enjoyed seeing the Style Tour in action because their fundamental message is one that I believe in. Style can be learned, and we can ALL look and feel fabulous. The stylists were friendly and helpful, and Westfield did a super job organizing the event. But the highlight of the morning was the time I spent with the very bubbly, warm, expressive and ever so cute Stacy London. She had a lot to share and I will be posting the interview in a couple of weeks.

Did you wear high top sneakers as a fashion statement in the late ’80s? I did, in white, with belted, acid wash paper bag waist jeans and a bright tucked in pullover. Then I discovered Dr. Martens and wore those with Levi’s 501s until the cows came home, leaving my high tops orphaned at the back of the closet. As the years went by, I became dressier and dressier, vowing that I would never wear high top sneakers again. I’m about to eat my words because I’ve fallen for the high top sneaker trend big time. 

As part of the sporty trend, high end designers like Yves Saint Laurent, Isabel Marant, Rick Owens, Jimmy Choo and Alexander Wang are showing high top sneakers in their collections at the moment. And Stella McCartney, who designs a line for Adidas, has been on the high top sneaker kick for several seasons. Although these sneakers are intended to be worn as a fashion statement, many of them are surprisingly athletic looking. Some have heeled wedges while others are flat. There is lots of colour, fabric and style assortment. 

The trick is to wear high tops in a fashion forward way, as shown in the photos below. The outfits incorporate on-trend pieces, like leather skirts and pants, short flouncy skirts, burgundy skinnies, printed skinnies, leather jackets, striped tees, sassy sweatshirts, oversized knitwear and cuffed jeans. I can also see high tops worn with the right midi skirt, slouchy trousers, boyfriend jeans, faux fur vests and short shorts. With a certain amount of sophistication AND the right pieces to match the right kicks, I think this look can be pulled off at any age.

It was an outfit on Northern Light a few months ago that first got me thinking about high tops. At first glance I thought that the blogger was wearing white booties, but they’re the Ash Bowie Wedge Sneaker. So fab!

The street style at recent New York and London fashion weeks was the additional inspiration I needed to seal the deal.

I don’t know how I’m going to work this trend into my style just yet. It might be for Fall with a darker pair of kicks, or for Spring with a pair of Marimekko high tops, like this pair in white with the fun flowers. I’d like to wear them with a skirt or dress as well as jeans and trousers. I’ll be doing the flat version instead of the wedge, and not investing too much in the look. I’m excited to give it a bash, just for fun. 

Over to you. What’s your take on the the fashion forward high top sneaker look? Would you wear it?

I have no qualms about repeating outfits. If I feel confident and fab in a particular ensemble, I’ll happily wear it over and over again. I’m not sure if there’s a connection, but I’m also that way with books and movies. I love to revisit old favourites. It’s true that you lose most of the suspense the second time around. There are no more unexpected twists around every corner, no new characters to meet, but that leaves more room to home in on the details. The first time, I’m usually very focussed on plot. Eager to find out what is going to happen next, busy digesting all the story lines and getting to know the characters. Rewatching allows me to savour the story more slowly, and suddenly I notice all kinds of things I had missed before, the smirk on an actor’s face, a cool turn of phrase, a designer chair in the background.

This Fall I plan to watch season 1 and 2 of Downton Abbey again. I do love a good period drama, and this series set in post-Edwardian England has all the right ingredients: wonderful acting, drama, romance, intrigue, an unprincipled scoundrel everyone loves to hate… And then there’s the costumes, of course. I thought that Lady Mary and Lavinia’s wardrobes were especially divine. Plus it’s fascinating to see how much effort has gone into creating clothes that accurately capture the period. From the ornate evening frocks of the dowager countess, and the white tea gowns of the young ladies to the servants’ liveries, each outfit reflects rigid social rank and the changing sartorial customs, such as the shift towards more simple designs and fabrics during the First World War. You bet I’ll be studying every single outfit even more closely this time.

Do you also like to revisit favourite books and movies, or do you prefer to always explore new titles without looking back?

Now in YLF Books

Downton Abbey, a period drama set in the fictional Yorkshire country estate of  the same name, follows the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants during the reign of King George V. In this grand home, the Earl and Countess of Grantham and their three daughters of marriageable age live under the watchful eye of the Dowager Countess (Dame Maggie Smith). Their secure and ordered world, and the social hierarchy are rocked as their lives are shaped by the great events in history, romance, heartbreak and ambition. The first series spans the two years before World War I beginning with news of the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. The second series covers the years 1916 to 1919.

This one is for Team Polka Dot! There are playful polka dot pullovers in an assortment of colours in stores at the moment, which makes for a nice change alongside the abundance of stripes and animal print. 

I LOVE polka dots, but do not like polka dots in every clothing item. I like two-toned or self colour polka dot scarves, belts, bags, skirts, blouses and dresses. I also like polka dot pullovers, but I’m very fussy about the colour combination and the size and spacing of the dots. Sometimes a polka dot pullover can look juvenile and clown-like, especially when the dots are multi-coloured. 

None of the polka dot pullovers below give me that clown-like impression. To my eye these styles look fun, yet grown-up. Wear them as is or over a blouse or shirt. Any one of them would be exactly the item to cheer you up on a gloomy, grey Seattle day. 

I’m a yay vote all the way. What’s your verdict? Would you wear a polka dot pullover? Or do you think they look  unsophisticated and childlike no matter what?