The golden guideline has been to sport one voluminous piece per outfit, either on top or bottom, in order to maintain a structured look. For example, a pencil skirt, sleek trousers, cropped pants or jeans, paired with voluminous tops and jackets. Or a fitted and waist defining top or jacket with a full skirt or wide leg trousers. Another approach was to add a belt for structure if the top itself was not waist defining. 

Mixing up a voluminous item with a structured one is a pretty flop proof dressing guideline, and goes a long way to preventing that “sack of potatoes” and frumpy, shapeless feeling. In fact, wearing volume on top and on the bottom, unless it was a short sack dress, was thought of as unflattering and a fashion faux pas. 

Well, things are once again on the move in the world of the fashion faux pas. Over the last few years, designers have matched voluminous tops with voluminous bottoms and shown the roomy combination on runways. We stared seeing the “volume on volume” trend filter through last year when boxy cropped tops and sweaters were being matched with wide leg trousers and full skirts. However, the cropped nature of the tops ensured waist definition, which gave the outfits their structure. Now, in support of fashionable slouchy silhouettes, long and boxy tops are being worn over wide and full bottoms, as seen in the photos below. 

I don’t find these ultra roomy combinations flattering in the conventional sense, but I don’t dislike them either. Attempting to recreate the vibe will not be easy because the visual effect is quite overwhelming. We could easily loose ourselves in all that volume.  

It’s refreshing though, to see this much volume alongside all the short, tight and skimpy that’s been overplayed in the fashion world for such a long time. I do prefer the trouser outfits. While the skirt ensemble looks borderline frumpy to my eye, the trouser outfits look edgy and fab. Edgier looks often forgo a little conventional flatter in lieu of a little “daring, cool and different”. The trick of course, is making an edgy outfit look just flattering enough so that it’s still attractive and stylish. 

Do you find these roomy combinations flattering? Would you wear volume both on top and bottom?

Levi’s® asked me to build three outfits around their new Curve ID line. So today I’m going to dress up jeans for a gals night out, an evening with friends, or a date night with your sweetie. 

These types of evening dates are often more casual than dressy, which makes dressing up a great pair of jeans an easy outfit option. The components of the outfit formula are as follows:

Favourite Jeans + Musical Top + Light Dressy Shoes + Clutch

A “musical top” is one that “sings a sweet tune”, which means a top combination that’s a little more special than what you usually pair with jeans. Perhaps it’s dressier, a little sheer and alluring, more colourful, or more bold in it’s styling. 

Start with Your Favourite Jeans

Choose any silhouette, from wide leg to tapered legs. Choose any wash or colour, from dark and sleek to faded options, white, black, grey or a colour. I’ve chosen the Modern Slight Curve Straight Jeans from Levi.com in a regular stone wash because straight leg jeans are versatile, as is blue denim. The lighter wash also won’t rub off onto your hands, clothes and shoes. I haven’t seen the fit of these jeans in person, but the reviews are promising.

Add the Music on Top

There are many ways to dress up jeans, but for starters here are five cardigan-free suggestions to get you on your way. 

Chic Blouse: Choose a dressy soft blouse, either boxy or tailored, patterned or solid, neutral or in a colour. Pop a camisole underneath if the blouse is sheer. I’ve chosen one with lace for extra textural interest. I like these types of blouses untucked, but feel free to tuck or half tuck, and add a belt. 

Fun Tunic: Here’s an opportunity to add a bohemian edge to your outfit with an empire cut tunic in a drapey fabrication. There were quite a few high necked and straight cut patterned tunics worn over slim fit trousers in Dries Van Noten’s recent 2012 Fall collection, so be ahead of the fashion curve and sport a vibrant tunic over jeans.

Cheerful Blazer: Give cardigans a rest and opt for a blazer. Wearing one in a bright is on trend, as is layering it over another bright, thereby achieving a colour blocked effect. 

Edgy Shirt, Tie and Jacket: This option is menswear inspired. Mid tones, pastels and shades of blush and taupe are as popular as brights, so instead of trying this combination in black, grey and white, try it in less expected softer colours. I’ve matched a taupe blazer with a very light pink blouse and paisley tie. Tie the tie school boy style, or drape it loosely tied against your skin on the inside of an open shirt collar.

Not So Preppy Blouse and Vest: It’s a season of intense pattern mixing and there is no stopping the trend. Stripes and polka dots in a similar colour palette are a happy marriage, so match them up for a different take on the preppy shirt and vest combination. Use a dressy blouse instead of a button down shirt.

Dressy Light Shoes

Light footwear in tan, cream, beige and metallic works extremely well with Spring’s brights, mid tones and pastel colour palette, and adds freshness to an outfit. Choose pumps, dressy ballet flats, mary janes, wedges, peep-toes, sandals or booties. The booties pictured below are casual, but their light colour gives them a dressier integrity.

Finish off with a Clutch 

Evening clutches in a colour blocked black and white, or neutrally toned snake skin work with just about any denim-rich outfit. Metallic clutches are another versatile option. Clutch handbags are not as impractical as they seem if you choose a style that allows for a free hand or two.  

Do It Yourself

As with all the outfit formulas, I sew the seeds of an idea. Make it your own by substituting these items with ones that are more to your taste, and in line with your colour preferences and style persona. Add arm candy with an army of bracelets. Throw in a scarf. Add a cocktail ring or two. Wear dangly earrings, a pin or necklace. Or sport a jewelry-free style, allowing your bag, wristwatch and eyewear to do the talking. Dress up your favourite pair of jeans in a way that reflects YOUR style and your evening out will be off to a superb start. 

Pattern mixed outfits are more “maximal” and busy than outfits that mix solids or subtle textures. There’s a lot more going on, which makes it a hard look to sport if you have a minimal sense of style. 

I have noticed that when I am helping my clients to create pattern mixed outfits, we often deliberately leave off accessories and jewelry pieces. While they would have normally worn a necklace, earrings, belt, pin or scarf with the outfit in solid and textured combinations, the patterned incarnation of the outfit doesn’t need the extra bells and whistles.  

Although this is by no means a rule, sporting fewer accessories and jewelry pieces, or even none at all, might help you break through the pattern mixing barrier if you have reservations. 

Aside from my wedding ring, I sport a jewelry-free look most of the time. I include accessories when they are part of the pattern mixing action, like an animal print belt, polka dot hose, patterned handbag or plaid scarf. But when I’m pattern mixing two tops, or a top and bottom, I’ll carry a handbag, but all jewelry and accessories stay off.

Colour blocking is on trend, and if my hunch is correct we’ll be seeing even more colour blocking next year. We’re talking colour blocking on all the items in your wardrobe — clothing, accessories and footwear. 

Colour blocked footwear comes in colours, neutrals, or a mixture of both. The more colourful examples are cheerful and eye catching, but not that easy to match up in outfits. If you need help, my guidelines on how to wear bright shoes are a good starting point. The same guidelines apply to mid-tone and pastel toned shoes. Pick up a colour in a top, bottom or dress that matches one or more of the colours in the shoes. Match up bright shoes with the same colour handbag or belt. Match them up with a neutral outfit. Or, match bright shoes with a scarf or necklace that picks up the same colours. 

Neutral colour blocked footwear is easier because it can be treated in very much the same way as a solid neutral. A completely neutral outfit is one easy option. But you can also go wild matching them up in outfits that combine neutrals AND colours.   

I have a few pairs of colour blocked ballet flats and pumps in neutrals, and frequently wear them in the warmer months.  I like how they provide a little more pop than a solid neutral shoe. I will also welcome bright colourblocked shoes into my wardrobe because they look festive on your feet. I vote yay for colour blocked shoes. 

What’s your verdict? Would you wear colour blocked footwear? If so, will you wear colours or neutrals? Or would you prefer to stick to solid colours because the whole concept’s too complicated?