Portuguese Footwear brand Fidji has just come out with a new range of fun red shoes. I have not fitted on these particular styles, so I’m unable to share my detailed thoughts on their comfort levels and styling. But I believe in Fidji footwear. I have a couple of pairs,  many of my clients have a couple of pairs, and so far the brand has not let us down. A stable low heel, soft leather, cushioning footbed and roomy toe box are what make their shoes comfortable, and worth the investment. The shoes are well made and the styling distinctive. 

I walk Seattle, NYC and Vancouver flat in my Fidjs and regard them as my city walking shoes (although my heels are slightly lower than the ones pictured here). They run true to size and sometimes half a size large. These styles also come in other colours so be sure to click through the options. 

Wearing a column of colour, which means wearing the same or a similar colour both on the top and bottom, accentuates the mighty unbroken vertical line. The denim on denim trend is a great look in my book and that’s precisely how the column of colour is created in this ensemble. 

Here are the components of the outfit, and you’ll probably already have some of the items. So shop your closets and start experimenting. 

Jeans and Denim Shirt 

Choose any style of jeans. I’ve chosen a tapered leg because they work with all heel heights and most styles of footwear. Choose any style of denim shirt. Chambray, which is thinner than denim but has a similar textural effect, will also work. Wear it untucked to create the unbroken line. The washes of jeans and shirt do not need to be exactly the same, but keeping them fairly similar is the point of the column of colour.

Bright Blazer

Choose a blazer in a bright colour and wear it over the denim shirt. The contrasting effect of the blazer breaks up the textural continuity of the column of denim. You don’t need to choose a blazer style if that’s not your thing. Cropped jackets, short trench coats and moto jackets can work just as well. You also don’t need to choose a bright colour. I chose brights because they are trending and feel especially fresh for Spring. 

Patterned Shoes 

Solid shoes will look great, but patterns pack more punch. Choose heels or flats, pumps, booties or ankle boots. I’ve chosen a low heeled retro Mary Jane, a rugged punk flat boot, and bombshell high heeled pumps. All three styles can be mixed and matched with any of the pictured blazers, creating very different moods.

Neutral Handbag 

I like the idea of a neutral handbag with this combination because it compliments as well as tones down the colour. I’ve chosen a modern classic shoulder tote, a trendy silver satchel and retro satchel. As with the shoes, each of the handbags can be mixed and matched with the blazers to create a different mood. 

I’d stick to wearing my watch, wedding ring and specs as accessories, but you can wear the accessories of your choice. That’s always the point of these outfit formulas. I sew the seed of an idea, you take the next step by making the concept reflect YOUR style.

I wore an Autumn version of this outfit formula while attending Fashion Week in 2010, which was with black blazer, cream footwear and bright handbag. I’m going to swap things out this Spring and add in more colour.

Orange is the colour of the season in all it’s shades and hues, so at the moment it’s particularly on trend. Red on the other hand is what I call a classic colour. From the deepest crimson and burgundy to the brightest tomato red, you’ll always find some form of red in retail stores. 

Remember that we are talking ALL shades of orange and red, and not just their bright colourwheel incarnations. You don’t need to actually wear a colour more frequently to prefer it, and wearing it in accessories and footwear also counts. 

I adore a dark, saturated orange like the one on my argyle jumper, and I LOVE a blindingly bright tomato red. In fact, my favourite red has a lot of orange in it (no blue undertones whatsoever). But I still prefer a bright tomato red over any shade of orange so I’m going against my national heritage (orange being the national colour of the Netherlands), and batting for Team Red.

Over to you. Are you on Team Orange or Team Red? Tell us why and no batting for both teams. 

Author Kendall Farr has a charming and succinct way of putting across her thoughts about fashion and style. I particularly liked the second chapter of Style Evolution, “Dressing Your Body Now”, where she writes that “Good fit is the equivalent of six months in the gym”.  It’s a clever way of pinpointing the true advantage of superbly fitting clothes. 

I spend a good deal of time helping clients and forum members achieve good fit because it makes a huge visual difference. It sharpens your style by making it more polished, professional, chic and sophisticated. Although you may not aspire to looking sharp in this way, good fit does above all, flatter your body and enhance the silhouette of your ensemble. 

That being said, when you browse popular fashion websites and check out the outfits of stylishly savvy fashion bloggers, you’ll also find them wearing ill-fitting garments — and pulling off the look. I’m not talking about the intentionally oversized cut of a boyfriend blazer and shirt, a poncho or a soft boxy blouse. Or slouchy trousers that are roomy at the waist because the point is that you belt them to create a pouffy effect around the hip area.

I’m talking about lasses who wear items like tweed jackets and button down shirts that are clearly two or three sizes too big, but get away with it (see this photo of Garance Doré on The Sartorialist, for example). They scrunch the sleeves, perhaps add a belt to define the waist, wear it over a pair of short shorts and finish off the look with a killer pair of peds and headgear. The fact that Garance is drowning in her ill-fitting jacket while the rest of her outfit components fit pretty well is, quite ironically, stylishly acceptable. In fact many people would aspire to replicate this cool look. The ill-fitting statement has a creative, unique and “rough around the edges” integrity that is appealing. 

The fit contradiction is food for thought. On the one hand, I am a strong advocate for good fit because it has extraordinary figure flattering advantages and it sharpens your style. I will absolutely have my own clothes altered to achieve a perfect fit. Effective tailoring is an extremely important part of my style because it helps me to achieve the crisp, strong look that I’m after.

On the other hand, I see how a garment that is ill-fitting and not (conventionally) flattering can be made to look interesting and distinctive by a style savvy dresser. 

The question is, when do ill-fitting garments look creatively cool and when do they look unstylish? Or does good fit trump the “cool factor” no matter what?