All my favourite pieces : how to wear them right into Spring ! #stealmystyle
The FiFi philosophy :
Get mileage from your wardrobe !
Rewear your wardrobe , rotate pieces = get great cost per wear.
Because isn’t that what it’s all about ?
Investing in clothes that you love and then wearing them again and again.
It’s best for your wallet and the planet.
The secret: Try to buy things that work across the seasons. Maybe not faux fur and bikinis ( worn together haha) but if you’re careful and choose cotton, lightweight wool , denim and pleather and anything that’s trans seasonal in weight you’ll get more wear from those. Stick to versatile classic colours in updated shapes. (But you know that !)
So what have I been wearing a lot on repeat ?
And what will I keep wearing into next spring , summer and beyond ?
I thought I’d share my favourite pieces , why I love them and how to wear them.
(NB: Some items are on sale and if not exact items I will post similar )
The trench.
Always on top of the list ! I am obsessed about trench coats if you didn’t know! It will go from winter into summer. Make it a lighter beige , white or neutral. Long is great, oversized looks and feels effortless.
Wear now : with a cream knit, jeans and loafers. With everything from skirts and boots to track pants
In Spring: wear over a white tee with wide leg white jeans and dad sandals. Over a dress. With strappy heels.
The camel blazer
It’s big and slouchy. It’s long and covers your bum. When undone it should sit across “the situation”. Outerwear should always be in a neutral colour , it lightens the look. Instant wardrobe updater. I love this one from Arket !(It keeps coming back in stock ). It’s lightweight wool so works in summer and winter. The slouchy cut makes it like a comfortable cardigan : because this is not a tight business blazer, it’s casual and easy to wear.
Wear now: Over a camel or cream knit with pleather pants and white flats. With jeans, with slouchy white pants / knit.
In Spring: Over a white tank, with white jeans, with bue jeans, with bermudas (!) on your shoulders with a long dress.
A crop trench.
You know I love a crop trench. I have had my Acne crop trench for about 4 years now. It’s the best . Lots of crop trench coats in store (See here the HM fabulous jacket I bought : exact copy in wool). Love a crop trench because it works right across seasons and goes from work to weekend and back again. It’s a little less dressy than a blazer but just as chic. And because it’s short it loves high waist jeans/pants. They meet in the middle and give you a waist (and creates shape). Make sure it’s in camel/neutral. Black is too limiting.
While I am talking about a crop camel jacket let me say that I adore this COS jacket. For all the same reasons. That’s why I bought it. It works across the seasons. Meets high waist jeans. Oh it’s so chic.
Wear now: over a neutral knit with high waist jeans. With black wide leg pants. With pleather. With white jeans.
In spring: Over a white tank, over a white tee, over All white. Over all black. With khaki chinos. With a white denim skirt. On your shoulders over a shoulder pad tee or knit. I wear my crop trench ALL year.
Stripe sweater.
Yes, it’s the only print in my wardrobe. Ha ! Love a stripe tee or knit. You want a stripe top ( never on the bottom : Yikes) This sweater from Arket is a winner. It’s a black and white stripe ( blue and white can be more limiting).
Perfect to lift your camel and neutrals. Wear as a scarf around your neck to add another dimension to your look.
Wear now: with slouchy camel pants and a long trench. Wear bue jeans. With black pleather pants. Under a black coat.
In Spring: with camel chinos and white sandals. With slouchy black jeans. NOTE: a stripe knit with white pants can look a little jaunty and ships ahoy ! So make sure your white jeans are majorly slouchy and big so it’s ‘nautical”
The cream roll neck.
I have so many cream/white roll neck sweaters. My Uniform! Probably because white next to your face takes 10 years off and I need to try everything! A white roll neck knit also doesn’t need ironing. Another great reason. It’s like a white tee but for winter. Intergral to your wardrobe. This one is on sale !
Wear now: Under everything ! I wear my chic cashmere knit going out with slouchy leather pants and heels. With joggers or jeans. I’ll wear with leggings 0n a walk or with camel pants under my toteme cape.
In spring: SO did you know that in summer in Melbourne, NZ and Tassie you need a knit sometimes at night? Haha. Yes, even in Sydney I have been known to toss on a knit on the beach when it gets chilly. A white roll neck is so chic in summer with baggy white jeans and slides. It’s so Nantucket/ Hamptons. With camel chinos. Even over a midi dress.
The sleeveless knit.
This is totally handy dot com. Because it’s sleeveless. It has shoulder pads. It’s cream. I rest my case. Tick! tick ! tick!
Wear now as above . Because it’s sleeveless it’s not as bulky as works well as a layering piece under coats. The shoulder pads give an extra vava voom to your look. But it stand alone as well because OF those shoulder pads.
In spring: You can wear this without a jacket. Yay ! For those who are worried about their arms, the shoulder pads give the illusion of slim arms. I am happy with that. Wear with slouchy camel pants and chinos, with a flirty A line skirt. With jeans of course. With bermudas !
A white shirt. A blue shirt.
Always handy to have in your wardrobe from winter to summer. For ALL the reasons. Though I hate ironing so quite often get my white shirts pressed. Here’s the thing: a white shirt can be boring. It needs updating : That’s why I love this COS shirt ( it’s back in stock) : it has big ballon sleeves and no collar. It makes a statement. What’s to love about a blue or stripe shirt? It’s the ONLY thing I own in a colour ! A light blue shirt LOVES camel and white. Lightens up black and adores denim. It’s the best way to get a third colour in there : so you look chic.
Wear now : Under a knit with the tails hanging out . A white shirt under a camel cape . A blue shirt under a cream knit
In Spring: Tuck a shirt into your high waist jeans. With a black or camel blazer. A white shirt front tucked into camel chinos or shorts, a white shirt looks so chic at night with black ballon pants and heels ! Add silver earrings and bag.
White wide leg jeans/Wide leg blue jeans.
You know the drill : update the classics ! You can’t wear the same jeans forever. You need to update to new modern shapes if you want to look effortless and chic ( yes, please!) ( and not old fashioned and dated). So if you haven’t invested in wide leg jeans yet then get cracking. Why ? They are instant wardrobe updaters. Keep wearing your old blazer with new shape jeans and suddenly everything looks cool. My favourite are these, here and these here.
Wear now: with all your knits and long oversized coats. On repeat. Wear with a peacoat and roll neck and pointy heels. Remember white jeans look so chic in winter . They love ballet flats, loafers and white round toe boots.
In spring: wide leg jeans, in white or light blue or dark denim are all you need in life. Tuck in tops. Wear crop with jackets or long blazers. With white pointy heels or dad sandals. Wide leg jeans look so great with flats ! Thank you lord.
Camel pants.
I have 10 or more camel pants and counting. And I swear they are all different ! They are just as comfortable and versatile as jeans but much chicer. Go for wide leg in a fabric that works across the seasons: lightweight wool. Cotton. Floppy man made fabrics. Long and slouchy is good. I don’t wear any tight camel pants. If you had to buy one pair now: Go for a chinos or cotton fabric that will take you through to summer. Like these and these.
Wear Now: With a trench and sneakers. With a slouchy knit and white pointy heels. With a black peacoat and boots. The best thing about camel pants is that they lighten up all your old black blazers and jackets. This is good.
In Spring. With a stripe tee. (Tuck it in ) with a slouchy shoulder pad tee and white net flats. With a pretty blouse at night with strappy heels. Camel pants are the very definition of an “all year rounder” .
Black leather pants:
I actually mean pleather. Because pleather is lighter and not as hot as leather. Usually softer and way more comfortable. Black pleather pants add instant edge , groove or whatever you want to call it, Not boring black pants but just as versatile. I wore my pleather slouchy pants onto the plane, all over London with a trench, In Paris with a tee and flats. They will take you work to weekend , from day to evening . Pivotal to your wardrobe.
Wear now. As above ! With sneakers and knits, with heels and blazers.
In spring; With a shoulder pad tee or knit and flats. With sambas and a camel blazer and white tee. With a white tank and crop trench with pointy toe sling back kitten heels. The best investment they don’t need ironing. Helloooo!
A line / pleat skirt:
It’s the season of the skirt ! It feels new. It looks chic. It’s so lovely to wear. The key? Make it an A line skirt. A fit n flare shape. Pleated like this. A full skirt. It should be over the knee or midi. I am not keen on maxi skirts except on the beach. In the city ? A maxi looks wrong and clumpy. Too much. You need to see some shin or ankle to freshen it up. ( BTW knee length skirts are coming back, they’re on the runway. Just note it) Go for fabrics that go from winter to summer like cotton or lightweight wool. Go for a camel , white or grey. Black is good.
Wear now : with knee high boots and a slouchy knit and coat. With a crop trench or peacoat to show off the waist and the shape of the skirt. It’s the new silhouette. No gap please between hem of skirt and boots.
In Spring: Love a full or pleat skirt with flats. Love a full a skirt with a white or black cutaway tank. Love a skirt with a waistcoat. Or sleeveless vest. I will be wearing this skirt and this skirt into summer.
Accessories :
Love a white shoe ! If you didn’t know …I’ve lived in white loafers all winter, will wear right into spring. Adore the net white flats I bought for my French trip and will be definitely wearing them into next summer.
When I want some height I keep pulling out my white slingback kitten heels – comfortable and low key yet joosh up anything ! And of course I adore white mules – they make anything you own look instantly fabulous.
Next season? I will by wearing more strappy heels ( these are the best dupe) and also will pull out my dad sandals for another summer although I will buying strappy like this. And love a fisherman sandal too. I always go for flat sandals with a back strap as a slide can some times look way too casual . I don’t feel as polished. Birks ? Of course ! Casual and chic they look great with skirts and wide leg pants.
Bags and belts:
I spend the most on bags. Designer bags. Instantly elevate your wardrobe. The quality is amazing : You can’t kill them ! Love this YSL , now in brown and the pouch is so practical and chic. My Gucci cross body has been fabulous and wear it with everything from activewear to a trench and going out at night. Love this slouchy Arket brown suede bag, wore with white summery clothes in Europe and it was perfect. Also I adore this tan demellier which so roomy and chic !
And this Valentino belt which is reversible has been a fantastic buy. Winter to summer, with jeans, chic skirts and slouchy pants a belt doesn’t care what time of year it is: I rest my case ! See my outfits below
Shop the pieces !
