Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) is one of Europe’s most successful fashion chain stores. This Swedish based company operates in more than 22 countries and has started successfully tapping the US market on the East Coast and California. It targets the ultra-hip consumer by offering cheap, cutting edge fashion for men, women and children. They have recently branched out their merchandise mix to include maternity and plus sizes. Germany is currently their biggest market (30% of sales), Sweden is a close second and the UK third.

Their philosophy: “to offer unbeatable value by providing fashion forward clothing at the best possible price” 

H&M markets their desirable brand to high-end fashion consumers despite their discount fashion price points. You will often find an H&M located right next to a designer brand. In 2004, H&M stores offered an exclusive collection by Karl Lagerfeld (Chanel) which sold out worldwide within one hour.  In 2005, the success was repeated by Stella McCartney (Chloe). This year, stores will offer exclusive ranges designed and marketed by Madonna. 

Most of the merchandise offered at H&M is very young, but there always seems to be a super selection of basics and classics that defy age. Unlike Zara, elegance and sophistication are not their goals. Their aim is to offer the funky urbanite limitless creative options.  Don’t expect to hold onto your H&M  purchase for years – at budget prices, their clothes are not made to last.

My wardrobe is not complete without my playful H&M pieces. If its cutting edge trends at budget prices that you are after – H&M is the shop for you.

If you dislike wearing thongs (g-string underwear) like I do, you’ll be happy to know that there is a thong out there that’s more than bearable. The brand is called “hanky panky”, and after a few minutes of having it on, I had completely forgotten my concerns of discomfort. It’s made of stretch lace and is “one size fits all”. It has a 100% cotton gusset and you can select either the high or low rise option. The high rise option worked well with my low rise pants, which was surprising.

I’m not a complete convert – I still prefer my boy shorts underwear – but after giving the hanky panky a grueling trial it’s definitely the thong that I would recommend for ensuring that those panty lines remain invisible. You’ll find this brand of underwear at any department store.

The hanky panky thong in an assortment of colours from Nordstrom.

With dress codes at work becoming more casual, the tendency to “under dress” is rife. While, arriving at a beach party in a suit and heels is clearly the wrong attire. Having style also has to do with dressing appropriately for an occasion. Overdressed people often look out of place, but then so do those that make no effort. 

Consider the following:

• Overdressing is the safer option – if you are unsure of the dress code for a particular occasion (even if it’s a dinner party with friends), it’s always a better to overdress. Not only is it respectful to your host, but who doesn’t want to be the best dressed person in the room.
• Good grooming is imperative – be well groomed when you wear casual clothing. Casual dressing is no excuse for looking sloppy, wrinkled or unclean.
• Watch the accessories – accessories are key to making you look either overdressed or underdressed. Dress them down for a casual occasion and dress them up for a more formal one. Pay particular attention to your shoes – heels will always be dressier.  

It’s important to understand the difference between being “polished” and being “dressed up”. Done up hair, too much make-up, and over accessorizing is distasteful, but a polished look is perfect for every occasion.

Nothing articulates your sense of style better then your choice of accessories. Unlike most women, shoes are not my favourite accessory – bags are. They effortlessly pop a boring outfit into the next season. They are practical and don’t always need to be expensive. What is not to love about bags?

Despite an abundance of variation, bags can be classified. Here’s the way I do it:

• Tote – a large bag with fairly short handles that you can either hold with your hands or carry on your shoulder
• Hobo – a large or small soft bag that slouches when you hold it
• Shopper – a casual tote usually made out of canvas with additional zips and compartments on the outside
• Messenger or Sling – a large or small bag with a long strap that can be slung over your shoulder and across your front
• Hard handle – a small bag with hard handles that you hold on to
• Satchel – a horizontal bag with many outsize zips and pockets
• Duffel – a cylindrical shaped bag with handles
• Frame – a rigid boxy bag that has a metal frame inside of it with straps of any length
• Clutch – a small slim bag that is meant to be clutched with your fingers
• Wristlet – a very small bag with a handle that loops around your wrist
• Mini – a very small bag that is a version of any of the above

There is no such thing as “one useful bag that fits all”. There are many occasions that deserve a specific bag. As you acquire a bag collection, you’ll need to become disciplined about swapping them out when necessary – perhaps even daily. It’s therefore best to keep the contents to a minimum!

 
       Tote                             Hobo                            Shopper
                    
     Wristlet                                                  Clutch

  Satchel                            Frame                            Messenger

We can start shopping for autumn! It’s my favourite season and shopping for it is merely the cherry on the top. It’s always difficult to select what to buy so far ahead of time, but hopefully the process can be made a bit easier for you with a list of the hot items for the season. Remember to be mindful of your body type, budget, lifestyle and fashion persona when you read the list – it’s very broad. Make savvy choices about what shapes and trends work best for you.

The hot list:

• Long black boots – equestrian and military influences are strong. Wear them over skinny pants or underneath skirts.
• The “ankle bootie” – this is the “it shoe” for the season. It’s a high heeled little boot that finishes delicately over your ankle bones. It’s supposed to be worn under skirts with tights or with any type of pant.
• Anything patent – think black, grey, red and brown in just about anything that you can find.
• Leopard prints - whether its gloves, a scarf, hat, belt, bag or shoe; if you like it and its leopard – buy it.
• Bubble skirts – they’ll be more drapy then when we saw them 25 years ago and therefore more flattering. 
• Capes – for the very daring. This is stylish if you wear them cropped.
• Menswear pants – in checks and plaids, this will be elegant the wider they are on leg – very Katherine Hepburn.
• Skinny jeans – for the boyish bodies among us to wear with heels; otherwise to tuck into your long boots. 
• Military jacket/coat – dare I say it, but preferably in black.
• Faux fur neck trims – on any jacket, coat or accessory.
• Hounds tooth – (small black and white check) also in absolutely anything that you like.
• Big bag – if you don’t already own a big black or red bag, do not hesitate.
• Anything colourful – anything colourful that you love is going to be good idea. Brightening up the darkness of the season ahead will be fabulous.

If you are in the USA, then you can kick off your shopping at their amazing Anniversary Sale. Pay for your items in the menswear or homeware departments to save time.  Doors open at 7am on Friday morning and you can be out by 9am if you focus.

Identifying the perfect pair of jeans is never easy, but eventually we find that fabulously fitting pair and we are elated! However, as we wear them for a couple of days we are often horrified to find that that they no longer fit – they have grown at least a size from our thighs upwards. We are left with a pair of ill-fitting denims that makes us look bigger than we are. What can we do about this?

 As always, prevention is better than cure:

• Go down a size – your jeans should be snug, looking almost too tight when you buy them. Wear them for a couple of hours and you’ll find that they’ll start to grow – this time into that perfect fit.
• Hang dry instead of tumble drying – tumble dryers have unfavourable effects on denim that has as little as 1% stretch. The heat first causes the lycra to contract (which is why our jeans feel tight after we’ve washed them), and then subsequently to lose its elasticity completely (causing them to “grow”). If you have tumbled-dried your jeans, their fit will never be the same again.

I have always been mindful of buying my clothes too small, but I have learnt to make my jeans the exception. Buy them tight and ignore the washing instruction if it permits tumble drying.

We are heading for a very somber new season. The autumn/winter 2006/2007 catwalk collections were as dark as the ace of spades. Where white was the biggest fashion colour for Summer; black will be its counterpart for the 6 months that follow. My best description for the new autumn/winter season at the moment is “dramatic gothic glamour meets ‘80’s urban punk chic”.

If you love colour, get the most out of your pretty summer colours while you can. Prepare yourself for a season of theatrical ladylike refinement mixed with lots of urban cool. New Yorkers and Londoners will be in their element. You’ll see strong military influences, equestrian sophistication, skirts that swing and faux fur embellished coats cut in unusual shapes. Fortunately, they’ll still be lots of metal around to soften an otherwise very hard look.

There are rules that will help you look better in a dark palette (e.g. the only way to wear black from heard to toe successfully is with lots of texture). And there will be solutions for those of us that don’t fancy looking like gangsters all the time. I’ll be posting some targeted new season shopping suggestions for The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale next week – stay tuned!

Rise: The distance between the crotch and the waistband in pants, shorts, or underwear (both front and back)

Stylists have been advocating lower rises for years because they make your bottom look smaller (in fact a lower rise can halve the side of your derrière instantly). Over the seasons, rises have become ultra low, making the appearance of “bottom cleavage” the next problem (solved with the emergence of longer length T’s this Spring/Summer).

However, if you are carrying a little extra weight around your midsection (especially after child birth), a higher rise is a good option. I have begun to dress women with post baby belly in jeans and slacks like these. The rise should be just below your navel (not above it), and the waistband curved flat onto your waist. If the waistband stands away at the back, have it altered for $20 instead of using a belt. Belts will add bulk to the area you are trying to flatten out.  Avoid any form of pleat and this type of waist construction will act like an effective girdle (and will be a lot easier to put on then Spanx).

The trick is to find styles with higher rises that are not tapered at the leg. I’ve had success popping ladies into the options below:  

• Original boot cut jeans from Gap
• “Laura” and “Ann” fits at Ann Taylor Loft
• “Audrey” and “Margo” fits at Ann Taylor

Unfortunately your bottom will appear larger with higher rise pants, but if you keep your tops un-tucked and over your hip bone, you’ll be able to create the illusion of a smaller tighter tush!

Higher rise slacks from Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft. Jeans from Gap.

French, Italian, British and American designers dominate the catwalk scene; but it’s the Spanish that are best at interpreting these trends and turning them into commercial fashion for retail. Let me introduce you to one of the most successful retail chains in the world – Zara. This Spanish chain store is part of the Inditex group - one of the largest fashion retail groups worldwide. Almost 86% of their staff are women with women occupying 54% of the executive, technical and managerial positions.

“Zara offers the latest trends in international fashion in an environment of thought-out design”.  You’ll find these stores in the main commercial areas of cities across Europe, America and Asia. Zara offers women’s, men’s and children’s clothing and accessories at affordable prices. Their clothing is not meant to last forever and some describe it as “throw-away fashion”, but who wants to pay the earth for a fashion fad? That said, I have classics in my closet from Zara that are at least 3 years old and going strong.

Their enormous success can be attributed to many factors. What stands out for the consumer is the exclusivity of their product. They never offer more then 10 items in the same style, which can drive you crazy if they don’t have your size, but will prevent you from looking like someone else when you walk down the street. There isn’t another retailer that offers the same level of trendy fashion with the elegance and sophistication that Zara does. Their designs and colour direction are always a cut above the rest, but without burning a hole in your wallet. If you are a regular size and passionate about fashion – you need to shop here. It’s one of my very favourite places to buy up a storm.

Zara stores are predominantly located in Europe, Asia and South America. There are Zara stores in many American cities, but for those of you in the Pacific Northwest – Vancouver, Canada is your best bet.

The colours of stars and stripes herself are a big fashion statement this summer. Red, white and navy have evolved from a classic staple into a trendy look of nautical striped tops, white bottoms and red patent accessories.

Have a go at putting this fresh new look together – it will not disappoint.

Nautical stripes from Nordstrom (navy) and Bebe (red).