Masculine tailoring with a feminine twist is a strong direction for Autumn and Winter. It’s one of my favourite trends and I’ll spend a few blog entries talking about how menswear-inspired fashions make for an extremely alluring style for ladies.

Pinstriped and herringbone check (plaid) suiting, tuxedo jackets, trench coats,  slouchy wide legged pants, cigarette pants, baggy knitwear, waistcoats (vests), crisp collared white shirts, spectator shoes and neckties are key pieces for this trend. If you’re not fond of pants then tulip, bubble, pencil skirts and shift dresses will work just as well.

The best things about the androgynous look:

• There are pieces suited to every body type
• Wearing single elements of the trend is just as effective as multiple ones
• It’s a refreshing look for the office
• It’s a stylish alternative to the cocktail dress for the Christmas party season

The look can be dressed up or down, and how you pull the various elements together is completely your choice. No matter how you choose to match your androgynous items together, retaining that “lady-like” edge is a must. It’s simply done by keeping those jackets form fitting, adding stacked heels and a pretty clutch bag.

Department stores like Dillard’s and Saks are well stocked with the androgynous look.

Shades of grey were last shown as a fashion statement at the turn of millennium. Whether it’s silver, elephant, gunmetal, slate or charcoal – it’s back with a vengeance as a softer alternative to black. Tailored skirt suits, shift dresses, and overcoats in rich charcoal tweeds seem to echo those lady-like looks of the ‘40’s; while faded grey denim skinnies and mélange grey jersey knits take us right back to the ‘80’s. Although it is often thought of as conservative in nature, grey is anything but boring this season. It’s how you mix your pieces up and accessorize your grey items that will give this neutral colour its new lease on life. Find out how below:

• Add the gloss – match grey items with patent bags, belts or shoes of any colour.
• Add the warmth – pair grey up with warmer shades of brown and caramel instead of just black and white.
• Add the brights – primary colours yellow, red and blue work especially well with grey, creating a softness that black cannot duplicate. 

Your look is not complete this season without the odd grey item. Add the oomph and celebrate the return of this classic neutral.

Whether it’s casual or smart, glamour or retro rock – grey will work in your wardrobe. Think mélange knits, rich tweeds, wool blends and mock croc when it comes to selecting your grey items. Department stores like Dillard’s and Nordstrom are sure to have something to your liking.

Don’t be. This season marks the beginning of watershed changes in fashion, and the only way to see if they will work for you is to try them on. By all means be mindful of what’s best for your body type and lifestyle; but don’t be inhibited by preconceived ideas about what will look good and what won’t. You might be pleasantly surprised with what you see once you’ve plucked up the courage.

For example, if you think that…

• you can’t wear red – you can if you find the correct shade
• you aren’t slim enough to wear skinnies – you are if you match them up with a shapely A-line tunic top
• you can’t wear a belt on your natural waist – you can if you find the right width of belt for your size
• you can’t wear gold – you can if you mix and match it correctly
• you are too pale to wear cream or white – you’re not if you create a contrast with another item of clothing or with your makeup
• voluminous sleeves are too fussy – they’re not if you select three-quarter sleeve lengths
• you are too short to wear longer lengths on top – you’re not if you keep the longer lengths just above your crotch point

If the new look is still too daunting for you, take a fashion savvy friend along for moral support. Be bold and experiment with something that’s different to what you would normally pick out. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Whether it’s elegant or edgy, knitted or woven, plain or printed – no wardrobe is complete without a few pretty girlie tops. If you’re not one for frills and flounces then simpler kimono cuts and tuxedo styles can be just as alluring. Their increasing popularity is due to their tremendous versatility. Girly tops are perfect paired with jeans for smart casual dressing; and slacks or a skirt for business casual attire. Add the drama with ultra-dressy separates and the right accessories, and your outfit is appropriate for any semi-formal occasion. Contrary to what you might think, girly tops are easy items to put together in outfits. Here’s how:

• Add the extra layer – pop a camisole or tank top underneath if it’s sheer; pop a cropped jacket over for a dressier look.
• Add the bottom – jeans (skinny, bootcut or flared), walk shorts, skirts and slacks can all be worn with girly tops. Choose jeans when you want to dress your top down, and slacks or a skirt for a more formal look.
• Add the accessory – keep your jewelry pieces to a minimum when you wear girly tops with lots of detail (like neckties, bows, multiple ruffles and bold prints). Dainty earrings and/or one longer length necklace is best. Cinching in your natural waist with a wide or skinny belt is another good option.

You won’t look back once you’ve got the hang of putting together outfits with girly tops. They’ve become a staple in my wardrobe because they make me feel feminine, well groomed and put together.

Girly tops come in all sorts of silhouettes, colours and fabrications. Anthropologie, Bebe and Nordstrom have a wonderful selection this season.

Vintage and peasant silhouettes from Anthropologie.

Frilly and flouncy options with woven prints from Bebe and Nordstrom add drama.

Simpler knitted options from Nordstrom.

Ballet flats are the new look of comfort and style. Round, pointy and square toed alike – they’re all fabulous and extremely feminine. They are here in full force for autumn and perfect for right now, just before we’re in boots fighting off the cold and rain for months on end. Wear them all season if temperatures remain mild where you live – you can’t go wrong.

Ballet flats (or “skimmers” as they’ve been referred to this season) are very versatile. They’ll work both in casual and smarter dress codes. Wear them with:

• Either bootcut or skinny jeans and pants
• Walk shorts 
• Leggings and a tunic length top
• A pencil skirt if you are at least regular height (5′4″ and above)

Give your precious feet a rest from heels and treat yourself to ballet flats. Patent, red, black, metallic and leopard would be my top choices this season. This fashionable and practical shoe option is just what the doctor ordered for those of us who need to zoot around at high speeds all day. Mums and urbanites – enjoy this fantastic trend!

An abundant assortment of ballet flats or skimmers are available at Zappos.com.

Autumn’s end-of-season sales are upon us before we’ve wrapped our heads and our bodies around the season’s new looks. Stores will soon be receiving their winter and holiday collections.

Banana Republic for Men continues to be a shopping destination for gents. They are currently on their 40% mid season sale and gents should have a look at their jeans, knitwear and shirting. Ladies who shop for your loved ones at Banana Republic for Men should stock up at this sale.

Their ranges for women, however, have proved disappointing over the last few seasons. Inconsistent sizing, dowdy styles and expensive prices have prevented me from spending my retail dollars there for a while. At the sale Ladies might have a spot of luck with the odd trench coat, smart pants and basic knit at reduced prices.

The good news is that the clothing on offer for the next part of the season (which is not on sale yet) looks like a vast improvement in style and price and this is what I am most excited to share. Banana Republic for Women might be on its’ way back.

Banana Republic for Women sales items that are worth considering: A striped wool cardigan, military inspired cropped trench, grey micro spot wrap dress with voluminous sleeve detail and cropped herringbone walk shorts are super choices not only for the  modern classics among us, but also for the trendy fashionistas who will mix it up with funk and flair.

Spring welcomed the resurgence of longer length knitted tops and T’s, and Autumn and Winter welcomes them again. Knitwear and shirting have also followed suit, making almost a decades’ worth of hipbone length tops and collared shirts look dated. While it’s a super idea to buy longer length tops, it doesn’t mean that you have to disregard the hip bone length tops and shirts in your closet. You can update them by popping a longer length camisole or t-shirt underneath, thereby adding the length and the interest of an extra layer.

Longer length tops are most flattering scrunched up to just above your crotch point, or extra long to cover your thighs (but still above your knees). Pretty pear body types need to stay clear of longer lengths that fall in-between the 2 lengths described above.

Whether it’s casual or smart casual clothing that you wear everyday – be sure to update the length of your tops. It’s current, elegant and practical – an absolute must for those of you who work from home.

Nordstrom has an excellent selection of longer length tops in at the moment. You’ll find a good section of longer length camisoles at Express for $26.

Jailbird stripe: an equidistant two-tone stripe that’s anything from half an inch to 4 inches wide.

Horizontal and diagonal jailbird-striped knitted tops started coming through in Spring. The look has filtered down into Autumn and is bigger then ever. They are my number one “must have item” to update your look this season. There are lots of jailbird striped items to choose from – knit tops, pullovers, cardigans, T’s and girly tops are all super options.  It’s untrue that horizontal stripes make you look bigger then you are.  By selecting the correct width of stripe, garment shape and neckline - this very ’80’s look can be worn by all body types.  Have a look at the guidelines below:

• Well endowed ladies need to select narrower stripe widths with V or scooped shaped necklines.
• Less endowed ladies need to select broader stripe widths with either higher necklines, or wear camisoles underneath striped tops with scooped neck styles.
• Select tops with shape that are either cinched in at the waist or welted at the bottom. Horizontal striped tops that are boxy are unflattering.
• Select tops with length that cover at least half of your bottom (and going longer is also a good idea). If your striped tops are shorter then that, pop a longer length T underneath to lengthen your line.

It’s simple to add a jailbird-striped knitted top or “T” to your wardrobe. Pop over a cropped jacket for when it’s cooler and you’ve updated your look. It’s perfect for both casual and smart casual dressing.

Mango and Gap have particularly nice jailbird-striped knitted tops in at the moment – all with good length and shape.

Fallacy: wear wintery colours in Autumn; and summery colours in Spring.
 
It isn’t an item of clothing’s colour that makes it seasonally appropriate – it’s the fabric.  Have a look at these examples:

• Wear white all year around – winter-weight white shirts, woolen white coats or jackets and white denim are stylish for chilly autumn days. Its crisp white linen suiting that isn’t appropriate.
• Wear black and grey all year around – sheer black and grey romantic blouses are pretty on warm Spring days. Wearing them in heavy knits, corduroy and wool blends would be less appropriate.
• Wear brights when it’s cold – I often brighten up a grey winter’s day by wearing a bright piece of knitwear, jacket, coat or accessory in a wool blend, sueded cotton, or furry fabric.
• Wear autumn colours when it’s warm – burnt oranges, shades of brown and sage greens are lovely in Summer if the items are in cool cottons, silks and rayon blends. It’s when they are in tweeds and wool that they won’t work.

Banish the idea of keeping white locked up after Labor Day. Make sure that the fabrics of your clothes are right for the seasonal climate and wear the colours that suit you with style, whatever the time of year.

Red gloves (Mango) and a yellow bag (Anthropologie) are cheery in winter.

White jackets and knits are stylish in winter (Nordstrom).

Skinny jeans are everywhere, but they are tricky to wear. Slim-framed women with rectangular, boyish bodies still look best in this lean look. However, skinny jeans seem a lot more forgiving this time around because they come in an assortment of cuts and can be worn in a variety of feminine ways. We did not have these options in the ’80’s, and this new way of wearing them makes skinnies a lot more flattering than I expected.

Before you give skinnies a miss, consider the following options:

• Skinny jeans come in a variety of lengths and ankle widths: ankle, scrunched and extra long for length; and tapered or straight for width. You’ll be able to select the length and width that works best for your body type.
• Matching them up with the correct shoes and tops can give you that lean line that you are striving for. Whether you wear flats/ heels, or long slim knits/ belted tunics will depend on your body type.
• You can always pop them into your knee high boots.

Having been a teenager in the ’80’s, I vowed that I would never wear skinny jeans again – until I tried them recently and put together their updated look. I chose a darker wash with a medium rise and fairly straight cut leg as opposed to the ultra-tapered cut option. I am pleasantly surprised by how they have been working in my wardrobe. The fact that I have been able to dress my skinnies up elegantly has given me the confidence to wear them again.

Skinny jeans are still not for everyone, but you might be surprised at how slimming these pants can be if you give them a chance and match them up with the correct items. When pretty pear shaped bodies like Beyoncé and Alicia Keyes wear skinnies with style – it’s time for another look.

Skinny jeans from Macy’s.