It's officially Autumn as of September 22nd, you know that it's going to feel like the season's turned quicker than that. Have you noticed it's got so much darker now and the air at night can get quite nippy?
If you have you're not alone, I've been contemplating my wardrobe and what items are needed to see me into AW13. Having carefully considered trends, longevity and of course necessity, these items are my best-of-the-best pieces for a basic capsule wardrobe.
What I would normally suggest is purchasing the basics, these items are the items that will see you through autumn-winter and then onto spring. I would then decide what trends you are really feeling and which you really dislike. I love bohemian, ethnic styles which are huge right now; metallics and holograms are also huge but personally, I can't see me rocking those.
By understanding what you like and dislike it's easier to build a successful seasonal wardrobe rather than buying items on the spur of the moment and wasting money. Accessories are an easy and affordable method of staying on trend and footwear is one of the best ways to tie an outfit together.
Basic Capsule Wardrobe
* Jeans - Skinny jeans aren't going out anytime soon. I opted for these deep denim toned skinnies because they can be dressed both up-and-down.
* Skirt - Autumn is cold let's be fair, pencils skirts are making a huge come-back (did they really ever go out?) They suit all shapes and again can be dressed up or down. Teaming your pencil with a semi-tucked in tee, leather or bomber jacket and some ankle boots gives the best of both worlds. It's chic for both casual events or even works.
* Trousers - AW13 is going very ladylike with central seams and loose-fitting materials. Darker tones are going to last you longer; blue's, grey's and white's will do for both business and pleasure - Are you brave enough to wear coloured trousers? If ladylike is not your style chino's seem to still be on-trend.
* Shift Dress - They're easy and quick to style up. They're also comfortable and again suitable for both business and pleasure. I decided to go for the brighter primary shades because they will take you into spring with ease. With AW turning quite dark these bright's will ensure you are surrounded by happy energy. Add some heels, a collarless jacket and some gold chunky jewels for a feminine style or team with some spiked biker boots or wellies and a leather long-line coat for a stylised rocker look. If bright tones are not your thing this monochrome-patterned 3/4 dress is ideal for any edgy lady.
*Shirts - Shirts are no longer dull and shapeless, this plaid blouse type shirt is exactly what AW is all about. Plaid is major right now and this ticks so many boxes you can't get this trend right. Team with your pencil skirt, jeans or trousers. The backless black shirt also is a fantastic choice especially for evening wear and looks so demure but sexy; yes this could be teamed with a blazer and jeans/trousers for work wear but team this with your skinnies and some rocking bracelets and you're going to be turning heads that's for sure.
* Tee's - Tee's are a basic for all seasons. Loose fitting jersey styles always look chic; black, white and marl greys are a great basis for any season. Oversized tee's are a great option as are folded sleeves. It's great to have a couple of fun prints in your collection, fashion should be fun and having fun tees is a great way of lightening up a somewhat serious collection. If you opt for bright shades and masses of pattern be sure to tone the whole look down with some plain pieces such as blazer and jeans; similarly if you opt for basic colours jazz up your look with some major costume jewels such as drop or bedazzled necklaces.
* Boots - Forget the Uggs. Now hear me out before you get upset by that statement, Uggs although they're comfortable they're not practical in our weather. They completely stuff up your bodies alignment and chavs wear them - why would you want to look like a chav? Biker boots, slouchy flat soled boots and flat boots with embellishments such as cut-outs, buckles or spikes are also super comfortable, durable and look better with age; unlike they're floppy glorified outdoor-slipper counterparts.
* Shoes - Whether you have a passion for flats or are a sky high seductress dressier shoes are a must. Booties are a great option as are flats, kitten heels and funky wellies. Forget peep-toes and overly strappy heels unless it's something you 'must' have due to work or special occasions.
* Long Cold Weather Jacket - This is self-explanatory. I however am completely in love with the fuzzy pea-coat from Topshop; this comes in the black as above and also cream - personally I'm not brave enough for the cream but that black shall be mine *muahahah* Tweed and pleather are also majorly popular options so don't be shy about mixing your fabrics.
* Short Casual Jacket - Shorties are always going to be in, sometimes you just feel the need to wear a shorty and I totally get that. Bomber jackets are on-trend, satin shorties are on trend although not really practical from a warmth point of view and leather never goes out - when buying leather or pleather make sure it's not overly glossy or plastic looking; a nice soft well shaped shorty is the way to go.
* Knitwear - Brights again, chunky knits, big buttons and animal prints are huge. Pleather and leather are also firmly staying on-trend for AW so, purchasing items such as the animal print-leather shoulder jumper above is the perfect way to update your wardrobe. Also, how gorgeous is that Topshop orange knit cardi?
You'll notice there isn't much in the way of accessories. I missed those out because you can really go wild with those, clash your tones, build up arm and neck parties and mix your metals - you really are limited to your imagination. Sometimes however an outfit calls for minimal accessories so if you find your outfit is heavily coloured or patterned sometimes it's best to opt for a variation of plain accessories such as leather or mixed metals.
If you're going for a dressy style again sometimes it's best to stick to minimal accessory types - this chunky gold tone bracelet is ideal because gold's back bay-bee. This goes with every style and trend you can think of and is a great jewellery box addition.
Are there any trends you would like to try this AW? If there's a trend you're not quite sure how to make wearable let me know, I would love to help you style it out on my blog. Tweet me @sweetelyseuk or email me lovelies.
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