The weather is getting colder and once again, we have nothing to wear – but this year looking great doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
Westfield stylist Jo Blankfield says this season’s new trends are not only easy to incorporate into your wardrobe – they also compliment last year’s trends.
Her first piece of advice? Forget the little black dress. This year it is all about the little navy dress. She promises it will be a key piece in your winter wardrobe. “Black is often a dominant winter colour, but what is really refreshing is that we are seeing a lot of navy coming through,” Jo said.
“There are a lot of people who shouldn’t be wearing black for their colour palate and navy is just a bit nicer and warmer.
“It’s all about looking at the undertones of people’s skin. When some people put black on it can bring out grey undertones in their face. Navy makes them look a bit warmer.”
Here are the five key trends you can’t live without this season.
Burgundy
Berry tones, including burgundy and plums, are the colours to be seen in. Whether it is a boot or a pair of jeans, it’s one colour that you need to incorporate into your winter colour palette.
“Burgundy is one of your practical colours. It has that warmth like that blue denim that you would often wear and it goes with a lot of the winter tones that we generally wear,” Jo said. So don’t be afraid to pick yourself up some burgundy jeans.
Pattern clashes
There has always been an unspoken rule that dictated you only wear one pattern at a time, but that has been banished. Pattern clashing is big and involves teaming big and bold prints, that you may already have tucked away in your wardrobe, together.
As well as bold combinations, Jo says prints can be teamed up more subtley by adding a printed scarf to an outfit.
60s style
Jo has seen a lot of 60s styled dresses in stores. She says this is a great style to take you from corporate to casual – depending on what you team the dress up with. This style is very ladylike and can be teamed with a pair patterned tights from last winter’s wardrobe.
Metallic and shimmer/shine
Jo says that while metallics have been seen as a good night option for quite some time, they are now being introduced as day winter wear. This includes knits, shimmer jeans, jackets and even shoes.
Leather and lace
This combination was well and truly a trend last year and we are happy to report it has made a comeback this season. Jo says that both leather pants and a leather jacket are great options.
How to add these trends to your existing winter wardrobe
Now that you have the trends covered, here is how to add them to the winter pieces already hanging in your closet.
Jo says anything leather or lace from last season is great to team up with a burgundy boot or scarf. Also, if you have a fur vest from last year, bring it out again – it is still a dominant winter piece. So what’s the most essential winter piece to have hanging in your closet?
“It will always be a winter boot, that is a key piece,” Jo said.
“It is definitely wise to invest in a really good pair of winter boots because they are something practical, yet fashionable, that you can feel comfortable in.
“If you’re worried about the amount you are spending think about the number of wears you get out of that spend. That’s a good indicator on what you should spend on a particular piece.”
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