When you’re making fashion choices you need to make sure you’re staying at the cutting edge. If your aim is to show off your high fashion credentials then even a single mistake could undermine your whole image. The wrong pattern on a t shirt, last season’s cut of dress or a clutch bag in the wrong place could leave you feeling like the odd one out and like you’ve let yourself down.
Rather than setting out to hit the latest fashions, which date quickly, it makes more sense to build an outfit out of trends, patterns and materials that have already stood the test of time. Fashion classics cannot date: they’re already immortal, so they’re a perfect choice or an outfit that will make you look great and never let you down.
Cashmere
Cashmere is one of those materials that has been an indicator of quality and fashion forever. It’s legendarily soft and luxurious, and has the allure of exclusivity into the bargain. Due to the limited population of the goats the cashmere wool is harvested from, only a certain amount can be made each year. It attracts good designers who want to work with this flexible, surprisingly strong fabric to create new fashion classics.
If you choose a good quality cashmere item (ignoring thin weaves and under- or over-milled fabric) you’ll find you have not just an ideal fashion artefact but something surprisingly hard wearing. As long as you treat it with care, your cashmere sweater will be elevating outfits with its timeless sensibility for many seasons to come.
Stripes
Stripes are a good pattern to add some flair to an outfit, and picking the right design can also help to flatter your figure, drawing attention where you want it, and minimising it elsewhere.
Once again, it’s important to make sure you’re either picking a pattern that’s entirely of the moment or one that has aged gracefully into a classic that’s always in style. It’s worth making sure you have a few items in your wardrobe in the classic Breton stripe pattern – first created out of practicality for the French Navy then introduced into high fashion by Coco Chanel, it’s been popular ever since.
Formal Wear
A formal event is a great chance to show off your finest outfits – and for these it’s always worth considering the classics of the genre. For women, the ‘little black dress’ is an immortal look and men have the ever reliable dinner jacket or tuxedo to fall back on. For some timeless flair, try shopping around vintage outlets to find a dress or suit that’s a little out of the ordinary but still guaranteed to make you look great.
