Spice up your style

How do you shop for groceries?  Hang on a minute, this is the Style File, what’s grocery shopping got to do with it? Well, in my experience, how us ladies shop for groceries, has a lot in common with how we shop for our clothes.

Consider:

A. Do you create a meal plan for the week and shop for those specific ingredients?

B. Do you stock up on a variety of veggies, meat, fish and fruits and create meals throughout the week as you fancy? 

C. Do you haphazardly pick up things throughout the grocery store and then find that you "don’t have anything to eat," when you get home?

Let’s now translate this to clothes shopping. 

A. Do you purchase specific head-to-toe outfits and only ever wear those items together?

B. Do you buy a variety of tops, bottoms and accessories in coordinating colours, patterns and textures and mix and match and dress up or down as your mood and/or the occasion requires?

C. Do you pick up clothes and accessories that catch your eye, but then find you "have nothing to wear"?

I’ll bet that if scenario A. is your grocery shopping style, then scenario A. is likely your approach to clothes shopping. Likewise for scenarios B. and C.

If you want to spice up your wardrobe (not to mention your meals), I would definitely recommend scenario B. If you don’t already shop in this way, and it sounds a bit daunting, the Style File is here to help.

1. First, take an outfit like a suit and break it up.  Try wearing the jacket with jeans, and try on the skirt or pants with different tops.  You’ll be surprised what works and there’s the added bonus that you now have several new outfits, without spending a penny.

2. Stock up on wardrobe basics.  You know those items that you always wish you had more of or find yourself rummaging through the laundry for. Items such as black sweaters, white shirt or fitted T’s and tank tops. A great pair of jeans or pants. These are great basics to ground jackets, layer under shirts or patterned or textured tops and accessorize with funky boots or bag.

3. Once you get the hang of mixing and matching your existing items and wardrobe basics, you can branch out and treat yourself to some new pieces, and start to define your personal style.  Right now is a great time – fashion is very eclectic – so it’s hard to make a mistake, and there’s lots of colour, patterns and shapes out there to choose from.

Here are some picks for a fashion fling this Spring 2008…

Totally trendy totes – check out the range of bountiful bags that are perfect for us moms who carry around quite the stash of snacks, toys and other necessities. Choose from fabrics from canvas to leather and patterns to plain. For a really stong statement select a bright colour or print to jazz up your spring basics. These are from Payless and Aldo.

A gem of an idea – hold off on the Bedazzler, because gems are generous and gorgeous this season.  If you don’t fancy a bejeweled top, simply add a chunky necklace to plain tops or glam up basic pumps and jackets with a beautiful broach. Wear this black gem of a top from Suzy Shier with black pants or jeans for an evening look or add this jeweled pendant to casual outfits to update classic jeans and t’s.

Get ruffled – details such as ruffles, ruching and puffed sleeves are here big time, so update your basics with a trendy top that suits your shape.  The good news is there’s no need to spend a fortune on these one year wonders. This pretty proposition is from American Eagle and the subdued mellow yellow can be found at Jacob.

Funky footwear – from fabulous flats to patent primary colour pumps, it’s easy to punctuate any outfit with a nicely priced pair of shoes, such as these boldly dotted Payless flats which will add a punch of individuality to capris, skirts and Bermuda shorts. Or how about these Gap slides to ease your toes into warmer temperatures?

Bring out your bangles – don’t resist dressing up your wrists and adding an interesting twist to any outfit with bold bangles. Mix and match colours and designs and you’ve given yourself a totally trendy twist. Old Navy has a great budget priced selection or check out Banana Republic for clever designer keepsakes.

I hope you have fun mixing up your menu and your closet. 

Katie is host of the urbanmoms.ca Style File. As a public relations professional and a student of style and design, she has helped many retail and fashion clients promote their brands. She is mom to two boys (the best anti-shopping devices on the market) and now indulges her love of fashion by conducting wardrobe consultations, personal shopping expeditions and by participating in media interviews, providing advice on everything from wardrobe must-haves to accessories and footwear. Katie firmly believes that high style does not have come with a high price tag and her shopping philosophy is based on saving both time and money.

For more style musings, visit Katie at Real Canadian Style www.realcanadianstyle.blogspot.com