Whether you consider yourself a fashionista or you wish you could wear pajamas every day, every girl will encounter some fashion roadblocks at one point in her life, or another.
Channeling your inner Coco Chanel can sometimes be a daunting task, but with these 10 tips and tricks from a renowned fashionista, you’ll be sure to have the backup you need.
"For me, fashion is not just ‘business with clothing’ - for me, fashion is everything around me: the way we live, what ideas we have, what we see, how we see others, it is the most intense lived form of art.
“It is the interpretation of the world around us expressed in clothing. It is also the only true direct way for all people to express themselves." says Ulrike Bollmann the owner and founder of U/R Italian.
In an exclusive with GLAMOUR South Africa, Bollmann, shares 10 fashion tips and tricks to use to look your best...
Be experimental
From time to time you should see fashion as a “fun game” – if you take yourself too seriously you might lose and if you wear something you don’t usually wear you might win. Build your own signature look and have fun with it from time to time.
Add your own personal touch
Nothing is more boring than wearing only one label from head to toe - style icons give their look individuality and unique quirks by enhancing the outfits with personal items. For example, a unique necklace inherited from grandma, a watch from your father or particular earrings from the second-hand shop.
Be loyal to your style
Let's put it this way - you don't have to love the pink flared pants that you wore in 2002, BUT, you should be able to understand that you wore them back then when they were in style.
People with style stay true to their taste, but do not follow every trend and have a certain stylistic continuity. How do you know if you are on the right track? You often hear things like: “that beige knitted dress is 100 percent YOU!” = that’s it.
Style yourself appropriately
Emphasize what you particularly like about your body. If you like your legs = wear high heels and a narrow pencil skirt that makes your legs look longer. If you have a great décolleté = highlight it with beautiful cut-outs and classy chains.
Wear sunglasses
Have you ever wondered why fashion professionals wear sunglasses in so many photos? The ladies don't do this to protect their eyes, but rather do it because the sunglasses are an indispensable part of their outfits. Try it out… Wear cool sunglasses for a simple look – this form of styling looks more elegant immediately.
Apply bright lipstick
The fastest way to turn a “simple and comfortable jeans look” into a real eye-catcher = a bright lipstick! This season, strong pinks in an 80s style are particularly popular. If you like it more classic, you should use red lipstick.
Invest in timeless basics
Classic items of clothing such as perfectly fitting jeans, a white blouse, a shift dress, a trench coat or a simple blazer enrich your wardrobe and can be perfectly combined with the latest trend items.
Opposites attract
This is particularly true, especially in fashion... Combine wide with narrow, and vice versa. For example, choose an oversize shirt for skinny jeans and a body-hugging top for wide trousers.
Different lengths work well together
A short shirt or figure-hugging blouse goes with a wide skirt or wide pants, with mini or narrow trousers, it can also be a top that falls loosely over the waistband. Experiment and you’ll soon see what works well together.
Don't worry about clothing sizes!
These are just numbers that say nothing about whether a piece of clothing fits well and what you feel comfortable in it.
Only buy parts that really fit you, and cut out the small pieces of paper with the size information if you are irritated and bothered that you are wearing a size larger than usual.
