The sale stock has almost disappeared (well except for a few sorry looking items lingering at the back of the stores) and the spring collections are starting to make an appearance.  I love this time of year, spring is on it’s way and it’s time to pull my spring/summer wardrobe out of hibernation and send my winter wardrobe packing. 

But before I hit the shops for a spot of retail therapy, I always re-asses my wardrobe from last year and remind myself what I have.

Photo taken by the fantastic Sean Malyon

This might sound a little boring, but while it might be nice to buy a whole new wardrobe each season, it’s not necessary.  In fact it’s a crime to ditch a whole load of clothes that fit and look great, just because you think they’re out of fashion.  You know as well as I do, that the trends we see season after season, don’t change that radically (tribal prints anyone?)  So you’d only end up replacing what you bin with something really similar.  Isn’t it better instead, to add some new different pieces to your wardrobe and to constantly build and develop your style?   

One of my trend boards from S/S 2010

The other reason it’s a good idea to do this first, is that we’re creatures of habit, we all have our favourite shops and are drawn to the same style of clothing again and again - including me, remember this?...

It’s only natural and can be a good thing, but not when it prevents us from trying something new and broadening our horizons.

Taking a look at your current wardrobe should help you to not only indentify the gaps, but to spot your repeat purchases, the things you end up buying, when you were really looking for something else.  Once you’ve identified these, you can gently nudge yourself out of your comfort zone.  Re-assessing your wardrobe may sound like a boring exercise, it’s actually a fantastic way to add some new, different items to your wardrobe that gently push you to develop your style! 

Do you revisit your wardrobe each season, if so, what tips do you have?  Let me know by commenting below, Niki x

P.S.  Over the next week I’ll be regularly uploading posts featuring my take on the trends for the season, with suggestions on how to make them work for you and illustrated with my fave picks from the high-street so far so don’t go away!

This is something that I’ve wanted to do for a while now and I hope it will become a regular feature on Hip Shapes and Bristol Fashion.  I came up with the idea when I was pulling together the post about this maxi skirt.   I mentioned then, that I will only buy something new, if I know it will go with at least three other items I’ve got back at home.  Well ‘Three Ways’ to Wear’ is an extension of this.   Some weeks I’ll illustrate three ways to wear a key item and others will focus on a particular trend.  I love the challenge of pulling together looks and outfits using the same item of clothing and proving to you that you don’t need to have an extensive collection of clothes to create countless outfits…just some imagination and a pair of fresh eyes.

As a personal stylist I’ve been through so many wardrobes and while they’re all so different from each other (one of the many things I love about my job is the variety), there are a couple of things that I see again and again.  The first is there are always at least three or four items hanging in the wardrobe un-worn with the labels still on and the other, is that some items are only ever worn a few times and in the same way.  

I want this regular feature to inspire people to experiment more with their wardrobe, to be more creative and not to be afraid to try something new.   As well as this, I’m hoping it will force me to put the time aside to regularly look at my own wardrobe, something that I’ve enjoyed doing with the challenges I’ve done, but that normally comes last after all my clients wardrobes. (On that note, I still want to do more challenges, so if you have one for me, then get in touch!).  So, what do you think? 

Well, if you like the idea then here’s my first post...
Three ways to wear a blouse.

1. Blouse from Monsoon, jeans from Donna Ida, shoes from NW3 and vintag broach 2.Blouse and jeans as before, shoes from Ash, vintage belt, cardigan from Hennes. 3. Jumper from Zara, skirt from Joy, shoes from Dune.

I’m a huge fan of blouses; I find them such a versatile item and perfect for layering.  This one is from Monsoon Fusion, a make that’s recently caught my eye.  I love the colour and the cute heart print (which surprises me as I’m not normally drawn to clothes or jewellery with hearts).  The first outfit is fairly simple, I’ve paired the blouse with a pair of skinny jeans and heels.  I love the shape of the top so I’ve kept the rest of the outfit fairly simple.  I really like the collar and the little bow round the neck so thought I’d try to make a feature of it by adding the broach. 

My second outfit is much more of an everyday look.  It’s a bit blurry, but I’m wearing my leather trainers by Ash with jeans and have tucked the top in, finishing it off with a studded belt and cardi.

And finally, I’m wearing the blouse under this crochet jumper with a skirt and flats.  The collar works quite well around the neckline of the jumper and I like the way you can see a little bit of green through the holes.  I think my favourite look is the middle one, what about you?

Well day two of my challenge is nearly over.  I had to remove all my leopard print items from sight this morning, to avoid the temptation of wearing them.  I had a lovely new client booked in today for a wardrobe consultation so I’m looking a little smarter than I did yesterday.  If I’m seeing a client, I like to try and polish my look a little, it helps get my head’s in the right space.  It has to still look and feel like me though, otherwise it just doesn’t work.

This outfit is one of those fall back one’s, perfect for a day like today when I all seemed to want to wear is leopard print.  You all know about my love for black skinny’s well here I am in them again, they’re from Donna Ida and are definately an investment piece.  I saved my pennies for these and they’re worth every single one of them!  My blouse is another wardrobe staple; it can be worn casually, smart, or dressed up for a night out.  All I need to do is change the accessories around a little.  It’s one of those items that I think everyone should have in their wardrobe, you don’t have to go for a style that ties at the neck like this one, there are so many different styles around, for all body shapes.  I can just about get away wearing this blouse un-tucked but I think it’s a more polished look when it’s tucked in, it also gives it a bit more shape. 

Jacket from Mango, blouse from Oasis, trousers from Donna Ida, shoes from Carvella, belt came with a pair of trousers from Zara and my bag is Mulberry (it's 10yrs old this year!)

The jacket has been in my wardrobe for about three years now, and yes, it’s another key item. I find it so useful for this time of year when it’s not cold enough to wear my winter coat, but not warm enough to go without.  It works well with denim and I can throw it over a dress, it’s so versatile.

I didn’t start this post intending it to be about key items for the wardrobe, but it seems to have turned out that way…maybe it’s because I did a wardrobe consultation today which is all about identifying key items and building on them to develop a hard working wardrobe.

Oh, and if you’re wondering why my dog is in so many of the photos, it’s because I took them as soon as I got home to catch the last of the daylight, when normally I’d be rushing out on a walk with him.  It was his way of letting me know that he was ready, but to be honest, I didn't mind I quite liked the distraction in front of the lens.

Do you have a fall back outfit, or do you always know what to wear?