Mick Jagger Remembered

Grand ruler of fashion in Paris and around the world Coco Chanel once said that while fashion fades, style remains the same. She’s right, of course, and one of the main mistakes the women make when shopping and dressing themselves is focusing too much on the present trends in fashion. It’s possible to look good and feel fabulous without becoming a slave to the season. In fact, dressing well is easier if you focus on timeless style rather than keeping up with the trends.

Money doesn’t equal style. One of the biggest obstacles for women who aren’t receiving swag bags from designers or rolling in money is remembering that being fashionable doesn’t mean spending your life savings. No matter what the budget, it’s possible to shop stylishly at almost any store in the world. Even more than that, while money can buy a lot of things, it certainly can’t buy taste. A well-styled woman in moderately-priced clothing will wow the party far more than an incredibly memorable but poorly dressed aspiring diva.

Size has nothing to do with it. Of course it’s easier for a skinny woman to find something at the local boutique, but just because you aren’t a size zero, it’s no excuse to not find something to dress well in. Don’t allow your height or weight to give you permission to bow out of the race for style. Confidence and well-fitting clothes are the secret to success for so many women, and you don’t have to have Mick Jagger’s figure to get ahead in this world, ladies.

Confidence is key, or dress for success. If you telecommute or aren’t going out for the night, don’t let it turn into an excuse for you to make a habit out of dressing poorly or comfortably. That’s not to say that you should vacuum in pearls and high heels (this isn’t the 50s, after all, we’ve moved past that), but dressing well at all times will make you feel better. Feeling better has a huge impact on how you present yourself, so don’t forget to make yourself look stylish every day.

Invest in your wardrobe, especially the basics. It can be said a million more times, honey, but it’s the damn truth: a little black dress will take you places. Every woman should have a solid one in her closet, along with one well-made pair of black pants, nicely cut white dress shirt, and a cardigan, preferably cashmere. These simple garments make dressing for any occasion simple, because it only requires a mix and match of accessories, bags, or shoes.

Speaking of shoes, it’s shoes that make the outfit. Never forget it, either. An okay dress suddenly turns great with a timelessly cool pair of shoes, especially ones that put some swagger into your step. If you do a good job of picking the first time, you’ll literally only need one pair per outfit (casual, semi-formal, and formal), and if you take good care of them, they’ll last a lifetime.

Learn what clothes look good on you, and dress accordingly. There’s nothing sadder than a woman who refuses to admit or learn what looks good on her. Accentuate your positive features, and you’ll find that you get that much more mileage out of your wardrobe. Choosing garments with necklines in particular that are flattering is a great way to go, as it brings attention to your delicate facial features and also accentuates your femininity.

Once you embrace style as your guiding light for fashion, you can give jet-setters and fashionistas a run for their money by creating your own unique and flattering look.