Lisa Armstrong: My seven ways to step out of a style rut
Until recently I wore trousers 362 days a year. I no longer think this is necessarily a good thing. There are decades’ worth of videos on social media demonstrating how we can find our style signature. But if you have more than six pairs of the same-coloured trousers, 15 white T-shirts, or wear a “uniform” every day, your style signature has got out of hand.
Here are seven steps to freedom from the rut.
Find shapes that suit
There are nine basic trouser shapes – skinny, flared, straight, tapered, pleat-front, high-, mid- and low-waisted – and not all of them suit you. So why do you have 11 pairs in navy? This is a blockage that may be preventing you from buying items that would make your style much fresher. The lots-of-clothes-but-nothing-to-wear syndrome. Trousers: good. Interesting trousers: better.
Identify the whys and why nots
If you hate all your clothes, find pictures of you in outfits you do like, as well as those you don’t, and drill down into the whys and why nots. That’s key to understanding what works. It could be the print, the neckline, or the frill on a sleeve.
Weed through your wardrobe
Never mind the ‘‘one-in, one- out policy”. We all have so much stuff, personal shoppers now advise a one-in, two-out approach. Call in friends to help you weed through your wardrobe. Make an evening of it. When you’ve cleared the blockages, you’ll have a clearer view of what you need.
Restyle old favourites
Use belts, jewellery, differently proportioned shoes and stripes to restyle old favourites. Me+Em’s reversible belt and layering tops can make a huge difference to the way an outfit looks. Snoods will make a classic jumper’s neckline more interesting.
The three-word exercise
Try the three-word style exercise. However well you know your style, capturing it in three words is revealing. Don’t be so vague, obvious or generic that the words mean nothing. But don’t make them too proscriptive either. Comfort should be a given. You could have “tailored, flattering, striking” – the last is subjective, but you know what you mean.
Think laterally
What if you skip the trousers you wear 98 per cent of the time and consider a skirt or even a dress occasionally? Three years ago, when skirts and dresses were knee-length and either tents or ultra-fitted, the notion of them standing in for trousers would have seemed for the birds. But fluid maxis and midis do much of the functional work of trousers now, covering your legs and keeping you cosy in winter. The bias-cut Jigsaw dress I’m wearing is sufficiently streamlined to work under jumpers, as well as on its own when it’s warmer. You don’t need to fuss too much about shoes, you just have to find a fluid silhouette that works with the same tops as your trousers.
Incorporate texture
The degree of interest and (subtly exaggerated) proportion that a fluffy finish, interesting weave or cable knit can add to an outfit cannot be overstated.
Lisa wears: Faux fur jacket, £375, Ba&sh; Satin crepe dress, £175 (on sale for £105), Jigsaw; Leather boots, £680, Dear Frances; Leather bag, £400, Sessun; Acetate sunglasses, £187, Black Eyewear; Gold vermeil earrings, £118, Astley Clarke
Hair and makeup: Oonagh Connor at Joy Goodman using Charlotte Tilbury, Beauty Pie
