It’s 2013 – time to shake up your wardrobe. Rescu. has the top fashion resolutions for you to make 2013 your chicest year ever.
I will think outside the box.
Everybody gets stuck in fashion ruts. Skirt and blouse for work, T-shirt and jeans for weekends? Now’s the time to make it new.
Venture outside ‘safe’ areas – if you live in all black, look at colour; if you over-accessorise, look at buying prints or complex cuts instead. Too scared to wear a bikini? This is your year to get to Seafolly.
Find what you’re afraid of, and dare yourself to try it out. This doesn’t mean buying things in bad taste or that you’ll always hate. Fashion is about fun – push your own boundaries, try neon or spikes or another summer trend, and you may just discover a new love.
I will dress for my body shape and colouring.
Finding what works is one of the best bits about expanding your wardrobe – because you stop buying thing that don’t fit, tug awkwardly, sit badly or render you less beautiful than you undoubtedly are.
A personal stylist is often a good help here, but for us mere mortals, a good shop assistant at a boutique is often just as worthwhile (we’ve found the ones at CUE are excellent, particularly about trouser lengths and hem heights).
There is no person in the world for whom some sort of clothing isn’t off limits. No, Kate Moss can’t wear just anything and look immaculate. So make the best of what you’ve got – your waist, your hips, your shoulders, your legs – and avoid fabrics, cuts and colours that are unkind.
I will not impulse buy.
Regret purchases often emerge from a panicked dash through a shop for a party, event or simply after a bad day. These are a waste of money and space. Comfort shopping, like comfort eating, isn’t healthy.
Employ a ten-minute wait period to force you to think before you buy, bring a friend along, only take cash rather than a credit card – there are all sorts of ways to avoid the temptation.
Do you really NEED those lime-green leopard pumps with the pink heels? Where would you wear them, and why? If you can’t answer the question, put them back and reconsider.
I will clean out my closet.
Unless you’re a minimalist by nature, your closet likely has all manner of pieces that have been worn once and are now out of fashion, stained, old or simply don’t fit.
Hold a clean-out, and be ruthless. The gown you fit into when you were four sizes smaller, the shoes that are beautiful but hurt horribly, the T-shirt that you love but doesn’t match anything – turf them out. Get everything mended and cleaned so that it can return to regular circulation.
Make good of your act – either donate clothes to a charity, or host a swap meet with friends or family, exchanging your clothes for others.
I will buy classic pieces.
There are a few items every woman needs. This should be your year to get hold of them.
They include: a fantastic evening jacket, an LBD, some great and comfortable pumps, the perfect trench, a wallet that will withstand tornadoes, jeans that fit impeccably and don’t fade or lose shape, a swimsuit that flatters and sunglasses that suit the face.
All your ‘classics’ need to be high-quality, because they’ll last forever and will be worn to death. Don’t be sucked in by labels – always go for impeccable make and design.
I will investigate online shopping.
Too many of us are still scared of the possibilities of the internet. RESCU, however, is utterly under its spell, and 2013 should be your year to explore.
Our favourite sites are ones with secure payment pages – security is a priority – and excellent shipping. We love ASOS, Shopbop, Shopstyle, Modcloth, The Outnet and, obviously, Net-a-Porter.
If you’re new to the experience, start with accessories rather than anything that requires sizing, and labels whose shapes and styles you know. But it gives good access to things unavailable in stores – and to sales, too.
I will not be scared of vintage.
Vintage is enjoying a resurgence. Formerly the darling of 50s-obsessed rockabillies and students too poor to buy new gear, it’s now one of the major elements inspiring the new collections.
To do vintage properly requires a good eye and an understanding of how fabrics age. Look for fit, colouring, fading, whether all fastenings work, stains and rips.
And know the ‘levels’ of vintage – from second-hand at the market to the best boutiques hand-sourced from overseas collections. Educate yourself, and then get shopping. A word of advice: if you have big feet, don’t look for vintage shoes!
I will use new inspiration when I dress.
Always look to the same celeb when getting dressed? Branch out.
Be inspired by new things – colours, artists, prints and textures in particular. Digital printing is producing a new era of clothing with amazing clarity, and tailoring is always producing new and exciting ideas.
Don’t be afraid to explore different personalities – the power-dressing CEO, the Audrey Hepburn, the chic French punk – in your everyday look. Experimentation within boundaries in the workplace can mark you out as an original thinker and savvy presenter. Look to past eras, obscure designers and up-and-coming faces for new ideas. And re-use old clothing in new combinations to keep it fresh.
Are you excited for 2013’s reinvention? Rescu. wishes you luck!
Need some style inspiration? Check out our Style Resolution Gallery…
