Ten Commandments of Style

When it comes to style, there are no rules, but there are definite basics. The first and most important step to developing style is confidence. The kind of confidence that tells others that you respect yourself, love yourself and dress up for yourself and nobody else. You are your own muse. A true style icon breaks the rules and ignores the trends, and she has mastered these ten basics.  Here are ten basic guidelines that all fashionable and fantastic people know -

❤ basic 1
how to edit

How many times have you looked at your closet at thought 'I have nothing to wear' even if it is full of clothes? If you're like me, then you've probably thought so a million times. The key is to own items that make you feel good about yourself. So toss everything you haven't worn for a year because you probably never will wear it again. At the same time also learn to edit your shopping by visualizing a look or an item that you need or will work with your wardrobe/lifestyle.

❤ basic 2
invest in the bones

The bones of your wardrobe are the essentials that complement almost anything and never go out of style. These staples transcend time, trends and travel. They can go from day to night, season to season and can still be work five years from now. Everyone will have a different list of bones according to their style but some basics according to me are

tops in neutral colors - It could be a shirt, a tee or a tank. These can be layered, dressed up and down depending on the season and  where you're going. And you can pair them with on trend bottoms or accessories.

little (Any color) dress - I do not believe in the little black dress being a staple. Why? Frankly, because the whole world patronizes little black dresses. Whether its vintage, thrifted, high street or designer a LBD will look like any other LBD. So I suggest you to experiment with other colors like white, gray, brown, blue or even yellow or red if you're bold!

bags - Something that matches with a lot of our outfits and shoes and is comfortable to carry around.


well fitting pants - I do not believe in jeans as a staple either because I personally do not find them very appealing. Sure, they are great for a casual look and I guess 80% of the world's population swears by them but I personally love corduroys! Also, if you look around, most fashionable people usually center a look around pants which are not jeans.

❤ basic 3
find a good tailor

A good tailor is like a good pair of shoes - necessary, worth every penny and capable of making you look 10 pounds thinner. If you have a perfect body, every thing will look good on you. But honestly, we all have different bodies and not every garment we purchase will give us the most flattering fit. But a little tweaking here and there can make your outfit fabulous, all thanks to the tailor. I find a tailor in every city I live in who gets used to seeing my face at least once a month. I actually have a friend who teases me for my 'dates' with the tailor.

❤ basic 4
the power of accessories

Miniskirts and skinny jeans will betray you in a heart beat once you put on 5 pounds. But your accessories - shoes, scarves, necklaces, bags - will stand by your side through thick and thin. They will instantly transform a blah outfit for you and update your wardrobe without spending lots of money. Stylish women know how to cosy up to one accessory. Jackie O and her sunglasses, Audrey Hepburn and her scarf. Just make sure you don't go overboard. A Louis Vuitton bag paired with a Burberry scarf and a Moschino Belt will just make you look like a label whore.

be creative

Style is all about unusual combinations. If you mix the casual with the elegant, the soft with the hard, the glamorous with the comfortable, it will always produce chic results. It's what will make you look different and interesting, which is the hallmark of a stylish woman. You don't always need high fashion expensive labels to look good.

❤ basic6
the utmost importance of shoes

Like I said before shoes can make or break an outfit. A great pair of heels is a powerful thing - it can change your mood, your posture ; it can make a boring outfit fabulous in an instant and it always makes you look taller and thinner. You can never have enough high heels. If people tell you differently, smile politely and walk away. Just make sure you get pedicures as chipped toe polish and cracked heels are a big no no.

❤ basic 7
don't be a fashion victim

Just because something is in fashion at the moment, if it does not look good on you, it is not necessary for you to wear it. It has happened many times I have walked into a stores where the assistant shows me something and says - Why don't you try this? This is very in. I try hard not to sound like a bitch and say - 'Sorry, I don't really care if it is in'. Its tough to say that without sounding nasty but I try to say it with a sweet smile ( I'm sure it still doesn't work and the assistant probably curses me when I'm on my way out )
For example, leggings are always trendy and look great when worn well but thanks to my body type, unless I lose a few inches on my thighs, I look terrible in them.

❤ basic 8
it's not about the money

Fashion is expensive. Style is not. Some of the most stylish girls are certainly not the wealthiest and often girls with less money understand style the best. Maybe its because they consider their purchases more carefully and perfect the art of mixing expensive items with cheaper finds. Or maybe because they know where to splurge and where to save.

❤ basic 9
buy with drama

But what is truly fantastic. Spend your money on one-of-a-kind, dramatic pieces. You know one when you see one. You fall in love with it immediately. You know you look good in it and everyone else knows you look good in it.
Or if you are creative enough to spot potential, buy it and modify it to make it unique. I do this a lot. For example, the dress I'm wearing in this picture (link) was a white top that was way too long to look normal. So I added fabric to convert  it into a dress. I kept it that way for two years till I got bored and dyed it black last month. And voila, I now have a new black lace dress :)

❤ basic 9
imperfect is perfect

You don't need to be perfectly put together all the time, as if you're going for a photoshoot. You do not need a perfectly matched style and should learn to break the rules. Have fun and let your hair down. If you're comfortable in what you're wearing, that's all that matters. When a woman embraces her “imperfections” they can become her greatest strengths, definers of her character and spirit. When she plays up her weakness and draws you to her flaws, she makes them special, attractive and even enviable.

Note : This article is inspired and adapted by Nina Garcia's article in Elle magazine.
Also in her book- THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF STYLE