Lou Doillon in Balmain for Madame Figaro

QUIZ: How common was your style this AW ?

Back in the day, fashion used to be something just accesible to the insiders and the big spenders. But along came the high street stores with their trendy clothes and low prices, and made all and every single of us a raging fashionista. But wait, are we all as original and unique as we think?

Stop and recapitulate, how many times have you walked passed a girl wearing at least 2 garments of the same style you were wearing this season? If you shop where the rest of us shop, probably too many times to keep track of. That's why this quiz will help you measure it.

Open your wardrobe, make an act of contrition and sum up the points!

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Keep adding points to your score everytime you find yourself guilty of owning/buying/wearing/lusting any of these garments. For example: If you have a beanie, that's 5 points. BUT, if you have an oxblood beanie, that'd be 5 + 5 = 10 points!

START !

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0 - 35
Either you cheated, either I don't know what you've been wearing this whole season.
If you've managed to buy new clothes this season and look fabulously fashionable, I take my hat off.
You should become a stylist, wait, call me first and help me sort out my wardrobe.

36 - 75
Seems like you have it under control. You might have found a balance between what is on
trend and what you wear, but stop and think again. Isn't most of the people going to get this score?
As this quiz was about how original you were, I'm afraid this is the lowest punctuation.

76 - 110
Jackpot! Bingo! The highest score! Is that you or is it a mannequin in Primark's window shop?
There's not a high street trend that can escape from your hands... or your closet! Do you take pictures of all your looks? Because I'd venture to say the best explanation for this score is that you are an egoblogger.

Blast From The Past: Anna Wintour

Picture taken by Michael White in Anna's very much pre-Vogue years.

Unsurprisingly, she already sported her fringe.

[source]

Black dresses: a women’s wardrobe staple

--- disclaimer: this is a sponsored post ---


Black dresses are a staple in most women's wardrobes. But why are they so popular? Well. They're simple, versatile and most of the time, classy (one of teh exceptions being Liz Hurley in that black Versace dress, although arguably, it put her on the map).

The Little Black Dress

Most women own a little black dress (LBD). Black is a very flattering colour and there are so many stules out there to choose from. Whatever your figure, you are certain to find one which suits your shape. For those who want to cover up, opt for longer lengths and modest necklines. If your arms are wobbly, choose dressed with sleeves or wear a jacket. If you want to flash a bit more flesh, take the hem above the knee or plunge the neckline. Don't do both though - too much flesh on show isn't flattering on anyone.

For the very daring, body con, cut outs and mesh panelling are all just itching to be explored. But easy tiger; pick your LBD carefully as it will probably be with you for a while. Because it's timeless, any woman of any age can wear one. A slight tweak here or there and your LBD is suitable for your Gran.

The best thing about little black dresses is that you can wear them more than once. No one will notice if you wear it several times in a row. At the end of the day, it's just a black dress, right? Use accesories to adapt the outfit depending on the event; use shawls, necklaces, bags or shoes to add a touch of colour. You could also add a string of pearls for a really glamorous Audrey Hepburn style, or go all alternative and dig out your red converse. You'll look like you splashed a new outfit every time.

Work to Play

It's Friday and you're planning on hitting happy hour after work with your colleagues. You want to be smart for work, because  of course, you're a professional. But you also want to be comfortable once you're shoehorned into that overheated, packed out pub your boss loves so much. Why not wear a crips white shirt under your LBD? Add some opaque's in the winter months. Then once you're in the pub, make your excuses, whip off your shirt and tights and hey prestp - you're ready to party.

So whether you're hitting a club or doing a presentation at work, there's a huge selection of black dresses out there for a number of different occasions. Just steer clear of safety pins.

Happy New Year