1 The Trench Coat

Nothing says classic more than a Burberry trench.  The classic colour is tan (left), but black or navy might better suit those with a fair complexion.  One of the nice things about splurging on a Burberry trench is many come with a removable cashmere-wool lining so you can wear it practically year-round.

For those who can’t justify shelling out the cash, there are beautiful non-Burberry trenches out there.

To remain classic and contemporary, go for a simple trench in a classic colour (tan, navy, black).  Never choose one that has tacky embellishments adorning the lapels or pockets.  Keep the length around the knees — if you go too long you’ll look like a WWI British Army veteran.  The Classic by Tommy Hilfiger and the Nathalie by Club Monaco are two of my fave non-Burberry options.

Check out #2 The Perfect Jeans or #5 Classic Black Pumps

2 The Perfect Jeans

My perfect pair: 7 For All Mankind

Perhaps it’s an oxymoron to say “perfect jeans” in the same sentence, but it can be done.  Understanding that my perfect jeans aren’t your perfect jeans, here are a few guidelines you can follow to ensure success.

1. When shopping for jeans, go to a store you are comfortable in and where you know the salesgirls will help you—and not make you feel fat.  Grab as many pairs of jeans that you can and try them all on.  Experiment with different rises (high vs low), widths (skinny, wide leg) and lengths (30″, 32″, 34″ and, for those long legged ladies, 36″).

2. Avoid jeans with rips and too much distressing.  Those can defo be cute, but are too trendy for the classic pair of perfect jeans.

3. Stick with darker washes, which retain their classic status and are uber flattering.

4. Jeans with a slight boot cut (not flared) are also classic but more importantly hang nicely over your shoes.

5. Many women buy multiple pairs of jeans for differing heel heights (ie flats versus 2” and 4” heels).  A huge faux pas is wearing jeans that are too short for your heels.

One of my current classic style icons is Jennifer Aniston.  Nobody can deny she always looks fabulous in her perfect jeans, not to mention her perfect hair.

Stay tuned for #1 The Trench but don’t forget about #3 Classic White Shirt…

3 Classic White Shirt

This is an important closet staple that is both trendy (worn underneath your fave t-shirt) and classic (worn with a business suit). Head to stores like the Gap for high quality, basic cotton shirts well under $50.

Back in January, I wrote about caring for your classic, white shirt.

Check out #2 The Perfect Jeans or#4 The LBD…

Image courtesy of Gap.com

A classic LBD can take you from the office to a cocktail reception in a matter of hours.  SJP it up with a chunky necklace full of baubles and sparkles or Jackie-O it down with a basic cardi and single strand of pearls.

To keep your LBD classic, look for one with a higher neckline as neckline trends come and go.  Also, the hem should sit slightly above your knees when standing–keep that LBD classy rather than trashy.

It should be made of a sturdy but lightweight fabric like a cotton/rayon blend or thin wool.  Avoid heavy wool fabrics that counteract the slimming effects and limit wear during the warmer seasons.

DVF and Karen Millen (above) design gorgeous dresses, but so do J-Crew and Banana Republic (below).

Banana Republic, Black Wool Sheath Dress, $150

Check out #3 The Classic Shirt or #5 Classic Black Pumps…

A classic woman always has classic items in her wardrobe that keep her stylish in a given year, decade or lifetime for that matter.  There are 5 classic pieces that I can’t live without and neither should you.  If you spend the money to invest in well made versions of each item, they truly will last a lifetime.

5 Classic Black Pumps

Whether Nine West or Manolo Blahnik, a pair of tall, pointy, black leather pumps is the only shoe you will ever need.  Although its unlikely you’ll ever only one want one pair of shoes!

Style tip: To keep it professional, limit those stilettos to heights under 2.5”.  For every other occasion — the sky is literally the limit!

Check out #4 – The LBD…

A close friend of mine recently got into a debate with her bestfriends about capri pants.  One side was that they are unflattering and out of style and the other view was that they are a classic style.

I side with the classic argument and offer you the trump card to all fashion arguments: Audrey Hepburn.  If Audrey would wear it, you can wear it too.

The key to looking fabulous in capri pants is being mindful of where they hit your leg.  Like Mme. Hepburn, aim for longer capri pants that accent the spot on your leg where they sexily curve into your ankle.   Finish the look with either ballet flats or hot pumps.

Check out each below photo to compare both capri lengths (don’t mind the pots and pans drying on the stove top–A girl has got to clean up after dinner!).

From the back, the longer length of the capri is far more flattering

In a pair of heels, while the calf muscles are lengthened, the longer leg is still more flattering

From the front, both lengths are flattering, but it’s the back where the unflattering cut of the calf muscles occurs.  In addition, the longer length is more formal looking and works better with the high heels.

Don’t you agree that the longer capri length is more flattering in comparison?  We know what Audrey would do, but what would you do?

My Irish grandmother is my fashion inspiration–always has been and will continue to be.

When I was a little girl and Nana traveled to Canada to stay with us, each morning I would watch her get dressed and help her select outfits and accessories to wear.  Now, at 28 years old, she continues to be my style icon.

Nana’s greatest gift to me was teaching me all about classic style.  Starting today, every Tuesday I will write a post full of my Nana’s wise words.  I hope you learn as much from these posts as I have learned from my stylish Nana.

Dear Neiman Marcus,

Hi Neiman, it’s me again. Once again you sent me a lovely email full of gorgeous models wearing beautiful clothes. I adore Burberry, most especially Christopher Bailey’s work on the Burberry Porsum line.  Hello gorgeous!

But once again, your outfits are in a price point very much out of my league, $1085 for the complete Burberry Brit look. Understandably, Burberry shouldn’t be copied, but I found some really cute items that look pretty darn close to the ones on your little model.

I hope you like my $199 version!!

Love Always,
Fashion Chronicles

As mentioned previously, there’s no point in buying fake designer anything. Fake bags, scarves, clothes, aren’t worth even $1 of your hard earned money. With the alternatives provided below, emulate the fit rather than the designer pattern.

Button-front shirt

The key to the casual Burberry Brit shirt is that it’s fitted at the waist and has rolled up sleeves. This Guess top is a bit more fitted, which is actually more flattering than the loose Burberry version, and the Guess shirt is a similar length to its Burberry counterpart.  And at $49, we’ll make it work!

Cropped Cotton Pants

The Burberry Brit cropped pants are pleated and not very flattering on the Neiman Marcus model, if we’re being honest.  Instead, go for the $90 Martin straight-leg crop pant from Banana Republic.  Flat front pants are far nicer than pleats which, in my opinion, should stay in 1988 along with Melanie Griffith.

T-Strap Platform Pumps

Always my favourite part–the SHOES!  The Burberry shoes are lovely, but at $495, we can certainly do better.  Guess is serving us well today and offers these trendy platforms for an outrageous $60!

Caution

A word of warning about this look – cropped pants look best on those women with longer legs and the ankle strap on the shoes will make your legs appear shorter because they cut you right at the ankle.

Remember ladies, just because it’s in style doesn’t mean that it’s your style. Choose the look that works for your classic, chic, contemporary style.

Dear Neiman Marcus,

Thank you for continually sending me emails filled with the riches and spoils of the expensive life.  I also love getting your magazine full of drool worthy clothes, shoes, bags and accessories.

In your email today, I wondered if you knew exactly who I was?  While the girl in the picture is a lot skinnier than I am, she perfectly captured my personal, going-out style: simple, sophisticated, with a twist of trend.

Sadly, I cannot justify spending $1315 (not including the bag or applicable taxes and shipping charges) on that outfit.  Instead, I have come up with some affordable alternatives.

I hope you love them!!

Love Always,

Fashion Chronicles

The key to successfully replicating a high-end look with cheap clothes is to still use pricier pieces.  Below I recommend not cheaping out on the bag and the BF Blazer.  The BF Blazer because the structure of a cheap blazer, looks cheap and is a dead giveaway.  Always buy bags on sale so you can own a higher-end bag at a really good price.

Cotton Boyfriend Blazer, light-weight for spring: Club Monaco provides runway knockoffs and their Luca Blazer in black would work well with this look and won’t look cheap.  And if you’re a student, you get 20% off at Club Monaco!

White t-shirt with added belt: Forever 21 is great for cheap white t-shirts.  Use this one, remove the white belt and replace with your own black belt.  The best news?  This T costs $10.80!  Take that Neiman Marcus (their, albeit silk, top is $215–ouch!)!

Striped Skirt: While the Kate Spade skirt is gorgeous, this $39  Arden B. knockoff will look just as good. To be honest, I am not 100% sold on the band, but it would be covered by the longer, Forever 21 t-shirt.  I do, however, love that the skirt dips down in the back as mini’s tend to hike up at the back.  Good call Arden B.!

Tall Black Shoes: I am a slave for shoes so have two options for you from Aldo for under $110.

Black Messenger  Bag: Personally, I have a bigger chest so I don’t wear cross-body bags unless I am sporting a hoody, puffy vest and lulu lemons while running errands.  But, if you dig it, there’s a great 40% off sale going on at Samsara and their Suzuki Pebble Handbag would achieve the same messenger look for under $90 (regular price $150).

Necklace: I have a clear necklace similar to the one pictured on the Neiman Marcus model.  If you don’t, go somewhere like Aldo Accessories to find one.

So there you go, similar look for the fraction of the cost.  And remember ladies, just because it’s in style doesn’t mean that it’s your style.  Choose the one that works for you to guarantee optimal classic, chic, contemporary style.

I love getting my hair cut.  Not just because I love the scalp massage and being pampered, but because my salon is next door to my favourite high-end consignment store in Vancouver.  Consignment stores are great for girls who love designer but don’t have the paycheque to justify daily visits to high-end retailers.

Last weekend I made sure I had lots of time to browse through the new arrivals of my fave consignment store after my haircut, which always includes drooling over their collection of designer bags.  All the usual suspects were there: $1500 Chanel totes, $750 Chloe purses, and, my showstopping fave, a $300 Gucci bag.

I have had my eye on a $900 Gucci Sukey hobo bag for quite some time but $900 is a bit too much for me to justify. So when I spied this gorgeous 2005 trademark Gucci bag, with signature bamboo handles and brown leather trim in pristine condition, I just couldn’t walk away.

As far as bags go, it wasn’t cheap but for Gucci it was a bargain.  Especially when you gain points towards future purchases and, because I spent a certain amount of money, I also received a $50 credit towards my next post-haircut shopping trip! I can’t wait for my new haircut to grow out!!

2005 Gucci Bag

Top Image Courtesy of InspirationDC