Fashion Trends for Summer 2023

Summer 2023 is here, and that means it's time to update your wardrobe with the latest fashion trends. Or is it? Just because something is on trend doesn’t mean it should be mindlessly adopted by us all. Before adding the latest ‘in’ thing to your wardrobe, there’s a few factors to consider if your goal is to look absolutely fabulous and stylish.

  1. Will it suit your lifestyle?
  2. Does it work with your body shape?
  3. Will it highlight your positive features?
  4. Is it age appropriate?
  5. Does it complement your style personality?

So, with that said, here’s some of what you can expect to see in stores this summer.
1. Romantic Rosettes.

Romantic style personalities are going to love this one. These delicate floral accents have been popping up on dresses, chokers, and even swimsuits. Anyone remember the 80’s? Well, these pretty embellishments were popular then and they are making a comeback this year. Should you embrace it? Well, your body shape and colouring shouldn’t determine whether this trend works for you. It’s going to be all about your style personality. 

Rosettes are featuring prominently on the red carpet in 2023.

2. Sheer Clothing.

It’s usually only a daring few who feel comfortable exposing parts of their bodies generally only revealed at the beach. So, at first glance you might think this is a trend only for the Alluring / Sexy style personalities, but it is a trend which can be adopted by all body types and colouring. The only caveat may be how much skin you care to reveal and on what part of your body. So, if you’re sporting a lot of sun damaged or crepey skin on your arms, legs or décolletage, you may not want to go too sheer. After all, style is about highlighting our positive attributes and minimising any negative ones. A more universally flattering version of this trend is to layer sheer pieces over opaque ones. Do this to create an ethereal look that is current and contemporary.

Fabrics like organza and chiffon are perfect choices for sheer garments.

3. The Peplum.

If you're looking for a flattering and stylish option, you may want to try this trend. It certainly adds shape and definition, making it perfect for those who want to accentuate their waist. It’s a great style strategy for rectangles with straighter torsos. It’s also a clever enhancement for inverted triangles by balancing their broad shoulders. However, if you have a triangle body shape, be careful. Peplums made of stiff fabrics that stand out from the body add unwanted volume to the lower half exacerbating horizontal imbalance. However, if the peplum is made of soft fabric which sits close to the body, the enlarging effect can be minimised.

Peplums can be casual or formal.

4. Oversized Garments.

I can hear all of you Classics groaning at the thought but if your style is Natural Relaxed, then you’re possibly going to love this fashion trend for summer 2023. Comfort is the key word here. Baggy t-shirts and unstructured blazers will offer an effortless and casual look that requires little effort. The caveat here is if you’re carrying weight or you have a horizontally unbalanced body shape. Adding conspicuous volume isn’t a desirable thing for many of us. If you’re a size 8 and don’t mind looking a size 12 go for it but as a size 14, I’m not rushing out to look a size 18. How about you? A more figure flattering way to incorporate this trend is to wear one oversized garment with another more streamlined one. All over bagginess will make you appear heavier. However, if you choose to add a little volume only to your smaller half, you could actually create some visual balance. Think slim tank top with oversized pants. Or wide top over slim pants. So, before discounting the idea entirely, this trend may be worth trying on for size, no pun intended.

Experiment with this summer 2023 fashion trend to see if it works for your style.

Summer is a time for having fun, socialising with friends, holidays and simply enjoying blue skies and sunshine. Summer fashion reflects this lighthearted time of year. So, don't be afraid to experiment with different trends and find what works best for you. Whether you're embracing sheer clothing, romantic rosettes or oversized pieces, be sure to enjoy your summer fashion with or without these fashion trends for summer 2023.

 

Hats can look so fabulous and add a touch of panache to any outfit, casual or formal. However, some hats look great on us and some don’t so it helps to know what to look for when choosing one. Our face shape is one of the important factors to consider when buying a hat. Not all styles suit all face shapes. The exception here is the oval face; blessed with perfect proportions and balance, just about any hat looks great on this face shape. However, for those mere mortals amongst us who do not possess an oval face, here are some tips that may make life easier when choosing a hat for the races, the beach or just having fun in the hat department of your favourite store.

If your face is:

High crown, narrow brim
High crown, narrow brim

  • Rectangular or oblong, (longer than it is wide) you will be best suited by a small crown and wide brim. Think ‘picture hats! Rounded crowns can be particularly flattering.
  • Square/round, (as wide as it is long), try a tall crown and narrow brim. Avoid very wide brims and rounded crowns, in particular.
  • Diamond shaped, (narrow forehead and jawline with wonderful high cheekbones) then medium crowns and medium brims will work well. A cloche hat may look fabulous!

    Cloche hat
    Cloche hat
  • Heart or inverted triangle shape, (a jawline narrower than your temples), wide brimmed hats and medium high crowns will create pleasing visual balance.
  • Triangular, (strong jawline wider than your temples), small to moderate brims are your best option. Definitely avoid very wide brims.

 

 

Other tips:

  • An upturned brim helps you appear taller. Floppy brims diminish your visual height.

    Upturned brim
    Upturned brim
  • Slightly rounded features on a hat and soft embellishments such as flowers and feathers can soften a sharp jawline, and/or a long, straight nose.
  • Angular brims and/or asymmetrical styles can flatter round or plump faces.

    Asymmetrical style
    Asymmetrical style
  • Choose a hat that not only harmonises with your outfit but harmonises with your colouring!

Remember, when your hat creates visual balance and harmony for your face, you can’t help but look…absolutely fabulous!!

Engaging the services of a  personal shopper would have once been considered the domain of the rich and famous. Now this service is available for real men and women who just want some good sound advice and a discerning eye when it comes to the sea of clothes out there in the stores.

.personal shopper

It is said that we wear 20% of our wardrobes 80% of the time. That translates to thousands of our hard earned dollars spent and wasted on clothes we don’t wear. The evidence is right there in your wardrobe. There they are, all those poor orphan garments hanging unworn and unloved, most of them clutching invisible ‘guilty tags” to make you feel bad.

We’ve all at some time hit the shops in a mad passion to buy something new that will make us look terrific. With money in our pockets or a credit card handy, we’ve all scoured the shops for hours for that special little number, only to return home empty handed or even worse, with that item that smacks of ‘this will have to do’ to quench our desire to buy something. As a result our wardrobes contain only a few items that make us feel good, and so we wear these most of the time. Shopping becomes a chore, success is a matter of luck and finding items that make us look great seems to get more difficult with each passing year. With all this to consider you really cannot afford not to enlist the services of a personal shopper!

Not only will a personal shopper ultimately save you a fortune, but with their trained eye will also be able to choose items for you based on their judgment and understanding of your colouring, body shape and proportions, your lifestyle and your personality style. Garments are carefully selected to harmoniously mix and match with each other and to go with what is already in your wardrobe.

So all the work is done for you !

personal stylist

Consider hiring a personal shopper as an investment in you even if your clothing dollar is limited. It makes good sense to spend money on someone that knows what they doing and who will ultimately achieve for you a wardrobe of clothes that really work for YOU.

Have you ever walked through a multi level shopping mall and felt completely overwhelmed by the array of options available? After all there are so many places vying for your attention, not to mention your dollar. How do you know where to start? Have you ever had a melt down in the change rooms because everything that you have tried on looks wretched? And time is ticking by and you just have to find something, anything. Have you ever come home with something that you know isn’t fabulous but you feel that you had no choice?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then you would love the help of a professional image consultant who offers personal shopping as one of their services. A personal shopper is very adept at working out your physical proportions and colouring so that she can quickly identify styles and hues that will look fabulous on you. A personal shopper is also very aware that your style personality and lifestyle have to be considered and they can asses these very quickly also.

Knowing where to find the perfect garment to suit your requirements is another valuable skill that a personal shopper has in her repertoire. They are familiar with the labels, designers and stores. They know who makes for women with a romantic, feminine style. They know where to find the perfect outfit for someone who loves classic quality or edgy and innovative or casual and laid back.  Being able to hone in quickly is such a bonus. Not only does it save on shoe leather, but it saves time; and that’s a commodity so many of us lack these days.

Objectivity is another positive trait in the personal shopper’s favour. Unlike boutique owners who have an agenda to move product (and that’s not a criticism, after all it’s their livelihood) the personal shopper has only one vested interest – YOU! Her agenda is to find you clothes that you love and that look fabulous on you. If one store doesn’t have what you need, then she moves on – with you in tow.

It’s also great to have the practical assistance of someone holding your bags, finding you a dressing room, changing sizes, looking for the shop assistant and later the cash register.  Shopping can be very tiring, so the spare pair of hands a personal shopper offers is a real treat.

She’ll also be very good at keeping track mentally of your purchases and seeing the wonderful possibilities of combining different purchases in different ways. And when there’s a gap, she’ll be quick to recognise it. Too often we come home from a day at the mall with something that we’ve bought only to realise that we have no shoes, bag, jewellery or scarf to go with it. So then this new purchase hangs there till you have a chance to rectify the situation. A personal shopper excels in creating entire outfits in one shopping trip.

If you hate shopping, and many women do, you might actually find that you learn to love it after a professional shows you how.