I have worked for 30 years in the fashion industry for Brown Thomas, Armani, Harrods and Selfridges to name a few, and now run my own fashion consultancy business based in Roscommon offering wardrobe makeovers, personal shopping, Zoom consultations and fashion masterclasses. I love empowering women by helping them to find their own style, because whatever stage in life you are, you can look amazing.
Style adviser Maria Carton.
Autumn is my favourite season by far, with such excitement and anticipation for the new collections. What will the trends be? What colour combinations and fabrics await us? The autumn 2020 collections have something for everyone, with great rural vibes.
Back to school spirit
But first things first. To get autumn-ready, I have this “back-to-school” spirit that I apply to my wardrobe. I make the time to take a close look at what is there, what is working and editing out what should finally go. Easier said than done, but even just removing those unworn, unwanted items from your wardrobe will give clarity. Group clothes as far as possible into work, casual, going out and occasion wear to further simplify things. When this is done you will feel great and back in control of your wardrobe.
Style rather than shop
Styling, which is where you mix and match and create outfits, is the part most people miss and go straight from clearing out to shopping. Stop – styling is about having outfits, not lots of clothes! When you style your clothes (ie make outfits) you can see what is missing. Maybe you haven’t worn something in ages because you never had the boots to match or the right jacket? We have so many incomplete outfits that we need to address first, by promising to buy those missing pieces, so make a list. You might recognise some bad shopping habits too eg lots of tops and no bottoms, lots of repeat styles etc. When you can identify what it is you need, then your wardrobe will really start to work for you.
Lastly let me talk about the unsung heroes: the hardworking basics. These investment pieces include a great coat, tailored jacket, tailored trousers, white shirt, print blouse, T-shirt, day dress, great fitting pair of jeans, plain knit, pencil skirt, camisole, leather jacket and Spanx. Check how many basics you have. Colour wise for “autumn basics” think grey, black, camel, white/cream and navy (the non-colours). The magic happens when you take a great pair of jeans and team with a T-shirt for a casual look, add a tailored jacket for a smart /casual look, then switch to camisole and leather jacket for a night time look. That is three looks with one pair of jeans. When you add in your fashion items (non-basics) and colour to the mix, you are truly autumn-ready.
Remember great wardrobes of clothes are not built overnight. Just value what you have and value what you buy.
The new mood for autumn is comfort with style. Think baggy trousers, boxy jackets and long skirts, all topped off with feminine blouses and knits to die for.
1 Knitwear
Everyone loves the ease and speed of wearing knitwear and it featured at all the key “Fashion Week” shows just before lockdown. This season’s super-fine lightweight wools and cashmeres were styled with jeans, suits and skirts. Wearing knits over long skirts and boots started last year and is now a cool mainstream look.
2 Check
Check is a strong theme this autumn/winter; consider pieces like these ponte joggers €13 from Penneys.
Checks are the season’s big statement, from dresses to suiting and everything in between. Head-to-toe is the way to go, so fit and proportion are key to pull off this fun and vibrant look. Counteract these strong bold checks with soft romantic pussy bow blouses. Long boots are huge this year and a must-have for a contemporary, confident look. If head-to-toe check isn’t for you, go for a traditional look by picking an element of the look – say a check jacket – and pair with a plain tailored trousers or jeans.
3 Leather
Leather is the most exciting trend because we are not just talking leather jackets but leather pants, skirts, tops and dresses. The shapes are form-fitting and belted. The colours range from toffee/caramel tones to red/wine and black. Head-to-toe leather is difficult to pull off so I would suggest picking your favourite piece and styling with attitude! Rich jewel coloured soft flowing blouses are the perfect compliment. As we know leather is expensive so the option might be pleather. When choosing a pant or skirt especially, it should be soft and fluid with a little weight to give good drape and for it to hang well.
Gold jewellery or no jewellery! Think chunky links.Belts worn over suits, jackets and dresses. Your choice.Large bold collars on blouses either round and scalloped, or long and pointy worn out over jumpers and jackets.Footwear, in keeping with the spirit of comfort with style. Think chunky block heels for both your shoes and boots and you won’t put a foot wrong!As a stylist I always want to maximise what is already in my wardrobe, so my wishlist is a fab knit to give life to my trouser suits, a new pair of three-quarter length boots with a block heel for under my cropped jeans and a wow blouse.
Super-easy looks for the school run:
1 Trainers, leggings and hoodie.
2 Long skirt with oversized knit and flat ankle boots.
3 Loafers, jeans, T-shirt and jacket.
4 Spanx, knit and lace-up Doc Martens.
Most of the above pieces can also be restyled and mixed up with each other.
For further information on Maria Carton or to book an appointment, email mcthestylist@gmail.com or follow “Maria Carton Style Advisor” on Facebook.
Read more
The value of determining ‘cost per wear’
Determining your horizontal body shape
I have worked for 30 years in the fashion industry for Brown Thomas, Armani, Harrods and Selfridges to name a few, and now run my own fashion consultancy business based in Roscommon offering wardrobe makeovers, personal shopping, Zoom consultations and fashion masterclasses. I love empowering women by helping them to find their own style, because whatever stage in life you are, you can look amazing.
Style adviser Maria Carton.
Autumn is my favourite season by far, with such excitement and anticipation for the new collections. What will the trends be? What colour combinations and fabrics await us? The autumn 2020 collections have something for everyone, with great rural vibes.
Back to school spirit
But first things first. To get autumn-ready, I have this “back-to-school” spirit that I apply to my wardrobe. I make the time to take a close look at what is there, what is working and editing out what should finally go. Easier said than done, but even just removing those unworn, unwanted items from your wardrobe will give clarity. Group clothes as far as possible into work, casual, going out and occasion wear to further simplify things. When this is done you will feel great and back in control of your wardrobe.
Style rather than shop
Styling, which is where you mix and match and create outfits, is the part most people miss and go straight from clearing out to shopping. Stop – styling is about having outfits, not lots of clothes! When you style your clothes (ie make outfits) you can see what is missing. Maybe you haven’t worn something in ages because you never had the boots to match or the right jacket? We have so many incomplete outfits that we need to address first, by promising to buy those missing pieces, so make a list. You might recognise some bad shopping habits too eg lots of tops and no bottoms, lots of repeat styles etc. When you can identify what it is you need, then your wardrobe will really start to work for you.
Lastly let me talk about the unsung heroes: the hardworking basics. These investment pieces include a great coat, tailored jacket, tailored trousers, white shirt, print blouse, T-shirt, day dress, great fitting pair of jeans, plain knit, pencil skirt, camisole, leather jacket and Spanx. Check how many basics you have. Colour wise for “autumn basics” think grey, black, camel, white/cream and navy (the non-colours). The magic happens when you take a great pair of jeans and team with a T-shirt for a casual look, add a tailored jacket for a smart /casual look, then switch to camisole and leather jacket for a night time look. That is three looks with one pair of jeans. When you add in your fashion items (non-basics) and colour to the mix, you are truly autumn-ready.
Remember great wardrobes of clothes are not built overnight. Just value what you have and value what you buy.
The new mood for autumn is comfort with style. Think baggy trousers, boxy jackets and long skirts, all topped off with feminine blouses and knits to die for.
1 Knitwear
Everyone loves the ease and speed of wearing knitwear and it featured at all the key “Fashion Week” shows just before lockdown. This season’s super-fine lightweight wools and cashmeres were styled with jeans, suits and skirts. Wearing knits over long skirts and boots started last year and is now a cool mainstream look.
2 Check
Check is a strong theme this autumn/winter; consider pieces like these ponte joggers €13 from Penneys.
Checks are the season’s big statement, from dresses to suiting and everything in between. Head-to-toe is the way to go, so fit and proportion are key to pull off this fun and vibrant look. Counteract these strong bold checks with soft romantic pussy bow blouses. Long boots are huge this year and a must-have for a contemporary, confident look. If head-to-toe check isn’t for you, go for a traditional look by picking an element of the look – say a check jacket – and pair with a plain tailored trousers or jeans.
3 Leather
Leather is the most exciting trend because we are not just talking leather jackets but leather pants, skirts, tops and dresses. The shapes are form-fitting and belted. The colours range from toffee/caramel tones to red/wine and black. Head-to-toe leather is difficult to pull off so I would suggest picking your favourite piece and styling with attitude! Rich jewel coloured soft flowing blouses are the perfect compliment. As we know leather is expensive so the option might be pleather. When choosing a pant or skirt especially, it should be soft and fluid with a little weight to give good drape and for it to hang well.
Gold jewellery or no jewellery! Think chunky links.Belts worn over suits, jackets and dresses. Your choice.Large bold collars on blouses either round and scalloped, or long and pointy worn out over jumpers and jackets.Footwear, in keeping with the spirit of comfort with style. Think chunky block heels for both your shoes and boots and you won’t put a foot wrong!As a stylist I always want to maximise what is already in my wardrobe, so my wishlist is a fab knit to give life to my trouser suits, a new pair of three-quarter length boots with a block heel for under my cropped jeans and a wow blouse.
Super-easy looks for the school run:
1 Trainers, leggings and hoodie.
2 Long skirt with oversized knit and flat ankle boots.
3 Loafers, jeans, T-shirt and jacket.
4 Spanx, knit and lace-up Doc Martens.
Most of the above pieces can also be restyled and mixed up with each other.
For further information on Maria Carton or to book an appointment, email mcthestylist@gmail.com or follow “Maria Carton Style Advisor” on Facebook.
Read more
The value of determining ‘cost per wear’
Determining your horizontal body shape
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