The Scottish Mail on Sunday - You
THE SEVEN AGES OF fashion
You can dress to impress at every stage and age, says Amy E Williams…
GO TO BRANDS
Brandy Melville for sweatshirts, vest tops and chokers; Boohoo for party dresses, and New Look for everything else.
THE TRIBAL YEARS (TEENS)
You are experimental and know your own mind…hmm, and so it is that you get together with your BFFs on Saturday afternoons and spend your (annoyingly limited) Bank of Mum and Dad funds on identikit dresses in New Look. Then it’s straight to Topshop for artfully ripped shorts and hair bobbles. You happily raid your elder sister’s wardrobe and wish your mum would stop going on about having rocked baggy jeans in the mid-1990s. Expert eye ‘This is the age to wear a crop top,’ says fashion director and personal stylist Arabella Greenhill. ‘After 21 forget it.’
GO TO BRANDS
Zara for catwalk-inspired separates (and grown-up handbags and blazers for job interviews); Asos for shoes, sunglasses and festival outfits.
THE WEAR ANYTHING YEARS (EARLY 20S)
Forget dressing like your friends; now you want to look worthy of an influencer at London Fashion Week. Thank God for Zara, which has become your new religion, as has following bloggers Lucy Williams and The Frugality on Instagram and beating everyone to Vita Kin-inspired tops and rip-off Gucci loafers. Waste is a concern, so thrift items balance things out (and make life more difficult for pesky copycat pals). Expert eye ‘Urban Outfitters and Levi’s are a must. Pick up floral pieces and sexy lingerie you can flash under anything,’ says blogger Camille Charrière.
THE CAREER YEARS (LATE 20S)
For what might be the last time, you find yourself trying to look more grown-up – you need that pay rise. It’s time for a dose of demure with midi hemlines and buttoned-up blouses. And as every weekend from March to September will be eaten up by hen dos and weddings, occasionwear is essential. Whistles is tempting; Self-Portrait less risky, and Reformation maxis bought from the US will be perfect for next season. Expert eye ‘The key is to smarten up without compromising on personality,’ says Katherine Ormerod of workworkwork.co. ‘Pretty dresses can be as effective as a power suit.’
GO TO BRANDS
& Other Stories and Mango for inexpensive high-street style; Victoria by Victoria Beckham and MSGM for payday investments; Toast for a pared-down Margaret Howell vibe, and Kitri Studio for tops and day dresses. TOP, £64, Kitri Studio,
kitristudio.com
THE GROWN-UP YEARS (30s)
Just as your income justifies those Net-a-Porter binges, along come commitments beyond your credit-card bill: marriage, mortgage, motherhood. You give in and embrace Boden – after all, it does the best cashmere crewnecks – and realise (with small children, a demanding job, or both) that a uniform is essential. Your saviour is Amazon Fashion where Zoe Karssen sweatshirts and box-fresh Converse arrive by 9am the next day. Expert eye ‘Start layering,’ says Arabella Greenhill. ‘Try polonecks under smock tops with straight-legged jeans. Wear block colours and invest in shoes, which, unlike silk dresses, won’t get ruined by babies.’
GO TO BRANDS
Me + Em and MiH Jeans for uniform-friendly basics; Ganni for knitwear and dresses; Massimo Dutti for workwear in every colour but grey, and splurge in Liberty’s shoe hall.