Accessories are the easiest way to update your wardrobe. As long you have your essentials, basics and classics behind you, you only have to use some key accessories to showcase the latest trends or looks. Belts are a great way of cinching in your waist and drawing attention to one or create one, so here are three to do just that!

The Hettie belt from LK Bennett is a classic belt with a geometric look to it. Black and gold is a classic colour combo and will work in any outfit, adding a touch of elegance. Hettie would be a great option for work or formal functions. Buy from LK Bennett for £95.

£95 may seem rather steep to some for a belt, but there are many cheaper options. This belt from Dorothy Perkins is also black and gold, which I think in most cases, makes just about anything look that bit more expensive! At £8, this is truly bargainous but at that price rest assured that it doesn’t skimp on the chicness! No, in fact this little number is definitely channelling Chanel albeit at a much more affordable price point. This is a statement belt without being too flashy – it’s skinny so whilst there are studs it is not too busy. The tassle makes the belt have a hint of 80s to it, and I think this would be great with a sold-colour jersey maxi dress for summer.

If you were impressed with a belt for £8, we’ve saved the best for last! This lilac belt is from ASOS and a mere snip at…. £6! Lilac is set to be a huge hit for summer along with other sorbet and pastel shades and a £6 belt is an easy way to work this trend into your wardrobe. The gold coloured metal against the pretty lilac makes it all feel very luxurious and would look fantastic against a nude blazer for this season.

Uniqlo is one one my fave high street stores, and I have seen some great new things for the A/W season that are worth snapping up,

I love the skinny jeans they do. I have loads of them! At the momnet they have these great 3D stretch ones which I can’t wait to try out. At the moment they are reduced to £19.99.If you are someone who ‘doesnt do skinnys’ but would like try a pair just for the winter to wear inside knee length boots, then these are the best ones for the price.

One of my must have items when shopping for my clients who are building a stylish but practical wardrobe is a trench coat, and they have a great one at only £59.99. The great thing about a Trench is that even if you are going to the park with your kids and have a bit of a scruffy look going on underneath, you can chuck it on and it looks as if you are all ‘together’ and styish. A yummy mummy must have! On the other side, it is also a great office essential, helping you look neat and stylish.

Now that Autumn is getting closer, they have just taken delivery of another essential for any woman who likes layering – or who feels the cold – the heat tech polo neck, long sleeve top and cami. I bought so many of these last year with my clients to waer under shift dresses in the office, or under more chunky knits in a contrasting colour.

And of course the skinny belt for only £6.99, which will make any jersey or knitted jumper dress immediately more dressy. I have a whole stack of these in a variety of colours. They always sell out so I bought them while i could, and it means I have a choice of colours from red, green and gold to cheer up a plain dress, to more classic black and brown. Take a look around the Uniqlo website and take advantage of the following discount codes, which are valid until January!

Save 15% when you spend £45 or more:
· Code: UNI15OFF
· Expires: 31st Jan, 2010

Free standard delivery when you spend £40 or more
· Code: UNIFREEDEL
· Expires: 31st Jan, 2010

The new season is here. I know, it feels a bit early as we haven’t even had a summer yet! We’ve all seen it: fashion victims that are overcome by a season’s trends. You might wonder at what point could you fall victim to trends? Here a a few tips to help keep you looking current and stylish, and not like you’re trying too hard.

some ‘not trendy’ fashion rules to live by

• Trends can turn into fashion favourites when we resonate with the colour, the pattern, the scale, or the mood of the piece. If we resonate with some aspect of it or it relates to our personality or personal style somehow, then it looks like it belongs to us and not to the fashion season. When you wear a trendy item this way, the response should be, “You look so you” not “You look so Autumn/Winter 2009.”
• Buy that trendy item you love. Take it home but leave the tags on it. Let 72-hours go by. Do you still love it? Then cut the tags off and go for it.
• It’s okay to ignore very current trends, and just tweak last years favourites that worked. Aim to look your best and you’ll always be in style.

The picture above is just that example. Unless you’re a 20-year-old professional rockstar, it’s not great to put every single trend on your body at once. To be fair, this is a model paid to wear these clothes, photographed by professionals for catalogue depictions of current trends.

Look closely at the different trends:

1. Punk leggings (note the numerous zips)
2. White shirt
3. Faux fur gilet
4. Big handbag
5. Gladiator studded heels

You’re (hopefully!) unlikely to get dressed in this outfit for ordinary life, yet, taken bit by bit, there may be a trend idea here that is perfect for you. The key is to modify, modify, modify. Here’s how.

• Leggings are so useful, and so you’ve got a figure that can handle them, try them. If you’re over 19-years-old, be cautious. This is a look (especially with the zips) that could make a more mature woman look trashy. Instead, look for close fitting trousers that follow the lines of your body but aren’t as tight as spandex.

• White shirts are very popular and a crisp white shirt, either simple or with interesting designs, can be a great wardrobe basic. In fact, if the price is right, buy two or three, as they need to be laundered more often than coloured blouses.

• A faux fur gilet like this one could be a great “third” piece in an outfit. Wear a classic slim skirt with black tights and ballet style pumps, a white shirt and add a vest and you’ve got a great way to wear this season’s trend without looking too trendy. A vest would be great with jeans or full trousers as well, with a slim-fitting poloneck underneath it.

• A big handbag could is great accessory that is your season’s key piece. A handbag that we feel great about gives us great confidence compared to something we’ve been using for years and is showing wear. Who needs all the other trends when you’ve got this showstopper?

• These gladiator-studded heels are pretty over the top but you can find some that have 40% fewer studs, and maybe they would be the attitude shoes of the season for you. Wearing those modified heels with the addition of some layered longer chain necklaces could be a nice combo with some tamer separates.

I thought i’d kick off my blogging with something I know my clients struggle with finding – belts.

Accessories really need to be built up over time – you can never find what you need when you are desparate of a certain style for a particular outfit. Therefore, its worth building up a collection of a few belts of different styles and colours to cover all potential outfits. One style that is a MUST this summer, especially to help define shape under potentially shapeless and baggy jersey things – t shirts, dresses – is a skinny belt. My current favourite – cheap as chips  at £6.99 and in a load of different colours – is from Uniqlo

They sold out immediately when they first came in a month ago, but I noticed this week that they had a new batch in store and available online, but be quick!

Another belt that is useful to own-  if you have a figure that cries out for waist definition – is a wide elasticated waist belt like this one from American Apparel, which again would be most useful in black but comes in a variety of colours and is only £12.

If you are looking for anything in particular in the shops or online, drop me a comment and budget and i will try and come back with some suggestions.