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- 5 Stylings Tips to Come Out of Lockdown Looking Like Your Best Self
5 Stylings Tips to Come Out of Lockdown Looking Like Your Best Self
Instagram / @lanawilkinson
Even the best-dressed among us are feeling stressed about stepping out in style post-lockdown.
Speaking from personal experience, I have had many moments throughout the past 19 months, most of them in lockdown, when I’ve felt lost with my sense of style. As someone who usually enjoys dressing up and experimenting with op-shop looks, I feel out of practice and afraid that I won’t know how to look my best anymore post-lockdown.
We called upon a leading stylist in Australia, Lana Wilkinson, who is also the Creative Director and Founder of her own footwear brand, Lana Wilkinson, for her advice on how to style our best selves after lockdown.
Not only did Wilkinson let us in on her top five go-to styling tips, but she also shared her four wardrobe must-haves. So, before we get into the styling tips, here are Wilkinson’s four wardrobe must-haves to make every outfit a moment:
- A strappy sandal. They create the ultimate leg-lengthening effect, making you look feminine and elongated all at the same time. Total boss vibe too!
2. Blazer. A blazer is the ultimate wardrobe staple and has the power to make any outfit look more styled and put together. Blazers designed in a classic colour way (black, grey, camel or white) will always be a great investment that you will wear time and time again.
3. Denim. Jeans that make you look and feel amazing will be one of the most essential pieces in your wardrobe. They can be worn casually with trainers or styled up with a signature pair of heels.
4. Basic T-shirt. A good T-shirt is often overlooked as a key wardrobe staple. They can be worn in so many different ways and can be dialled up for day or evening. Again, in signature colourways like black, white and grey, you can’t go wrong.
Now, here are Wilkinson’s top five tips for styling yourself to success:
Versatility
Make sure your wardrobe has versatility. You can do this by only buying pieces that you can integrate and pair with three items already in your wardrobe. When shopping, try to think about how what you’re purchasing can go with things in your wardrobe already. The best way to do this is to envisage outfits you could build with this new addition. It makes the styling process far less overwhelming in the long run.
Focus on Your Accessories
Accessories really do ‘maketh the outfit’. Your statement pieces and vices are always your shoes, handbags and jewellery and are important components of your outfits. By nature, at times when we try some of our clothes, we might find that they’re a bit tighter, smaller or not as comfortable as they used to be. Your shoes and accessories always fit, which is something that gives you the confidence to step out in style, no matter the occasion.
Get Online and Get Inspired
While you’re at home, get inspired and educated and check out fashion websites, as well as social media platforms like Pinterest, TikTok and Instagram. Follow your favourite accounts and get ideas about ways you can style the items you already have in your wardrobe (e.g. type in ‘how to wear black blazer or button down shirt’). There’s so much inspiration that you can find from looking at these platforms and they even allow you to save images so you can store them up for when you’re deciding on what to wear in the future. I am a sucker for a mood board of images on my phone!
Experiment with Colour
Bright hues are always a mood booster, so add pops of colour to your wardrobe to lean into the feel-good colour trends of Summer 22 (hint – green and aqua blue are huge for this season). Now that we’re reemerging into society, I’m going to be having fun with bold brights that make a statement. If doing it with clothing feels too overwhelming, do it with your shoes and bags. Fashion should be fun, so enjoy it.
Do a Wardrobe Clean-Out
Keep your classic pieces that never go out of style (such as a blazer and a good pair of denim) and get rid of things that don’t fit you anymore or that you haven’t worn for three years. If you are purchasing new items online, make sure that you can picture three outfits that you can wear the piece with. This will ensure that the item is wearable and versatile.
Bonus Tip: Take Photos of Yourself
Your iPhone/Smartphone is your best friend when deciding what to wear. Taking photos of yourself allows you to make sure that you’ve got your outfit proportions right and showcases what is most flattering for your body shape.
You can shop Lana Wilkinson’s footwear here and follow her on Instagram here for more tips and inspiration.
