How to wear the new season’s fashion trends

Work the autumn fashion trends

 
Ceril Campbell has been a celebrity fashion stylist for 25 years. She shares her top style tips for autumn trends with All About You readers.

"Never be a slave to fashion or become a fashion victim. Find your own style that really works for you, for your lifestyle and for your body shape and colouring.  Then you can update your style with your favourite elements of this season\'s trends that suit you. How do you do this? Read on to find out..."

Does your underwear fit?

 
Before you shop, consider if your underwear is doing its job properly.  Are you still wearing the same size from 20 years ago or have you recently been professionally fitted for the correct size bra?  Good lingerie can help give you extra curves, smooth your silhouette, and help you achieve your own best body shape without a miracle diet, weight loss or exercise programme. Remember a VPL is still a big no-no; wear seamless boyshort-style knickers if you don\'t like thongs, or try padded pants to create a booty-licious bottom! For more information, click here.

Improve your shape

Update your wardrobe, not just with new season clothes, but with new underwear styles that have a purpose other than just a supporting role.

 
A balconette bra will give you uplift under a scoop neck dress. A plunge bra will give you cleavage. A smoothline bra will do what it says. Body shaping corsetry can give you a waist, smooth a tum and even create a more curvaceous bottom. For more information, click here.

This season\'s fashion colours

This season\'s colours are tomato red and rich jewel colours, purple and deep blue, and burnt orange.  You need to be quite brave and extrovert to wear these strong colours, but they will create an impact.  Feel confident and you will look good. 

This season is all about ‘statement\' dressing so you will need to wear your chosen colours and styles with pizzazz. Dressing cleverly is about creating an illusion - wear bright colours on the slimmer half of your body, darks on the larger, to balance out your body shape.  If you are petite or less than 5\' 2", wear the colour as a block. Don\'t break it up, it will make you appear shorter.

Catwalk image: Aquascutum, Autumn/Winter 2008-2009 

How to wear colour

Choose your colour tones carefully.  If you have yellow toned skin and tan easily, you can pull off tomato red. Those of you with pink-toned pale skins will suit pink-reds or blue-reds. 

 
Deep purple can look fantastic, whether you are blonde or dark.  Adding a touch of purple or deep blue will bring last season\'s black clothes bang up to date, even if it\'s just pair of shoes. 

Catwalk image: Alberta Ferretti, Autumn/Winter 2008-2009 

Lace is back!

Lace is this season\'s big evening look. Whether you wear it demurely or sexily is up to you, but consider how much flesh will show through the lace.  As you age, less is always more. A little flesh can go a long way.

You could use lace simply to help disguise those body parts that you prefer not to put on show, such as your arms. Consider investing in a LBD (little black dress) with three-quarter lace sleeves. If you have a sheer lace dress, then a flesh coloured slip could be a useful asset to your winter wardrobe.

Catwalk image: Prada, Autumn / Winter 2008-2009 

Find your inner vamp

‘Sexy Goth\' is all about mixing delicate lace, sheer chiffon, frills and Spanish ruffles, with contrasting textures and fabrics all in black.  A skinny leather trouser is the key item for this winter - but to be worn with caution!

Keep away from this look if you remember wearing it the first time around.  This look is not biker girl but more reminiscent of 1980\'s Madonna, worn with masses of silver chains, beads or crucifix. 

Catwalk image: Givenchy, Autumn / Winter 2008-2009 

Be clever with fashion trends

But be careful! Take only an element of Goth style - maybe a high necked or frilled chiffon shirt (they are everywhere on the high street this season) - and team it with a sexy slim knee-length black skirt or trousers in a shape that works for you, and very high heels or pointy stiletto boots (patent if you dare). 

Never do a whole trend in its entirety, even if you feel you could be young enough to get away with it - you will look like you are in costume!

Catwalk image: Givenchy, Autumn / Winter 2008-2009 

Tartan is hot

Both tartan and country tweed are funky this season, and never to be worn in a mumsy or ‘Queen at home at Balmoral\' sort of way.  If you are a size 16+ keep away from bigger checks. Smaller checks or dogtooth will be more flattering.

You can create an illusion by wearing the tartan on the slimmer part of your body and a plain darker colour on your curves. Keep well away from boxy tartan jackets if you have a big bust. But this look is great if you have a slim straight-up-and-down shape.

Catwalk image: D&G, Autumn / Winter 2008-2009 

Too old for boho?

Russian folk, boho, paisley and fringing are all part of the same trend and there is no reason why you can\'t simply tap into this trend with accessories. Fringed or embroidered bags, paisley scarves, and fake fur gilets are all easy, inexpensive and effective additions to your existing wardrobe.  

A high street printed paisley-folk styled dress could be worn over leggings or opaque tights; choose black, navy or dark brown if you wish to take attention away from your legs, bright coloured opaques to show off slim pins. 

Catwalk image: Gucci, Autumn / Winter 2008-2009 

Big it up

Volume as a trend means oversized silhouettes, futuristic shapes, angular shoulders (shoulder pads have appeared again), oversized sleeves, big collars and hourglass shapes with peplums. The shorter you are, the more careful you have to be with this trend. Stick to monotones and keep the volume balanced with something close fitting.  

Both Kylie and Sharon Osbourne are excellent at dressing for their 5\' 2 heights. So if you are wearing a jacket that is puffy or oversized, then balance it with tight or skinny trousers.  It\'s important that you don\'t look like a giant puff ball. Accentuate a neat waist or curves with a wide belt, and be proud to be as curvaceous as a ‘50\'s Hollywood film star.

Catwalk image: Yves Saint Laurent, Autumn / Winter 2008-2009 

How to accessorise

Accessories should be the first items you buy to update your wardrobe this season. You can beat the credit crunch and get a look straight off the catwalk simply with new shoes, bags, jewellery and tights.

The latest jewellery must-haves are chunky cuffs and large statement necklaces (that should be worn only if you have a long neck). 

Catwalk image: Burberry Prorsum, Autumn / Winter 2008-2009 

Shoes and boots `08

When it comes to heels you have a few choices - tall and spikey with pointy toes, or - relief - chunky platforms which will be more comfortable.

Boots are all important, from ankle boots to biker boots to fringed boots to over-the-knee boots. Ankle boots are best with matching opaque tights to elongate and slim the leg, otherwise they can give the illusion of cutting up the leg, just as shoes with ankle straps do.

Over-the-knee boots should only be considered by anyone who has perfect pins and is under 40 - unless you are Madonna.

Catwalk image: Gucci, Autumn / Winter 2008-2009 

The ultimate style tip

 And finally - never, ever go down the route of wearing a shapeless sweatshirt or sweater and leggings as a fashion get-out. It doesn\'t matter if you are having a ‘fat day\' or ‘only\' on the school run/just popping to the shops. You can do better than that!

Catwalk image: Chanel, Autumn / Winter 2008-2009 

More help and advice

Ceril Campbell is a fashion stylist who been styling celebrities for over 25 years and is available to help readers look their ‘red carpet best\' by private consultation, group seminar or email. For more information visit her website www.cerilcampbell.com. Her recently published ‘Discover the new you - celebrity secrets to transform your life\' is packed full of insider fashion tips and style advice, click here to buy. Visit her lingerie website at www.redcarpetundies.com

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