8 Timeless Fashion Tips from Our Favourite Designers

These eight designers each have one piece of advice that you need to hear before you choose your outfit.

1. “The best colour in the world is the one that looks good on you.” – Coco Chanel

Different skin tones match different colours – there are heaps of charts and quizzes online so you can figure out the colour of the ‘undertone’ of your skin. You can probably already see which colours bring out your eyes, and which wash you out. When in doubt, though, we can always turn to our old friend, Mr. Black.

2. “Real elegance is everywhere, especially in the things that don’t show.” – Christian Dior

It’s definitely better to let someone’s imagination run wild than to just put everything on display. It’s better to choose only one part of your body where you show a little more skin, and then cover the rest up. Less is more, ladies.

3. “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” – Coco Chanel

If there’s too much going on in your outfit, people’s eyes won’t be drawn to anything in particular amongst the business. It’s better to have one statement piece and let everything else fall in the background. If you’re an over-accessoriser or have too many layers and patterns, leave something at home (before you run out of things to wear before Friday).

4. “Buy less, choose well.” – Vivienne Westwood

We’ve all fallen for the bargain clothing item before. What does it matter if you don’t wear it that much if it was only ten dollars? But if you went through your wardrobe and added together the price of all the things you never wear, we’re pretty sure you’d be able to buy a few amazing items for the same price. Quality should always be valued over quantity when it comes to your wardrobe.

5. “Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way to live.” – Gianni Versace

There’s nothing special about an outfit that looks like it came straight out of the latest clothing catalogues. The only thing people are going to remember about it is that they’ve already seen it on five different people today. Fashion is a way of expressing who we are before we even speak – so make sure it reflects you. Besides, how can someone envy your outfit if they already own the same thing?

6. “Dress like you are going to meet your worst enemy today.” – Coco Chanel

We want to make a collage of the things Chanel has said for our bedroom wall. You should always make an effort to look your best, if not just for yourself, then for your enemies. You know the feeling you carry around all day when your clothes look good – it just makes everything better. It’ll bring you more confidence, you’ll probably be more productive, and it makes coming home to your sweats that bit more enjoyable.

7. “Outerwear should never be an afterthought.” – Jeanne Yang

You’ve probably made the mistake before. You spent far too long deciding what you were going to wear the night before, had it all laid out on your bed in the morning, and then looked out the window only to find that the weather was miserable. So, on went the first coat you could find, and no one saw your killer outfit all day. That makes us sad.

8. “Be honest. Just be yourself.”—Stefano Gabbana

We hope we’ve kept your attention, because we’ve probably saved the best fashion tip until last.  Don’t worry about anything else; if you like it, it makes you feel comfortable, it tells people something about you – if it’s ‘you’ – put it on, and work it, work it.