Each season you can create a capsule wardrobe that will express your style and create a month of outfits or even more. You should make sure your capsule wardrobe for summer clothing is classic, timeless and seasonal with several key pieces that are updated with a few pieces each year. You coordinate your capsule wardrobe by colour and style so you can coordinate well together. This should help you in planning your capsule wardrobe for summer clothing 2012.

To build your capsule wardrobe, start with the basics in summer clothing.

-          Two pairs of trousers one light, one dark. The White Company has good quality trousers, perfect for your capsule wardrobe, for example; the White Linen Casual Trousers and Linen Wide Leg Trousers in black.

-          Two plain blouses. The Broderie Drawstring Hem Blouse and the Lace Yoke Silk Blouse from The White Company are simple, comfortable and plain.

-          Two tops. The Flutter Sleeve White Cotton Top and Embroidered ¾ Sleeve Black Cotton Top are flattering and will match with almost anything, perfect for a capsule wardrobe.

-          A few simple cardigans. Essential for the summer months, cardigans match with almost anything. The White Company have all styles of cardigans for example; Gathered Detail Long Natural Cardigan and the Open Hooded Dark Charcoal Mari Cardigan will match your outfits.

-          A few classic dresses and tunics. Dresses are no fuss outfits that can be worn over and over. The Pleat Neck White Linen Dress, Pleat Neck Pebble Linen Dress and Notch Neck Pebble Sleeveless Dress from the White Company are wonderful examples of dresses that can be worn over and over.

Once you have your capsule wardrobe in place, you can begin adding specific pieces to create your signature style. Accessorize outfits to make them appear different each time you wear them. You can also identify the gaps for example; do you have the right kind of trousers? Or do you need more shirts? Eventually you will have a wardrobe that will make choosing an outfit each day, easy.

Rihanna is known for her beautiful voice, numerous hits and incredible fashion. Rihanna has never been afraid to express herself, whether it’s in her music, performances or in the clothes that she wears. We have marvelled at her ever changing hair colour and interesting outfits but the latest item worn by Rihanna to catch the attention of her fans are her boots worn in music videos for the songs ‘You da one’ and ‘We found love’. Although the boots would not be the personal choice of many, Rihanna knows how to wear them.

In the music video produced for the song ‘you da one’ Rihanna looks almost tomboyish in a pair of interesting army boots. In the music video ‘We found love’ Rihanna caused quite a stir in her black boots. After the music videos were released there were scores of people trying to find information on these particular boots. But it is not only in music videos where Rihanna is showing off interesting boots. At the 2012 Brit Awards Rihanna danced around on stage wearing heavy field boots. It seems that boots are not only a fashion item to the singer but also as a way to express herself. Her last performance on the X-factor Rihanna made an appearance wearing boots with a particular phrase scratched across them that we shall not mention. It would seem the singer was trying to express her feelings on complaints that she was dressed too raunchy in the last performance.

Get the look with these lotus buckle detail wedge ankle boots from Gray & Osbourn

In the meantime, there are many ways to draw attention to an hourglass figure, which is one of the figures that most women would love to have. It is, after all, an indication that everything is in proportion. The hips and the shoulders have the same dimensions and the tummy area demands jackets that accentuate it.

The most important part of any woman’s outfit is her underwear, most notably the bra. This wardrobe staple dictates how the rest of the outfit looks. The right bra can transform nearly any outfit to goddess proportions.

Dresses

Dresses are any hourglass’ perfect companion, no matter the season or the reason.  Dresses that hug, not hide, the curves work wonders on these figures so go for empire-style dresses and anything that focuses the attention on the waist area. Use a belt to add some more definition to any dress. One of the best ever dresses for the hourglass figure is the wrap dress. This draws the attention to the upper body instead of the typical problem area – the thighs.

Pencil skirts

Skirts in and of themselves are great to play with but pencil skirts are any curvy lady’s best friend. These skirts work well at showcasing the hip and waist ratio. This helps to give a silhouette that is successful at pleasing everyone’s eyes.

Another skirt style that may look good on an hourglass figure is that of the A-line skirt. Just be sure that the skirt be fitted around the waist and hips.

Trousers

Do not wear trousers that are too baggy as this can just translate into looking frumpy. Try to wear trousers in darker colours. This need not be black, as not all women look good when they wear this colour. Wear pants that are straight legged – boyfriend jeans spring to mind – or just slightly flared.

General tips

Try to sneak in a belt wherever possible. This will add some definition to your waist and it will also pull your outfit together. V-necks are a great investment: buy dresses and tops with v-necks as these flatter your neckline.

Get thee to a tailor: shop-bought clothes only look good on a small percentage of people. The rest of us have to keep a tailor’s number on our speed-dials.

Women who reach a certain age hear a lot about ‘ageing gracefully’ and being ‘dignified and distinguished’. The strange thing is that much of the advice women receive from the ‘experts’ could apply to women of all ages, shapes, sizes and intellectual persuasions.

It’s also sad that so much of the ‘advice’ centres on hiding skin that has seen better days. ‘Hide the arms, hide the knees, hide the this and don’t forget to hide the that’. Why this fear of harmless skin and the myriad stories that it tells?

Sure, there’s a certain grace that some older women possess but that’s not because they’re old. It’s mostly to do with their personality. These graceful older women were more than likely graceful young women, too.

So what to do with all the fashion advice for old/er women? Sometimes a pinch of salt isn’t nearly enough and only a large bag will do; however, there are some things that many of us non-supermodel types should either do or avoid.

Don’t put everything out there

Focus on one area at a time. Perhaps you want to show off your legs today and your delightful décolletage tomorrow. If so then it may be a good idea to save the backless gown for sometime next week.

Add some of that sparkling personality

Older women often hear they need to get a ‘signature piece’. That’s OK for women who frequent second-hand shops but what about women who are squeamish about preloved clothing? So go for something that few would wear instead. Purple brogues? Sure, why not. Make it yours and wear it without a hint of irony.

Break some rules

Women who stick to the rules do not make history. Women who go against the grain even just a little bit have a lot more fun while they’re running for President Of The World. So if your legs would make a supermodel jealous, then it may be a wise idea to show them off to the world.

Try not to look too young

This blog’s readers know not to dress like a 16-year-old and very few would even consider donning a 6-year-old’s attire – a babydoll dress. The same goes for jeans that leave absolutely nothing to the imagination, bare bellybuttons and trying to look like Goldie Hawn.

On of the main fashion influences of the seventies was Rock and Roll musicians. Instead of following fashion trends, these musicians set them. Seventies clothes therefore will always be remembered as free-spirited, diverse and fun-loving.

The 1970s started off with a continuation of the popular sixties hippie look – tie dyed shirts, bell bottoms and frayed jeans. Seventies clothes consisted of people taking the hippie culture a new and interesting level – instead of buying bell bottoms and tie dyed garments, they would make their own. The flamboyant fashions of rockers like Elton John and David Bowie were also gaining in popularity.

Seventies clothes also saw the rise of ethnic fashions, with garments from the Far East like turbans and kimonos popping up. Also, this was the age of the Afro.

But probably the biggest musical influence on seventies fashion was disco music. But while disco clothing was popular, it was not considered appropriate day wear. Disco clothing was designed for the nightclub setting – therefore ease of movement and comfort was essential. Clothing features stretchy materials such as spandex or Lycra. Also popular was gold hot pants, mini skirts, leopard prints, zipped jumpsuits, sequined tube tops and satin jackets – all designed to be eye-catching. And of course, who can forget those platform shoes?

But by the end of the 70s, disco clothing began to wane in popularity, opening the door to new and emerging fashion trends. Casual pants went high-waisted, with women choosing flared leg denim pants and skirts. However, by the end of the seventies, straight leg jeans were fashionable. Tennis shoes also became standard attire during the end of the seventies thanks to the establishment of Nike.

The Punk look was also a significant part of seventies clothes. This look features the Mohawk (which is once again becoming popular), stud collars, ripped jeans and chains.

But this is not true, and people should not confuse style with fashion. In other words, you don’t have to be wearing the latest fashion trends to be stylish.

There are many designers out there that offer stylish, sexy and fashionable clothing that doesn’t break the bank. Designers like Bernshaw at Gray and Osbourn have made it their mission to cater for women of all shapes and sizes, and budgets.

When it comes to style, two golden rules apply:

1. Being stylish has nothing to do with your size. It is about making the most of your unique shape and emphasising your good features.

2. Being stylish does not have to cost a fortune. Looking good doesn’t have to break the bank. Remember style is not something that is bought; it is something that you have.

Many women blame their age, size or bad financial situation for their sinking sense of style. Others feel that because they are married and looking after kids and a household, they have no reason to dress up and feel good. The general feeling is this – just because you are married, keeping house or looking after your kids does not mean your should feel any less attractive and desirable than you did when you were young, free, single or working.

At good fashion style has more to do with attitude and confidence than with the type of clothing you are wearing. If you feel confident in your own skin, it will start to reflect in your personal style. Dress to suit your mood and personality, and soon that slouchy stroll will turn into a sexy swagger.

Here are 10 simple fashion tips that every woman should follow:

• Firstly, put the word ‘fashion’ out of your mind and concentrate on ‘style’.
• Even if you are a stay at home mom, try not to fall into the rut of dressing down or not getting dressed at all. Every woman deserves to look and feel good, even if your days are spent keeping house and doing mundane chores.
• Clear out your closet. Get rid of clothes that will never fit you, that are outdated, or does not suit your body shape or style.
• Add classic pieces to your closet – these are pieces that will never go out of fashion. Well fitted blue jeans and black formal pants, crisp white and coloured shirts, boots, pumps and heels, a little black dress, and a classic trench coat are all classics that suit all or most occasions and can be accessorised.
• Spoil yourself by purchasing at least one pricey and quality piece of clothing, whether it is a jacket, shoes or handbag.
• Make sure your wardrobe has items for all seasons. Have separate summer and winter clothes, or buy classics that can be alternated by simply adding a cardigan, shoes or accessories.
• A great bag or shoes can really transform an item. Do not underestimate the power of accessories.
• Learn about your body shape and buy clothing that complements it.
• Learn how to downplay your so-called flaws by highlighting your good features.
• Be a smart shopper. Ask your friends and family members what looks good on you and what stores caters to your body shape.

The key is great style is to be comfortable in your own personal style and to have the confidence to show it off.

There are a number of things to look out for when shopping for new clothing. Besides your body shape, these things include your weight, your height, what type of lifestyle you have, and also the climate.

Women who have fuller figures often feel they have the short end of the fashion stick: it seems as though everything and everyone caters for petite women with small breasts. But there is definitely hope: find clothing that flatters your body type. This will mean playing around a bit with fabrics, cuts, and patters. We will look at three ways that you can minimise your body shape: wearing smaller prints, wearing dark, solid colours, and wearing thin fabrics.

One of the easiest ways to minimise your curves is to wear smaller prints. This means that unless you’re very tall and you can carry it well, you should say ‘No thank you’ to oversize prints. Stick instead to small prints that will trick the brain into thinking it covers less space than it really does.

Another great way is to go for solid colours. Add some fun with bold colours if you want. This also ups your confidence levels and makes you stand out from the crowd. The reason that wearing solid colours works so well is that the brain gets tricked into believing there is less of the fabric. You could pair the dark, solid colours with something else such as prints even with other solid colours. The trick is to use the solid colours on the problem spot that you would like to minimise.

The last stealth method of making yourself look smaller is to wear thinner fabrics. This does not mean you’ll freeze in winter; there are many thin fabrics out there that can keep you deliciously warm. You can try cashmere and wool for some winter warmth that won’t make you feel bulky.