Too pretty? Too dressy? Not sure how to make them feel cool, easy and actually wearable in real life?

If you have not read Part 1 yet, that was all about the big pressing issue: what the hell do I wear on my feet? Start there.

If you have already done your homework, welcome to Part 2. This time we are looking at what to wear on top to make skirts feel more exciting, modern and a little less precious.

And right at the end, paid subscribers are getting some quick fixes for when the outfit still is not quite working, plus some of my current Vinted favourites, which are very, very good and I am slightly territorial about sharing…

But first, let’s get into this!

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1. Let the Skirt Be the Star

One of the easiest ways I make skirts feel more everyday is by letting the skirt be the star of the outfit and keeping whatever goes on top much more casual.

Think satin, tweed, silk, pleats, animal print, anything slightly ladylike or special… paired with the kind of T-shirt you would normally throw on with jeans (or your pyjama bottoms!)

My favourite version is a slightly oversized vintage graphic tee and I am obsessed with how from Wear Some Fun finds the most random vintage T-shirts on the internet, down to the very specific search terms she uses.

If graphic tees are not your thing, a plain T-shirt in your favourite neutral works just as well. A white, grey, navy or black tee can be exactly the palette cleanser a busy skirt needs. I really love how styles her column skirts with a slightly oversized long-sleeved T-shirts, which feels minimal, casual and a little more current than the classic short-sleeved version.

I also like playing with the tuck rather than doing anything too neat. Sometimes I just tuck the top slightly to one side so you still get a bit of shape without making the whole outfit feel too done. Other times I leave it completely loose. Depends on my mood and level of bloatiness.

Some quick styling tips:

• Use the T-shirt to make the skirt feel like jeans. The more polished, ladylike or precious the skirt is, the better a very ordinary tee can work with it. The classiest tweed skirt with the slightly cheesy I ❤️ NYC T-shirt from the Chanel Métiers d’Art is the perfect example: something lady-like vs something you might buy as a joke.

• If the skirt is already doing a lot, keep the T-shirt very simple. A plain white or grey tee works brilliantly with animal print, checks, shiny fabrics or anything visually busy.

• A long-sleeved T-shirt can make the same formula feel more current. Especially when the skirt is straight, column-shaped or a little severe. It feels slightly more directional than a classic short-sleeved tee.

• Tucking changes the mood completely. A neat tuck, like the Maison Margiela look above, makes a graphic tee work beautifully with a pencil skirt because the waist stays defined and the proportions feel sharper. A loose or side tuck makes the same idea feel much more relaxed.

• Use a belt if you want the T-shirt to feel more deliberate. Particularly with pencil or straight skirts. The belt creates a proper break between the casual top and polished skirt, and adds a bit of visual weight around the waist. If you are worried about your tummy showing, that extra structure can actually help the fitted silhouette feel more pulled together and less exposed.

• Let the T-shirt be a little bit (or a lot!) wrong. A vintage graphic, faded logo, random slogan or slightly oversized fit works better than something pristine because it gives the feminine skirt some real friction.

The Outfits

Two ways to ground a skirt via the top half: slightly sporty with a band T-shirt on the left, cleaner and more structured with a simple long-sleeved tee on the right.

Outfit 1: Soeur jacket / Me + Em multi-position necklace / Preloved Prada skirt / New Balance trainers / J. Crew white leather bag / H&M graphic t-shirt

Outfit 2: Preloved Prada skirt with belt / COS long sleeve t-shirt / Celine sunglasses / Preloved Acne Studios biker jacket / Toteme zebra shoes / COS leather bag / PDPaola earrings

2. A Touch of Sportswear

If you are a millennial, you probably wore the hell out of trainers with dresses and skirts back in the day (maybe still do?), so this should feel fairly familiar. What changes the mood now is taking that idea one step further and adding an obvious sporty element on top.

It makes skirts feel more casual and wearable, but it can also make that old skirt you’ve had forever suddenly feel much more current.

And yes, windbreakers and rugby shirts are everywhere right now. I have to admit I gave in and already bought a windbreaker from Zara, and I have already worn it loads because it is super light and adds something unexpected to dressier pieces.

But if you are tempted by the trend and not fully committed, do not immediately go out and buy a collection of windbreakers and rugby shirts. Experiment with what you already have. Maybe it’s an old Adidas tracksuit jacket you only wear to the gym, an ancient bomber you found in a charity shop, or even your partner’s hoodie. Anything with a vaguely sporty feel can work.

A few things I keep in mind:

• Keep the sporty element to one main piece. If the track jacket, rugby top or windbreaker is doing the sporty work, I usually let the rest of the outfit go in another direction.

• Add something polished back in. A sharp blazer over a rugby top, black accessories, a structured bag or a pair of diamante earrings can stop the outfit from going too ‘running a marathon in my skirt’.

• If the top is sporty, keep the footwear sleeker. As much as I love a chunky trainer with a skirt, I would probably skip it here and go for a loafer, ballet flat, slim boot or something more refined.

• Let the sporty piece feel slightly out of place. That is often what makes the skirt feel fresher. If everything matches too neatly, you lose the little bit of tension that makes the outfit interesting.

The Outfits

On the left, the rugby top makes the satin skirt feel much less precious, while the leather blazer keeps it from going too sporty. On the right, the striped tee and pink utility jacket give the pleated skirt a much more casual, slightly unexpected direction.

Outfit 1: COS rugby shirt / COS layered skirt / Celine sunglasses / COS leather blazer / COS bag / COS ballet shoes / COS hairpin

Outfit 2: Arket Harrington jacket (sale) / COS stripe t-shirt / Massimo Dutti pleated skirt / Demellier Stockholm bag / Me + Em diamante earrings / Loeffler Randall tall boots

3. Bring in Something Utilitarian

Another way I like to make skirts feel less pretty and more like a pair of jeans is by adding something that feels a bit more practical, structured or uniform-like on top.

Think barn jackets, denim, suede, leather, utility jacket, boxy blazers, even a Napoleon-style jacket. Basically, anything that brings a bit of weight or structure to a skirt that might otherwise feel too soft, feminine or polished.

I especially like this with anything super cute and pretty: satin, silk, minis or fuller skirts because the contrast is so easy! The skirt brings the movement and softness, while the jacket makes the whole thing feel much easier and relaxed.

And again, I would not rush out to buy the exact jacket everyone is wearing. Look at what you already have that gives you the same feeling: an old denim jacket, a slightly battered leather one, a military-inspired coat, a utility shirt or a blazer with strong shoulders.

And if you live with a man, even better, raid his wardrobe! Menswear versions often have the boxier shape and extra weight that works brilliantly with a skirt.

This is also one of those trends that is especially good second-hand, so go to your local charity shop and see what you can find.

A few things I keep in mind:

• Let the jacket have some structure. Boxier shapes, heavier fabrics and strong shoulders work especially well against a skirt with movement.

• Do not make everything polished. If the jacket is already quite formal or decorative, like a Napoleon jacket, keep the rest simpler.

• Use texture to do some of the work. Suede, denim, waxed cotton, vintage leather and tweed all bring a bit of visual weight without needing lots of extra styling.

• Keep the shoe relatively simple. Loafers, a chunky boot, ballet flats or a clean trainer let the jacket and skirt do the talking.

• Look for the general mood, not the exact trend piece. The useful bit is the structure, utility or uniform feel. You probably already own your version of it.

The Outfits

Two ways to make a skirt feel less precious with a practical layer: leather and denim on the left, quilted jacket and loafers on the right. The skirts stay feminine, but everything around them feels a bit more grounded.

Outfit 1: Soeur jacket / Ami Paris denim shirt / Flore Flore t-shirt / J.Crew skirt / Loeffler Randall chunky boots

Outfit 2: Barbour jacket / COS merino wool top / COS skirt (sales) / J.Crew snake print loafers / Massimo Dutti suede bag / COS mismatched earrings

For paid subscribers, I am getting into the bit I always want after reading a styling post: what to do when you try the idea and it still somehow looks wrong.

First, a few quick styling fixes for the most common skirt problems. Then I’m sharing some of my favourites on Vinted: a few statement jackets, chunky boots inspired by Claudia Winkleman, and some very good deals on loafers by The Row and Dries Van Noten.

Read more

However it was latest post that gave me the idea for this newsletter. She made a very similar point, just through a different comparison: instead of treating the skirt like a T-shirt, she argues that we should style it as we style jeans. Easy, everyday and casual.

Which got me thinking… because I have always treated skirts a little bit like that. I love a skirt. In fact, I normally find skirts easier to wear than jeans. Jeans are supposedly the ultimate easy wardrobe staple, but when you have a smaller waist, bigger hips and a bum, they do not always sit quite right. gives really good advice here about how to wear “hard pants” — aka jeans — when you would rather be in soft trousers.

So a skirt has often been that for me, that easy pull-on trouser. But I know that skirts are super easy to wear in the summer. Add a T-shirt, maybe a flip-flop to take the prissiness out of it, and you are done.

Autumn is where things get more interesting…

Once the temperature drops, how do you keep a skirt feeling easy and effortless rather than suddenly turning it into a lady who lunches?

As an avid skirt wearer, I realised there is actually quite a lot I want to say about this, so rather than cramming every skirt thought I’ve ever had into one enormous newsletter, I am turning this into a little series on how to make skirts feel as easy as jeans [or insert your comfy bottoms of choice here].

I have also started a Pinterest board for this series, where I will be pinning all the skirt styling references, runway looks and random outfit inspiration I find along the way. You can follow if you want to see the visual side of all this unfold in real time.

We will get into T-shirts, oversized layers, sporty jackets, big cosy jumpers and all the other things I use to make skirts feel less precious. But I want to start with footwear, because this seems to be the thing that trips everyone up.

As soon as I asked in the subscribers’ chat about skirt-styling dilemmas, Emma sent me this message, and I think she summed up the problem perfectly.

And that is really the question, isn’t? How do you make skirts work with practical shoes without the proportions suddenly feeling a bit off?

However my first instinct is always to say: do not overthink it! An unexpected shoe can bring the right bit of friction the outfit needs. I now, that you subscribe for facts, so I am giving you all the facts!

1. The easy lengths: anything above or just below the knee

If the skirt finishes above the knee, you have plenty of leg showing, which gives you more room to play with footwear.

• Trainers, loafers, ballet flats and chunkier shoes can all work because there is enough visual space between the hem and the shoe.

• Socks are your friend here. Instead of leaving a random strip of bare ankle, let the sock become part of the outfit.

A loafer with a visible sock — even better if it is a pop of colour — can make the whole thing feel much more deliberate.

This is why I find shorter skirts so easy to style. You can go any direction you want to go: delicate, chunky or slightly masculine just by using the right footwear.

2. But what about the midi?

Midi skirts tend to be a bit more problematic to style, specially for the colder season. And the issue is not so much the shoe itself, but the little section of leg left between the hem and the shoe.

If the skirt ends mid-calf and the top of your boot finishes at the widest part of your calf, you can end up creating several horizontal lines very close together, which is often what makes the proportions feel awkward.

With a midi, I usually prefer going for any of the following:

• Keep the shoe low enough that you see a clear stretch of ankle.
  This is why midi skirts tend to look so good with kitten heels, pointed toes, ballet flats, slim loafers or a sleek trainer. Anything that keeps the shoe relatively low and shows some of the top of the foot helps the leg look longer and cleaner, rather than cutting it off at an awkward point.

• Go high enough that the boot disappears underneath the skirt.
  This is where knee-high boots really earn their keep in autumn. If the boot disappears under the hem, you avoid that awkward little strip of calf between skirt and shoe, and the whole line looks much more continuous.

  

• Use a sock to bridge the gap.
  This one deserves its own section, and its below!

• Go chunkier on purpose.
  A heavier trainer, loafer or shoe can look brilliant with a midi skirt, especially if the skirt itself is quite feminine. That contrast is what makes the outfit interesting. The only catch is that you may need to get used to the proportions at first, because it can look “wrong” just because your eye is expecting something slimmer.

3. The shape of the skirt matters too

Sometimes it’s not so much about the length of the skirt as the shape. That can completely change which shoes feels right.

We could get VERY deep into this, but I want to keep it fairly simple and useful. If you still have questions, comment, email me or drop them in the subscribers’ chat. Or, better yet, book a session with me!

• Full / A-line skirts: they can usually handle more weight underneath. Loafers, chunky trainers, boots and sturdier flats work well because the volume of the skirt balances the shoe.

• Straight / column skirts: tend to look best with a cleaner shoe shape. Slim trainers, loafers, ballet flats or a boot that disappears under the hem to keep the line feeling sleek.

• Slip / bias-cut skirts: this is where contrast can be really useful. A trainer, loafer or heavier boot can stop the skirt feeling too dressy or precious, while a slimmer shoe keeps the whole look cleaner and more elegant. It really depends on the mood you want

• Pleated skirts: can go either way, I find pleated skirts to be super versatile, just like A-line skirts. A slim shoe keeps them polished; a chunkier shoe makes them feel more edgy, pick your poison!

• Mini / short skirts: the easiest of the lot. Because there is more leg showing, you can usually get away with a chunkier shoe, boot, sock or something more masculine as we saw above.

The Little Nerdy Styling Details

I am off for a week from Sunday, so there won’t be a separate paid newsletter this week or next. Instead, I am going a little deeper into what to look for when a skirt-and-shoe combination still feels a little off, and let me tell you, I went DEEP!

• socks and how they bridge the gap

• anklets for taking down the sweetness

• why slits matter more than you think

• tights as part of the outfit, not just because it’s cold

• why a few centimetres of hem length can change everything: with a very specific visual guide

Read more

I’m still very much doing my Isn’t that yesterday’s outfit? challenge, and this week I seem to have accidentally taken it one step further. Instead of just carrying one piece from yesterday’s outfit into the next, I’ve been wearing the exact same base outfit two days in a row.

You know how much I want to find ways to make getting dressed easier for you (and for me), because I know how much we all have going on. And while getting dressed is fun and we all love fashion, sometimes the brain simply cannot cope and we end up throwing something on and feeling a bit meh about it.

So, for those days when your brain is completely fried, I present to you: start with a simple base outfit and stop trying to invent the whole thing from scratch.

I tried three different bases this week and wore each one for two days in a row. Were they revolutionary? Nope. I went with the things I’m pretty much always in the mood to wear.

But the finished outfits? Well, they were actually really good, if I say so myself.

It’s funny how the exact same base can look completely different depending on what you put on top, the shoes you choose, the accessories you add and the direction you decide to take it.

So, let me show you…

Monday and Tuesday: Denim shorts + tank top

I wanted to start the week with a base that could carry me through a couple of days easily. Because of the challenge, I had to bring something over from Saturday’s outfit, so on Monday I added this Mango net jumper (here is something similar) that I seem to reach for all the time, which is perfect for adding texture without the actual heaviness of a jumper.

Denim shorts are a great transitional piece, I bought this pair from Zara thinking they would be much looser fit, but I actually prefer them like this. The raw edges add that little bit of undone-ness that stops them feeling too neat.

Because it’s still ridiculously warm, I’ve also been making a point of bringing autumn into my outfits through colour rather than layers. The necklace was perfect for this: burgundy and khaki green against all the cream, camel and denim. Then I added my Zara windbreaker-style jacket, a belt with a statement buckle and my David Bowie tote from the V&A — an easy bag that adds so much personality.

And for a Monday, I’m actually quite proud of this fit.

But this is where the experiment gets interesting, because the next day I kept the exact same denim shorts and tank top and took them in a completely different direction…

Monday was soft, tonal and textural. Tuesday I was in the mood for something tougher.

I started with these new Massimo Dutti pointed mules I bought recently, which, by the way, are SO comfortable, and built everything else around them. I wanted something slightly more masculine and cool, so I added an oversized men’s striped shirt and my leather blazer, which I actually didn’t really wear because it was too warm.

And can we talk about the sleeves?! Letting an oversized shirt cuff peek out from underneath a blazer is such a small move, but it makes an outfit look instantly more styled. A little messy, a little effortless, my perfect kind of styling moment.

Then I finished everything with black accessories: the pointed shoes, cat-eye sunglasses and a black belt with a big gold buckle to really commit to the edgier direction. I’d actually been looking for a belt like this for ages — preloved, vintage, everywhere — and where did I eventually find it? Zara. Of course.

And I am OBSESSED with Tuesday’s outfit. You will absolutely be seeing me in some version of this again.

I’m sharing all outfits from this little experiment below, plus the styling decisions that made the same simple bases feel completely different.

Come snoop around my wardrobe with me ❤️

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I grew up devouring teen magazines, reading about my favourite pop stars, Backstreet Boys and Spice Girls all the way! — before graduating to the more sophisticated, fashion-y world of magazines like Vogue or Elle.

And if there is one thing I really miss about those teen magazines, it’s the random but somehow weirdly accurate quizzes.
Did you also use to redo them just so you would get the result you wanted? “Oh yes, I am definitely more Serena van der Woodsen than Blair Waldorf.” Or was that just me?

You can do the same here, I won’t tell!

So I’ve made a quizz!

The idea is to help you figure out which autumn jacket is most likely to become your whole personality this season.

Because I know how incredibly tempting it’s to buy every jacket currently doing the rounds. They are all annoyingly good. But you know what’s better? Choosing the one you are actually going to wear the hell out of! not just this year but for years to come.

You know how this works: read each question, pick A, B, C or D, keep track of your answers, then scroll down to see which autumn cover-up you are, why it suits your style, and how to wear it.

Enjoy and please share your results in the comments!

1. Your ideal autumn outfit starts with…

A. A floaty skirt, embroidery dress or something with movement
B. A crisp shirt, tailored trousers and something with strong shoulders
C. A simple knit, clean trousers and a great pair of shoes
D. Denim, trainers and something sporty thrown over the top

2. You see a jacket you love. What makes you actually buy it?

A. It needs to feel special and one of a kind, like something I found in a vintage market
B. I want it to make jeans and a T-shirt feel instantly polished and memorable
C. It needs to make everything I already own look sharper and more structured
D. I can throw it over almost anything and leave the house

3. Which fashion era better represent your style?

A. Seventies bohemia
B. Eighties power dressing
C. Nineties minimalism
D. Early-2000s streetwear

4. Which wardrobe mistake are you most likely to make?

A. Buying something beautiful with absolutely nowhere to wear it
B. Choosing something too formal because the tailoring was too good to resist
C. Buying three versions of essentially the same clean, simple thing
D. Convincing yourself something extremely practical is also fashion

5. Which runway look are you most likely to recreate?

A. Something romantic and slightly dramatic, with embroidery, movement and texture, very Chloé
B. Jeans elevated by an incredible structured jacket with strong shoulders or military details, very Ralph Lauren
C. A pared-back monochrome look where the silhouette and proportions are doing all the work, very The Row
D. Something sporty mixed with tailoring, a skirt or a polished shoe, very Prada

6. Which Substacker style are you most likely to borrow from?

A. or — layered, textural, a little bohemian
B. — avant-garde, sculptural, commanding, never predictable
C. — clean, minimal, modern, quietly sharp
D. or — playful, super cool and a little bit undone

7. If a trend disappears next year, what would make you keep wearing it anyway?

A. It feels special and has a story
B. It makes me stand taller and more like myself the second I put it on
C. It works with almost everything in my wardrobe and still feels like me
D. It makes my everyday clothes more interesting without making life harder

8. You have ten minutes to get dressed. What saves you?

A. One piece with enough personality to carry the outfit
B. A jacket that instantly makes everything look more polished
C. A very simple outfit with one strong silhouette
D. An easy layer that somehow makes the basics underneath look cooler

9. Your friends would probably describe your style as…

A. Expressive
B. Polished
C. Modern
D. Relaxed

10. Which compliment would make you the happiest?

A. “Where did you find that?”
B. “You always look so fierce.”
C. “That looks so cool on you.”
D. “I would never have thought to wear those things together.”

11. Your wardrobe is happiest when it has…

A. A little romance and a lot of texture
B. Strong shapes and pieces that hold their own
C. Fewer details, but really good proportions
D. Things you can throw together without thinking too much

12. Which millennial style icon are you still secretly taking notes from?

A. Sienna Miller — floaty dresses, suede, boots, romantic boho with a slightly undone edge
B. Kate Moss — skinny jeans, military jackets, sharp tailoring, effortless cool
C. Ashley Olsen — oversized proportions, leather, dark neutrals, quietly directional
D. Alexa Chung — tomboyish layers, practical jackets, quirky shoes, always a little unexpected

Results:

Mostly A: The Whimsical Duster Coat

You are drawn to clothes with personality. You like texture, movement, unusual details and pieces that feel collected rather than perfectly polished. There is probably a little (or a lot!) of boho in your wardrobe, maybe some vintage, embroidery, silk or anything that feels slightly romantic and special.

You are not really looking for a jacket that disappears into every outfit. You want the one that becomes the outfit. Your idea of a perfect day out probably involves wandering around a vintage market and finding something no one else has, and then making that piece your entire personality.

The magic of that Conner Ives whimsical duster coat was in the contrast: this incredible, luxurious piece worn with something as simple as jeans and a T-shirt. High fashion, dramatic, and somehow still completely wearable.

Now there are versions of it everywhere, from this stunning (and reversible!) Reformation coat to this gorgeous embroidered shorter one from Rixo. But honestly, I still think the best ones are vintage. Just like created her own version by simply throwing a fur scarf over a coat she found on Etsy, that is absolutely the way to go. A vintage piece is always going to feel more unique, especially if you make it your own by adding the kind of fur trim you actually love. This collar-and-cuff set is basically perfect for recreating the same vibe without buying a whole new coat.

How to wear it:

• With a white T-shirt and relaxed jeans. Let the coat do all the work. This is probably the easiest way to stop it feeling too costume-y.

• Over something very simple and monochrome. Black trousers, a black knit, simple shoes. The more dramatic the coat, the calmer the base can be.

• With trainers or loafers. A practical shoe keeps all that embroidery and faux fur from drifting too far into looking like you are off to the opera.

• With something slightly undone underneath. A loose shirt, faded denim, a knit half-tucked into trousers. The contrast makes the whole thing feel more effortless.

If you already love the thrill of finding something vintage, embroidered or slightly unusual, this is the kind of piece that will feel less like a trend and more like something you were always meant to find.

Mostly B: The Napoleon Jacket

You are drawn to clothes with a bit of drama and structure. Sharp shoulders, gold buttons, velvet — pieces that aren’t exactly interested in blending in.

There’s also a decent chance your teenage self had a soft spot for anything vaguely Victorian, military or slightly gothic. If so, the Napoleon jacket may feel less like a trend and more like an old obsession making a very convenient comeback.

Like the whimsical duster coat, this is not a background character — and neither are you.

So if you look at one and immediately think YES, trust that reaction. Maybe the trend will pass. Maybe your 17-year-old self has simply been waiting patiently for fashion to catch up.

Either way: wear the hell out of it.

How to wear it now

• Let the jacket be the centre of attention. Wide-leg or barrel jeans, a simple T-shirt and pointed shoes are more than enough.

• Lean into the romance. Add a ruffled blouse underneath and let the cuffs or sleeves peek out.

• Play with the jewellery. Layer vintage-inspired necklaces, add a single statement earring, or mix a few of your favourite pieces together to lean even further into the drama.

• Keep the bottoms modern. Relaxed denim or simple tailored trousers stop it from feeling too Pirates of the Caribbean.

• Do not be afraid to go extra. This is one of those jackets that can handle more. Minimal works, but so does full fashion-person energy.
  

This is a commitment piece. If you love the drama now, chances are you will still love it once the trend cycle has wandered off somewhere else.

Mostly C: The Funnel-Neck Leather Jacket

If the whimsical duster coat is very Mary-Kate Olsen coded, the funnel-neck leather jacket is absolutely Ashley.

You are drawn to clothes that feel minimal, luxurious and modern, bur never boring. You like clean lines, beautiful fabrics, strong proportions and pieces that feel fashion-forward without screaming for attention.

Think The Row energy: understated, polished, slightly severe in the best possible way. You may have been briefly seduced by quiet luxury, but at least you came out of it with a better eye for fabric, cut and proportion.

The funnel-neck leather jacket is having a huge moment right now because it gives a very familiar piece, the leather jacket, a fresh silhouette. The high neck and cleaner shape make it feel more directional than the classic biker, but still simple enough that it can live in your wardrobe long after everyone has moved on to the next silhouette du jour.

How to wear it now

• Keep the base simple. Straight or wide-leg trousers, a fine knit and a clean shoe let the shape of the jacket do the work.

• Lean into monochrome. Black, chocolate, cream or grey make the whole thing feel especially expensive.

• Play with proportion. A slightly oversized jacket with a slimmer skirt or trouser feels very current.

• Add one polished accessory. A structured bag, sculptural earring or pointed shoe is enough.
  

If you already love clean silhouettes, good, supple leather and a wardrobe that feels considered rather than overly decorated, this is the kind of trend that can quietly become a forever piece.

Mostly D: The Windbreaker

This is the one for the fashion risk-takers.

Where I would probably keep the funnel-neck leather jacket neutral and polished, I think the windbreaker should be fun. Bright colour, slightly retro, maybe a little bit 80s. If you are going to do this trend, I think you may as well go all in.

The interesting part is how you style it. At Saint Laurent, the windbreaker was paired with tiny lace shorts that almost read as underwear, and that clash between sporty and hyper-feminine is exactly what made the look work. That sporty, technical jacket against a skirt, a heel or something more delicate creates all the friction in the world.

You probably like clothes that feel playful, unexpected and a little bit off in the best way. You are not scared of mixing things that are not “supposed” to go together, and you probably get more excited by an outfit with tension than one that is perfectly coordinated.

How to wear it now

• Go bright. Red, cobalt, green, orange, something with a slightly retro feel.

• Pair it with something feminine. A floaty skirt, a lace dress, a slip skirt or even a kitten heel.

• Lean into the 80s reference. Sunglasses, a bold earring or a strong shoulder can make the whole thing feel very runway.

• Use contrast on purpose. The more delicate the bottom half, the better the sporty jacket works.

• This style of jacket comes in many variations: it can be a windbreaker, a bomber, a tracksuit jacket, or anything that feels almost too sporty for that pencil skirt. If it feels slightly wrong, you have probably nailed it.
  

If you already like mixing sporty and feminine pieces, this is not just a trend for you. It’s basically permission to keep doing what you already doing, just louder.

I hope you had fun doing this quiz. Tell me in the comments which jacket you got and how you are planning to wear it.

And send this to a friend so they can find out theirs too. I need to know which jacket is secretly running our lovely Substack community!

Love,

Noelia x

Me neither.

It’s been so warm here that even the thought of taking my knitwear out of storage makes me itch all over.

So I’m getting ready for the new season slowly. Very slowly.

I haven’t transitioned my wardrobe into autumn yet for obvious weather-related reasons, but I have been slowly leaning into more tr…

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But there is also a lot of constant talk about newness. The next thing to buy. The piece that is apparently going to solve all your styling problems! The magical bean that will somehow make you look like your favourite influencer, thigh gap and all.

And yes, I get it. Shopping is great. I love shopping.

But when shopping starts to feel like the only way to stay relevant, be part of the conversation, get invited to the right events, or look like you belong in certain fashion circles, I lose interest very quickly.

I completely understand the desire to look modern and current. I want that too. But it should not come at the expense of your personal style.

The problem with trends is how easy it is to get carried away by them. You start with one shoe, then suddenly you have bought the whole “how to be a fashion person” starter pack and your wardrobe looks suspiciously like everyone else’s.

So the question I want to explore is this:

How do we look modern without shopping every five minutes, and without losing the things that make our style feel like ours?

Keep Your Constants

Your wardrobe can tell you more about your style than anyone here can. This is why this is the first thing I ask when I work with a client: show me what you’ve got.

And yes, most of the time people are confused or overwhelmed by what’s in there. They have bought too much or too little, kept things from when they went to uni, and collected pieces that belong to five different versions of themselves. But even in the craziest wardrobes, and I have seen a few! you can usually work out what someone has been trying to achieve all along.

What shapes do they keep buying? Which colours always come back? What fabrics, details or aesthetics have survived every clear-out?

So ask yourself: what are the things I always go back to?

For me, it is colour, luxurious fabrics like silk, vintage pieces, interesting details, plenty of boho, unusual jewellery and anything vaguely mermaid-adjacent.

But a few years ago, when I started spending more time on social media, I felt like I needed to fit in with what ‘stylish people’ were wearing, and quiet luxury got me. Suddenly I was buying more neutrals than ever before.

I don’t see it as betrayal to my personal style. In fact, it taught me something useful. I realised I genuinely do love neutrals, and my wardrobe needed more of them! but what I was really craving was beautiful fabrics, quality and simplicity. It was not necessarily the aesthetic of quiet luxury that felt like me, it was the ethos behind it.

And that is what trends can be really useful for. They can help you see your own style more clearly. You try something on, live with it for a while, and work out which part actually belongs to you. Keep that bit. Leave the rest.

The goal is not to avoid trends completely. It is to let them add something to your style without replacing the things that were already there.

Choose One “Current” Element

Once you know your constants, this becomes much easier. You do not need to reinvent your entire wardrobe every season, you just need one or two small shifts that make everything else feel a little more current.

And for me, the easiest place to do this is footwear.

I really believe in the power of shoes. They can completely change the mood of an outfit, even if you are wearing the same dress you’ve had for ten years. Swap the shoe and suddenly the whole thing feels different.

I do this all the time when my outfits start to feel a bit stale. I add a shoe that brings a little bit of modernity to the look.

The best example from this summer were my white flip-flops. I honestly bought them thinking I would probably return them, but once I saw what they did to my outfits, I was very glad I kept them.

My summer outfits tend to be quite busy with colour, and sometimes print, so the clean, minimal white flip-flop gave them a completely different perspective. It felt fresh and slightly unexpected and I feel like it made everything else look more current.

I am excited to try the same idea with a white closed-toe shoe for autumn. If white flip-flops could freshen up my summer outfits that much, I am very curious to see what a white loafer, ballet flat or pointed shoe can do once the heavier clothes come out.

But that is just my example. The question for you is: what kind of shoe would make your own outfits feel fresher?

Maybe you tend to wear a lot of neutrals, in which case a printed mule or a red shoe could be the thing that wakes everything up. Or maybe your outfits lean very casual and you want to add a little more polish, so I would look for something with a bit more structure: a pointed toe, a sleek mule, a sharper shape.

But before you click, click, buy, go and check your wardrobe. Check your shoes. What do you already have? What do you actually wear? And what, if anything, is genuinely missing?

The point is not to buy the shoes I am wearing. It’s to figure out what kind of shoe1 gives your wardrobe a new perspective. If you need help figuring that out, my Nothing to Wear call is exactly for this: we look at what you already own, shop your wardrobe first, then identify what is actually missing.

If you find these kinds of practical styling ideas useful, you can upgrade to a paid subscription to support Nothing to Wear and get full access to all my posts, guides and subscriber-only content.

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Change the Proportions

Sometimes the piece is not the problem, but the way we have been wearing it for years.

Proportions can date an outfit much faster than the actual clothes do. The same jacket, skirt or pair of trousers can feel completely different when you change the shape of the pieces around it.

Maybe that means swapping slim fitted jeans for something wider, pairing a fitted jacket with a fuller skirt, or wearing an old dress with a chunkier shoe instead of the delicate sandals you always reached for.

This is one of the easiest ways to make your wardrobe feel current without replacing it. And it is also why I am always a bit suspicious when people say a piece is “dated”. Sometimes it just needs a different supporting cast.

Case Study: The Biker Jacket

While I was flipping through the latest Vogue, I came across the Rag & Bone editorial below featuring a biker jacket styled with an oversized white shirt, collar popped, round sunglasses, and it made me realise something: the biker jacket is such a good example of how proportions can make an old piece feel completely different.

If you are a millennial woman who lived in the UK, the chances that you own, or once owned, an AllSaints biker jacket are extremely high. All the cool celebrities were wearing them back then, usually with the skinniest jeans known to mankind, high heels and tiny tops. You can see the dramatic change in proportions so clearly through Alexa Chung below. Obviously the jacket itself is different, but even if she had kept the original one, the second outfit would still feel relevant and cool today.

And well of course, right now, the versions that feel most current is the second one, a little more oversized, boxier, almost borrowed-from-your-boyfriend.

Does that mean you cannot wear the fitted AllSaints biker jacket you bought years ago? Absolutely not.

You just need to change the proportions and styling around it.

Try it with:

• Add an oversized shirt and let the hem and cuffs peek out underneath.

• Go for a looser, straighter or wide-leg denim.

• Add a colourful jumper over your shoulders or around your waist for a bit more volume.

• Finish with a shoe that feels current now, like a sleek flat, loafer or pointed shoe.

• Keep the accessories sharper too. The sunglasses and red earrings on this moodboard are adding a lot of interest to the look.

• Even the colour palette feels modern: classic neutrals, but punctuated with red and purple, which is such a strong combination right now.

That is exactly the kind of thing I love doing with clients too: taking something they already own and genuinely love, then changing the context around it until it feels relevant again. Because sometimes the answer is not “buy a new jacket”. Sometimes the old AllSaints one just needs better context.

Semi-Sustainable

You Don’t Need To Buy A New Fall Wardrobe

Before we get started, thank you for the kind messages on my two year Substack anniversary post last week! I’m so glad if this helped answer questions or made anyone feel less alone as they write their newsletter. It’s kind of terrifying to put yourself out there, but the more you do it, the easier it gets, and the supportive fashion community on Substa…

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a month ago · 216 likes · 54 comments · Tina Boetto

The Sustainability Bit

The most sustainable clothes are the ones already hanging in your wardrobe. We talk a lot about buying better, better fabrics, avoiding fast fashion, shopping second hand, but not enough about keeping things longer and finding new ways to wear them. If something still fits, still feels like you and can be restyled in a way that feels current, why should it leave your wardrobe?

Sometimes the most sustainable thing you can do is not buy the new version but to give the old one a new life.

Now tell me in the comments, what’s something currently in your wardrobe that you would like to keep wearing?

Love,

Noelia x

And because I’m still deep into my Isn’t That Yesterday’s Outfit? challenge, I’ve been looking at a few of my favourite past shows for inspiration.

A redo of the outfit that felt flat last week

Last Saturday I wore my Mango crochet top under a tank top with linen cargo trousers. I needed something comfortable, but looking back, the outfit felt a little flat and boring for me.

So on Monday (Day 5 of the challenge) I tried something different and wore the crochet top over a white T-shirt instead. It’s still crazy warm here in Spain, but even the slightest bit of layering can add another dimension to an outfit while keeping everything else quite summery.

Paid subscribers get the full Style System I use with my styling clients, access to my entire archive, and these more personal wardrobe diaries where I show you how I personally put all of this into practice.

Today: the outfits I’ve been reworking instead of replacing, the colour combinations I’m stealing from Fashion Week, and the tiny NYFW styling tricks you can try with what’s already in your wardrobe.

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But if the weather has not caught up yet, there is no need to dive straight into cashmere, leather and ten layers. Transitional dressing is actually the fun bit.

You can keep wearing the summer pieces you love and slowly introduce colours, textures and styling ideas that feel more autumnal. So, just as I did back in June about summer, here are a few easy ways to make your wardrobe feel ready for the new season without looking totally out of place when it is still 25 degrees outside.

Keep your Summer Bag

I love what’s happening in the Loewe editorial below: full-on winter clothes finished with a bag in a colour that still feels completely summery.

That’s the swap. Let the clothes start dipping their toes into autumn—brown, navy, a bit of leather, maybe some tailoring—while the bag is still very much refusing to let go of summer. You are not changing seasons overnight, you are just starting to play with the mix.

A few easy ways to try it:

• Red with brown and pink. A cherry-red bag against the brown jacket and pink skirt is such a good example of colour friction. It shouldn’t feel obvious, which is precisely why it looks so good.

• Pale yellow with chocolate brown or navy. That Khaite structured yellow bag against darker autumn colours feels fresh without trying too hard. I also love something a little bit more playful like this preloved Prada one.

• Cobalt blue with grey or tailoring. A bright blue bag instantly wakes up a very polished neutral look. It is the perfect way to make a simple white T-shirt and jeans combination feel a little more unexpected.

• Let the bag be the summer bit. If the rest of the outfit is already leaning heavily into autumn, don’t be afraid to choose a bag colour that feels almost too wrong for the season.

• Keep the rest fairly grounded. Brown ballet flats, navy shorts, leather, tailoring — all of that gives the bright bag something more serious to play against. The more friction the better!

Summer Embroidery + Leather

You know how much I love a boho aesthetic. It has always been a constant in my style, and I am endlessly drawn to Chloé for exactly that reason, so I am very happy to see it having such a massive resurgence over the last couple of years.

But I know this version of boho is not for everyone. So when I saw the Chloé editorial below pairing leather trousers with a delicate embroidered summer blouse, I thought: this is exactly what I mean.

Not the full festival-costume version going to Glastonbury in 2005, but that mix of something soft and romantic with something tougher: leather, suede, denim.

More witchy, less beachy.

A few easy ways to try it:

• White embroidered blouse + leather trousers. Take it from Chloé and wear that cute little top you bought for your holiday in Greece with something much tougher on the bottom. This preloved Chloé top is exactly what I mean! But Sézane always nails this too.

• White dress + oversized leather jacket. This is my favourite part of the year to wear white dresses, because you can instantly downplay the sweetness with tougher pieces that will instantly make it look fresh and modern. I am dying to wear my Edina Rixo dress with an oversized leather jacket and my cowboy boots.

• Floaty skirt + leather blazer + trainers. Soft on the bottom, tougher on top, then keep the shoes relaxed.

• Do not overdo the boho. One romantic piece and one tougher element is enough. I would keep the jewellery on the stronger side too: think a chunky chain necklace against pretty summer embroidery, It’s all about the friction!

Add White Shoes

I love when a trend carries from one season into the next, and jazz shoes have been slowly making their way through fashion circles ever since Celine put them in our radar.

Now, I am not going to tell you to go and buy jazz shoes unless you absolutely love them and can genuinely see them working in your wardrobe (yes, I am talking about you ). They feel very trend-led to me, and I am not entirely convinced they will stand the test of time.

What interests me more is what they represent: that little hit of freshness a white shoe can bring to an outfit.

As you know, I added a pair of white flip-flops to my summer wardrobe and was genuinely surprised by how much they changed an outfit. They made darker colours feel lighter, gave simple looks a cleaner finish, and somehow made things I had worn a hundred times feel new again.

So now I am curious to try the same idea with a white closed-toe shoe for autumn.

Maybe white shoes are exactly the palate cleanser we need this season. We are heading into a very unusual colourful autumn full of what Who What Wear recently called “Scooby Doo shades, so a white shoe can create a bit of tension against all that colour, while also making neutral outfits feel fresher.

A few ways I would try it:

• Pointed toe kitten heels + wide-leg trousers. I noticed while scrolling Zara that so many looks were finished with a pointed toe kitten heel. There is something slightly wrong about it, which obviously makes it feel very right. With wide-leg trousers, it feels elegant, effortless and very current.

• White loafers + your everyday uniform. wears her white loafers so well that I think this is where my fixation with white shoes properly started. I had never realised how versatile they could be. Try them with the trousers, denim or skirts you already wear on repeat.

• White boots + colourful outfits. I know, we are getting into Dancing Queen territory now, but Celine has made a very convincing case for them as a way to break up a busy look. They can work almost like a reset button against lots of colour and texture.

• Keep the shape simple. If the colour already feels unexpected, the shoe itself doesn’t need to be complicated, hence the appeal for jazz shoes. A clean loafer, a ballet flat, a slim boot or point toe is enough.

I love these little styling shifts because they let you flirt with autumn without fully giving in to it. A darker texture here, a white shoe there, maybe a bit of leather, and suddenly the same summer pieces feel completely different. No need to start dressing like it is November when your weather app is still saying otherwise.

Now tell me! how you are easing into the new season? Are you changing your colours, your shoes, your accessories, or are you still firmly wearing all your summer pieces?

And if you are still struggling to work out how to make your wardrobe feel ready for the new season, let’s chat!

Book a Nothing to Wear Session

Love,

Noelia x

What I do love about this time of year, though, is how much fun you can have mixing seasons. Linen with leather? Yep. Loafers and socks with shorts? Absolutely. Summer dresses with heavier jackets? Even better. It’s that little window where almost anything goes, and somehow the slightly unexpected combinations look extremely cool.

So this week I’ve prepared five easy outfit formulas for the in-between weather, which might give you some inspiration in what to wear right now.

Followed by a closer look at the first few days of my Isn’t That Yesterday’s Outfit? challenge — what I repeated, what worked, what absolutely didn’t, and whether going back to basics actually made getting dressed easier. This second part is for paid subscribers. If you want to come behind the scenes with me while I test this challenge properly, the good outfits, the bad ones, the things I’m learning and the bits I’d do differently, can I interest you in upgrading? Your support genuinely gives me more time to create this kind of content.

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5 Outfits for This Weird In-Between Season

One of the nicest things about transitional weather is that you don’t have to suddenly pack away all the summer pieces you still love wearing. Instead, you can slowly start introducing richer colours, different textures and a few more autumnal pieces, and make what you already own feel new again.

So here are five easy outfit formulas for that awkward in-between bit, when you want to start dressing for the new season without looking completely ridiculous because it’s still 25 degrees in the afternoon.

1. Summer dress + cardigan + leather jacket + loafers

This is basically summer underneath, autumn on top. A floaty printed dress still makes complete sense when it’s warm, but the cobalt cardigan, brown leather and loafers immediately make it feel less summery.

I especially like the socks with loafers here because they are such a small seasonal switch. And you can obviously take the leather jacket just in case the weather gets colder.

Why it works: you are not trying to make the dress look “autumnal”, you’re just changing what you wear it with. The raffia bag adds that little nod to summer and adds a whole lots of more texture to the outfit.

2. Mini dress + bomber jacket + ballet flats

One of the easiest ways to keep wearing a bright summer dress is to add a jacket that feels completely different from it and I love how a bomber jacket has the power to add edge to the most feminine piece.

The orange and olive combination is slightly unexpected, which is exactly why it works right now, and the burgundy ballet flats bring in an autumn richer tone without making the whole thing feel heavy.

Why it works: the summer silhouette stays, but the colours and jacket start moving the outfit into the next season.

3. Tank + sarong skirt + oversized blazer + ballet flats

This is exactly the kind of outfit I love for September because the base could easily be a summer outfit: tank + printed skirt.

Then you add the oversized blazer and suddenly it feels much more polished and transitional. The white ballet flats and woven bag stop it from going too autumnal.

Why it works: a structured layer gives lightweight summer pieces more weight.

4. White T-shirt + wide-leg trousers + colourful knit + summer shoes

Probably the easiest formula to recreate right now.

Start with a completely basic base like a white tee + relaxed trousers, add a colourful knit around your waist. Wear it properly if it gets cooler, always showing a little bit of the white t-shirt underneath for contrast.

And I’d still wear the flip-flops. We are transitioning, not forgetting it’s still technically summer.

Why it works: you have an autumn layer ready, but the outfit still makes sense if it’s 26 degrees outside.

5. Summer dress + leather jacket + closed-toe mules

Possibly my favourite way to extend the life of linen summer dresses.

The pale pink dress is very summery on its own, but that gorgeous burgundy leather jacket adds a completely different point of interest, suede mules and a darker woven bag completely change the mood. I love that contrast between something soft and feminine and something heavier and slightly tougher.

Why it works: instead of changing the main piece, you change the texture and mood around it with things you already probably have in your wardrobe: leather, suede and deeper hues instantly make the same dress feel more autumn.

A Week in Outfits: Back to Basics

I have a fashion theory: when you are feeling a bit bored of your wardrobe, overwhelmed by choice and have absolutely no idea where to start, one of the best things you can do is go back to your basics.

The pieces that feel easy. Natural. Your comfort outfits. The things you reach for when everything else fails. These are basically your core pieces — the ones that give your wardrobe some structure. Maybe it’s your jeans, your midi skirts, your statement trousers, your pull-on ones… the pieces that somehow make an outfit feel right, even when you haven’t really planned it.

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Yes, transitional outfits are fun. You can blend seasons, play with layers and textures, and honestly, it’s probably my favourite time for fashion.

Except I live in Canary Island — and we are basically neighbours to Africa — so my summer is still very much in full swing.

And I don’t mind that, I love dressing for summer! but when you work in fashion and your feed start filling up with autumnal outfits…, it’s completely normal to want to start dressing a little more autumn-y too… even if that just involves adding a light knitwear around the waist ‘just in case’.

So because I’m struggling a bit with what to wear right now, and I don’t want to fall back into my lazy dressing mode of throwing on a dress and getting out the door, I thought September would be the perfect time to start another challenge.

I should say, this idea is inspired by the gorgeous Jenn Bregande on Instagram, who has been doing this for a while. Please go and check her out because she is brilliant.

And you know how I’m always going on about outfit formulas, shortcuts, ways to make getting dressed easier, and shopping our wardrobes? Well, this feels SO on brand for Nothing to Wear, don’t you think?!

The Challenge

So, the challenge is simple: every day, build the outfit around one piece wore the day before. Instead of opening the wardrobe every morning and asking "What do I wear?", you already have a starting point. One piece is decided. Then you build from there.

It can be anything — trousers, a top, a jacket, shoes, even accessories or jewellery — but something has to carry over.

I feel like sometimes the hardest part of putting an outfit together is simply starting from scratch. That’s why my advice is often: pick one piece you really want to wear, and build the rest of the outfit around it. This challenge basically gives you that starting point every day — one piece already chosen for you, so you are never beginning from zero.

And I’m really curious to see whether having that one little restriction actually makes getting dressed easier, and maybe even more creative? We shall see!

I wholeheartedly believe that repeating certain patterns in your wardrobe is actually a great sign of personal style. When you know the proportions you like, the colours that work for you, the styling tricks you keep coming back to, and what actually works for your lifestyle, repetition isn’t boring — it’s part of you are.

So, if you are struggling to figure out your personal style, I really encourage you to try this challenge with me. Pay attention to what you keep repeating, because those patterns might tell you more about your style than you realise.

To make things more interesting, I am giving myself a theme each week, so I can then come back on Sunday and tell you a bit more about it, what work, what didn’t, what I learnt from it.

Will You Join Me?

Shall we do this??

I really encourage you to try it if, like me, you are struggling to get dressed right now, or you just feel like you need a method to help you put outfits together every day.

A few things that might make the challenge easier:

• Give yourself a theme for the week. Keep it simple. For me, this first week is all about basics, so I’m starting with the outfit formulas I always go back to — tank tops with shorts or midi skirts, for example. Those core pieces that are the backbone of my wardrobe and always seem to work for me.

• Choose tomorrow’s piece before you put everything away. At the end of the day, leave out the one piece you want to carry over into tomorrow’s outfit and start thinking about the possibilities. One less decision to make in the morning!

• Get inspired. Maybe at the weekend, spend a little time on Pinterest — or wherever you normally find inspiration — and save a few outfits you’d like to recreate or take ideas from. You are not trying to copy them exactly; look at the colours, proportions, layers or styling tricks you could try with your own clothes.

• Don’t be too hard on yourself. This is supposed to be fun! If you’re having a tough day and just want to go back to your comfiest outfit, do that. There is no wardrobe police coming to confiscate your September challenge membership, haha!

• Share your outfits with me! I’ll be doing the challenge over on Instagram, sharing what I’m carrying over each day and how I’m styling it. If you are joining in, tag me, I’d genuinely love to see what you come up with, and I’ll be here to give you ideas and encouragement along the way.

And remember, the point isn’t to create a completely different or “better” outfit every day. It’s to get curious about the clothes you already own, try combinations you might not normally think of, and notice what you naturally keep coming back to.

And on Sundays…

Every Sunday, I’ll share A Week in Outfits, what I wore, what I repeated, the outfits I loved (and the ones I really didn’t), plus the styling ideas and patterns I noticed along the way.

These Sunday posts will be for paid subscribers, with the first one coming this Sunday. Think of it as our weekly wardrobe experiment, I’ll do the trying on and possibly a few weird styling decisions, and then report back on what worked, what didn’t, and what I learnt — all with the aim of giving you ideas you can take back to your own wardrobe.

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And because part of the reason I’m doing this challenge is that I’m secretly craving autumn dressing while the weather is still very much saying SUMMER (in big bold capital letters) I’ve put together a little transitional mood board for us.

These are the outfits, colours, proportions and styling details I’m drawn to right now, and what I will be looking at for inspiration as I get dressed over the next few weeks. Not necessarily outfits to copy exactly, but ideas to take back to my own wardrobe.

Save it, steal it, and use it as a starting point for your own week. More on my Pinterest.

Shop the Mood

I’ve also created a little in-between weather edit on ShopMy to help you spot any gaps in your wardrobe, and mine!

A mix of preloved and new pieces that are catching my eye, fit the mood, and would work really hard in our wardrobe right now and once autumn is in full swing.

But don’t forget to shop your own wardrobe first , you might already have exactly what you need!

SHOP MY TRANSITIONAL EDIT →

Besos,

Noelia xx

So, in honour of my upcoming milestone, I thought I’d do a slightly different sort of post. No fashion today, just beauty.

I like to do a lot of research before slapping something on my face, but I’m also not prepared to watch 350 Reels to find out. I like to hear from people who actually know what they are talking about so I really enjoy watching the Doctorly YouTube channel — two very cute dermatologists who go into skin concerns in a lot of detail without making everything feel unnecessarily complicated. I also swear by Caroline Hirons’ book Skincare, which helped me build a routine around my actual skin and concerns rather than whatever product is getting the most attention — or commission — that week.

My main concerns at the moment are hydration, pigmentation, texture and pores, the occasional breakout and, obviously, the bloody fine lines.

Over time I’ve tried quite a lot of things, so I thought it could be useful to share what I’m actually using and what I think is making a difference.

First: cleaning my face properly

This has been life changing! My skin actually got worse when I moved back to Spain. Yes, there was a lot of lovely sun tan and glowing skin (sweat most times!), but wearing so much SPF and then actually not cleaning my face properly made me break out a lot more than I was used to.

Caroline Hirons is very strict about double cleansing, and this is probably the habit from her book that made the biggest difference to my skin. In the evening I double cleanse, particularly if I’ve been wearing SPF and/or make-up, and once in the morning. Even when I get home at 3am, tired and slightly tipsy, I still double cleanse. It’s non-negotiable.

I like to start with Beauty Pie Japanfusion, which gently melts away make-up and SPF, then follow with the L’Oréal Vitamin C cleanser. Nothing fancy, but I love both and have been using them for years. I also don’t think cleanser is where you need to spend loads of money to be honest!

The ingredients I swear by

One of the things I learnt from Skincare is that, instead of spending your money on magical serums and creams, it’s much more useful to understand which ingredients are actually doing something for your skin.

You don’t need one insanely expensive “miracle” cream , it makes much more sense to use a few targeted ingredients that do something different. Which, for the lazy person in me, took a while to get used to. I would much rather wash my face, slap on an expensive serum, a fancy cream and SPF and call it a day. But I’ve changed the way I do things, and it’s actually working.

Over time I’ve worked out which ingredients my skin likes, and I keep going back to them depending on what I’m trying to tackle:

For hydration: I start with the Elixir Brightening Essence Lotion I bought in Japan, then layer Hada Labo Gold on top. Together they’ve made a really noticeable difference to how hydrated and plump my skin feels. Both were fairly cheap in Japan and I don’t know what I am going to do when I ran out! Go back to Japan most likely!

For pigmentation and brightness: vitamin C , I’m currently using Melano CC, another Japan buy. I really like it because it’s lightweight and easy to layer without making my skin feel sticky. I use it in the morning because I’m mainly looking for help with dullness and uneven tone, especially as I’m very conscious of sun damage and pigmentation.

For pores, oiliness and the occasional breakout: niacinamide — I use The Ordinary Niacinamide, which I’ve used on and off for years and always go back to. It’s one of those unglamorous products that just seems to keep my skin a bit more balanced, particularly when I’m sweating more or my pores are looking more obvious.

For dullness and texture: glycolic acid, I use The Ordinary Glycolic Acid around three times a week. I like that my skin feels smoother and looks brighter the next morning.

All of the products above were bought with my own money. There are also a few things I’m currently trying that were gifted to me, so let’s get into those.

For texture and fine lines: retinoids — probably the ingredient I’ve been most consistent with long term. As you probably know, they are basically vitamin A derivatives that help speed up skin-cell turnover and support collagen production, which makes them very good for fine lines, texture and pigmentation, ding ding ding! I’m currently using Medik8 Crystal Retinal, and so far so good. It’s a little stronger than the Beauty Pie retinol I was using before, so I’m only using it a few times a week for now while my skin gets used to it.

For keeping everything looking a little bouncier: peptides — these are short chains of amino acids, basically the building blocks your skin uses to make proteins like collagen and elastin. The idea is that they help support firmness, hydration and overall skin resilience rather than doing anything dramatic overnight. I’ve started using Medik8 Liquid Peptides, which feels very light and easy to layer, and I do feel like my skin looks a little plumper when I’m consistent with it, so let’s see!

And yes, collagen. I’ve been taking collagen for a while now, and while I can’t say I’ve noticed some miraculous transformation in my face, I do notice a difference in my hair and in how my joints feel after exercising. I’m currently using Elevate (15% off with code NOELIA15) and Ancient + Brave (both gifted), I add them to yoghurt, smoothies or coffee, depending on the type.

The devices I actually use

This is where my beauty routine starts becoming slightly ridiculous.

I already had an LED mask from Beauty Pie, but then CurrentBody (10% off with code NOELIA) gifted me theirs and I ended up preferring it simply because it’s much more comfortable to wear. It stays properly on my face, and the little remote can clip onto your clothes, which sounds incredibly specific but is actually essential because it means I can walk around the house, make dinner, tidy up, answer emails, whatever, rather than having to sit completely still for ten minutes. I use it always in the evenings just because I have more time. Red light is supposed to be good for overall skin health, brightness and helping with inflammation, and I do feel like my skin looks calmer and a little more glowy when I’m consistent with it. Is consistent the key to everything?

Yep!

Then there’s the ZIIP Halo, which was also gifted and is a much more recent addition. If you are thinking about getting one, I also have a 10% off with code NOELIA.

ZIIP claims a LOT, lifting, sculpting, glow, fine lines, all sorts, and I’ve seen some fairly wild reviews from people saying their face looks immediately more snatched after using it. I’m only about two weeks in, so I’m not ready to tell you it has rearranged my entire face.

But so far, I really like it. I was already doing a quick gua sha routine in the mornings for lymphatic drainage, so this feels like a slightly more high-tech version of that ritual. I definitely notice a glow straight afterwards, although that could also be the 35 different ingredients I’m applying to my face at this point, lol.

What I really like is how easy it is to use. The guided videos are genuinely helpful and weirdly soothing, and it’s become a really nice way to start the day. Full disclosure: I also don’t have kids, so introducing another ten-minute beauty ritual into my morning is probably considerably easier for me than for many people.

I’ve only been using it for two weeks, though, so this one is very much to be continued.

The Professional Stuff

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When I was taking pictures last week for my very unscientific experiment, I noticed that it wasn’t only the depth of a colour that made a difference. I literally tried on almost every blue thing I own and I noticed there was also something else that made certain blues feel better or worse on me.

And by “worse”, I mean a very slight difference in my face. Probably completely unnoticeable to anybody else. Which brings me back to why I “hate” colour analysis. I don’t believe a colour has so much power that it can suddenly make you look SO tired, SO pale, SO sick, or whatever other slightly derogatory adjectives someone might use to prove that a colour is “wrong” for you.

Yes, I’ve noticed through these “experiments”, some colours bring out my features a little more than others. But does that mean I’m going to stop wearing the ones that don’t?

Absolutamente no.

And in Part 5 (I know, I know, stay with me!) I’m going to show you how to wear those colours you might have been avoiding because you’ve been told they don’t suit you.

Spoiler alert: it’s all about the styling. It’s always all about the styling! ❤️

A big part of colour analysis is bright vs soft, but because the whole point of this series is to stay away from traditional colour analysis and keep things simple, I’m going to look at it from a more fashion-based perspective: texture and fabric.

Because once we are talking about actual clothes rather than colour swatches, the fabric itself can completely change how bright, soft or lively a colour looks on you.

So this week, instead of looking at colour alone, I want us to look at the clothes carrying the colour. Are they matte or shiny? Structured or drape-y? Textured, patterned or completely flat?

I’ve paired pieces from my wardrobe that are as close in colour and depth as I could find. They are obviously not perfect scientific matches (have we met?), but I think the differences are really interesting.

Light Blue

I do love the dress on the right, and every time I wear it I get lots of compliments. Which is interesting because light blue isn’t actually a colour I naturally gravitate towards. Over the years, I’ve noticed that it doesn’t always do much for me. That’s why I prefer a medium blue.

Except this dress does look very good on me (if I say so myself!). So what is it?

The colours are very similar in depth, but the fabrics couldn’t be more different. The T-shirt (left) is a simple matte cotton, while the dress (right) has a slight sheen that catches the light as I move. And somehow, that little bit of luminosity seems to bring the blue — and my face — to life.

Is it a dramatic transformation? Absolutely not. If I walked past you in the supermarket wearing either of these, I highly doubt you’d think “God, that satin really brings out her complexion!”

You might, however, notice that I look more confident in the light blue dress. Because I already know this is a dress that looks good on me, but more importantly, I feel really good in it. And that probably has a much bigger effect on how I look than the exact shade of blue ever could.

Anyway, let’s see another comparison:

Medium Blue

Now this is where it gets more interesting. These two blues are pretty similar in depth, ok maybe the denim is darker! But theoretically, based on what we discovered last week, they should both work similarly on me.

But I don’t think they do. The shirt on the left is a crisp cotton with a white stripe running through it, so there’s more contrast and variation in the fabric. The denim on the right is much flatter and more matte.

And to my eye, the shirt gives my face more brightness and energy. The denim isn’t bad at all — but somehow everything feels a little more muted, what do you think?

And I think the last comparison makes the point even more clearly...

Dark Blue

These are both navy, and probably even closer in colour than the previous two, but I see quite a big difference.

The cable knit on the left is thick, structured and quite dense. On me, it makes the navy feel heavier and more dominant, like I notice the jumper before I notice my face.

The knit on the right is much softer and has more movement. The folds create different depths and allow the light to hit the fabric differently, which somehow makes exactly the same dark colour feel much softer against my face.

And this is where I think my point really comes together: colour doesn’t exist in isolation once it becomes clothing. Fabric, texture, sheen, pattern and even cut all change how we experience it.

So if there’s a colour you love but you’ve always felt it doesn’t quite work on you, maybe the answer isn’t to stop wearing it. Maybe you just haven’t found the right version of it yet.

Maybe it needs to be a little lighter or darker. Maybe it works better in silk than cotton. Maybe you prefer it with texture, a bit of shine, a stripe running through it, or in a shape that shows more skin around your face.

That feels much more useful to me than simply being told: “This colour isn’t for you.”
It opens up so many more possibilities than a rigid set of rules than a traditional colour analysis ever could.

A little homework

Go back to the pictures you took for last week’s homework, but this time stop looking only at the colour. Look at the clothes themselves.

Are they matte or shiny? Smooth or textured? Structured or soft and drape-y? Does the fabric catch the light? Is the colour clear and bright or softer and more muted?

Do you notice any patterns in the clothes that make you feel particularly good?

And if there’s a colour you love but have always felt doesn’t quite work on you, don’t give up on it just yet. See if you already own another version of that colour in a different fabric, texture or depth and compare the two.

You might discover that the colour was never really the problem.

And next week, we are going to be tackling the one that has confused me the most over the years, and, to be honest, still confuses me! So my take on it is going to be as much a lesson for myself as it is for you.

Warm or cool?

Because apparently I’m cool toned. Except I love to see myself in a coral lipstick. So... we have some investigating to do, WISH ME LUCK!

Love,
Noelia x

At times it was actually too warm, which is something no one there is ever ready for. There were days when leaving the house before 5pm felt absolutely crazy and unnecessary and going into central London was completely out of the question. The Tube is still very much a non-air-conditioned situation — an absolutely wild concept when almost everyone relies on it every day. So if you are planning a London trip during a heatwave, forget every accessory you think you need. Buy a personal fan instead.

I lived in London for many years — basically most of my twenties and thirties — before moving back to Spain after Covid. At the time, I was very ready for it. I wanted to be close to my family again, live by the sea, have more space, more sun, a slightly slower life. All the things London is famously terrible for.

And I love living in Gran Canaria. I really do. But I still have the Londoner DNA very much running through my veins.

I miss walking everywhere. I miss having an insane amount of things you can do on any random Tuesday. I miss finding little vintage shops out of nowhere, meeting a friend for lunch and ending up partying until 2 am, going to the theatre, people-watching, wandering around Soho, and yes, jumping on the Tube, even if that means being drenched in sweat and standing next to someone who clearly forgot deodorant.

So when I go back now, and I go back very often, I try to do everything. I want to see everyone. I want to eat everything I’ve missed. I want to go to exhibitions and the theatre and shops and neighbourhoods I haven’t visited in ages. I want to walk around London for hours even though, technically, I moved away partly because I was tired of having to walk around London for hours. It makes absolutely no sense, I know!

It's the curse of being an immigrant, when you are away, you miss home desperately. But then you go back home and realise you don’t completely belong there anymore either, because you are not quite the person who left.

Anyway, enough with the soppiness. You came here for fashion.

Below, I’m sharing some of the outfits I wore, plus a very unofficial guide to some of my favourite London spots — including where I get last-minute West End tickets, the best place to buy souvenirs that don’t suck and my favourite shopping areas that are, obviously, not Oxford Street.

Read more

The question you might be able to answer at the end of this post (after doing your homework first!) is:

Do I come alive more in lighter colours, darker colours, or somewhere in between?

Again, as I mentioned in Part 1, this doesn’t really matter. If you notice that you come alive more in lighter colours but you love wearing dark colours, please keep wearing them. Trust your instincts.

When you feel really good in something, it shows. Confidence truly is the best accessory (corny, I know, but it is!!!). So no, it doesn’t matter if that particular colour doesn’t make the whites of your eyes look whiter, your hair shinier, or whatever other nonsense anyone dares to tell you to convince you that you are doing colour wrong.

But if you’ve been having issues with how you feel in your clothes lately, maybe you feel a bit stuck with your wardrobe or simply don’t feel excited by it anymore, understanding these little nuances to colour might help.

Maybe it helps you to finally understand why certain things in your wardrobe have never quite worked. Maybe it helps you let go of something you’ve been holding onto but never wear. Or maybe it simply gives you some guidance the next time you go shopping.

Again, this is a guide, not a rulebook.

Let’s begin!

So, what do I actually mean by light or dark?

I told you before this is not rocket science, so it’s exactly what it sounds like: some colours are lighter, some are darker, and there is a whole lot in between.

The easiest way to picture it is to imagine taking one colour and slowly adding white to make it lighter, or black to make it darker. Obviously, this isn’t exactly how colour works all the time, but it’s a useful way to understand the idea.

Take blue. Add lots of white and you get something closer to baby blue. Somewhere in the middle you have your classic blue. Keep making it darker and eventually you are heading towards navy. Same colour family, very different depth.

And depth is really what we are talking about today: how light or dark a colour appears.

Baby blue → medium blue → navy

Pale pink → pink → dark pink

Mint → green → forest green

They are all versions of the same colour, but they can have a completely different effect when you are wearing them.

And you might say: HAHA! But Noelia, I already knew that, are you wasting my time?

Never! Keep reading, because this will make a lot more sense once you see it in action.

And this is where it gets interesting, because having light features doesn’t necessarily mean you need to wear light colours, and having darker features doesn’t automatically mean dark colours will look better on you.

The easiest place to start is by looking at yourself. How much light and dark do you naturally have in your features?

If you have very light hair, light eyes and pale skin, like me, there isn’t a huge difference between the lightest and darkest parts of your face. If you have dark hair, dark eyes and lighter skin, for example, there is naturally much more contrast.

But, and this is SO important, this doesn’t automatically tell you what you should wear. It just gives you somewhere to start.

This is why we experiment. Remember: no rules!

What we want to find out is simply: What happens to my face as the colours I wear get lighter or darker?

Do my features stand out more? Do my eyes look brighter? Does a very dark colour feel a bit heavy on me? Does something very pale wash me out? Or do I actually prefer myself somewhere in the middle?

And you might find that the answer is not particularly dramatic. That’s fine too!

Time to experiment

My colouring is naturally quite light: blonde hair, very light blue eyes with a darker rim around them and fairly pale skin (although I am slightly tan at the moment). So it’s easy to assume that because my colouring is naturally quite light I would automatically suit lighter colours, right? Well, let’s see.

I’ve taken three pictures wearing blue at three different depths: light, medium and dark. No make up, same spot in the house, natural light at the same time of day.

Before I tell you what I think, see if you can spot any differences in my face. And let’s ask the same questions as last week:

• Does my skin look healthier?

• Do my eyes stand out more?

• Do I look more awake?

• Does the colour seem to overpower me?

• Do I notice my face first, or the top?

Which one do you notice first?

Not which top you like best. Not which colour you prefer.

Look at my face.

What changes as the colour gets darker?

So again, I don’t see a particularly dramatic change. I love blue in all its forms and it’s a colour that features prominently in my wardrobe.

But compared with the other two, I do notice straight away that the medium blue brings more vibrancy and energy to my face. Then again, that’s one of my favourite shirts, so maybe I’m biased!

I like the light blue too, but it doesn’t seem to have quite as much energy, it feels to me a bit soft and flat. And navy definitely feels stronger against my face. My eyes look lighter, but there’s also much more contrast between the colour and my complexion.

So, if I had to choose based purely on these three pictures, medium seems to be my sweet spot. I’d still wear the other shades of blue of course. I just feel that medium blue gives me more vibrancy… and I like that.

What do you think? Tell me in the comments!

BUT, I tried almost every blue piece in my wardrobe while doing this experiment and I noticed something else that is quite interesting…

Two colours can be a very similar depth and still have a completely different effect.

Why? Well, that’s what we are getting into next time. For now, let’s do some homework!

A little homework

This week, I want you to figure out where your own sweet spot might be: light, medium or dark.

Ideally, choose one colour you already have in your wardrobe in three different depths: something like pale blue, medium blue and navy.

But if you don’t have three versions of the same colour, don’t worry! Just find:

One light top + one medium top + one dark top.

Take a picture in each one, in roughly the same place and lighting, and look at your face, not the clothes.

Ask yourself the same questions:

• Where does my face seem to have the most energy?

• In which one do my eyes stand out?

• Does the lightest colour make me look softer or a little flat?

• Does the darkest create nice contrast or does it feel a bit heavy?

• Which one feels like my sweet spot: light, medium or dark?

And most importantly: don’t try to find the “correct” answer. You might love all three. You are simply training your eye to notice what changes.

Keep those pictures close because next week we are going to see why two colours that seem very similar on paper can have a very different effect on your face, and even your mood.

Love,

Noelia x

Need another pair of eyes on your wardrobe?

If you’re feeling a bit stuck, my Nothing to Wear Session is a focused one-hour video chat where we can go through whatever is currently getting in the way of you enjoying your clothes.

Maybe you want to build outfits with things you already own, figure out why certain pieces never quite work, style something you love but never wear, or work out what’s actually missing before you buy anything else.

It’s not a wardrobe overhaul. It’s one hour, focused entirely on what you need help with right now, and you’ll leave with new outfit ideas and a much clearer sense of direction.

Book your Nothing to Wear Session here.

As a stylist, I know I should be interested in it, maybe even offer it to clients, but the truth is I've always struggled to make sense of it. There are too many rules, too many sub-seasons and too many nuances to ever arrive at one clear answer. And the whole ritual of holding coloured drapes under someone's face ("Aha! See how yellow makes you look ill?") can either leave you feeling reassured... but mostly more confused.

The reel below is exactly how I feel about it!

I’ve never seen myself in a single season. Light Spring? Warm Spring? Soft Summer? Depending on who you ask, I could probably be all three.

And I don’t know how many make up artists have told me that I definitely have cool undertones because I have very light blue eyes and my skin is fair, but I tan very well in the summer, so I’ve never been truly convinced… So maybe I am neutral or almost warm? See? Confusing!

So, to help explain what I mean, I decided to create this series. It’s not really about colour analysis, but about understanding what colour can actually do for you.

I’m going to use my own face as a bit of an experiment, taking pictures in different colours and seeing what changes — if anything.

But mostly, I want to prove that understanding colour doesn’t need to be complicated. Maybe instead of trying to fit ourselves into a season or follow a fixed set of rules, we just need to get better at noticing how we feel in different colours.

So for this first part I took a few pictures wearing four different colours, all around the same time of day, in the same spot and with no makeup.

Have a look and see what you think before I tell you what I see.

To be honest, I don’t see an overwhelming difference in the way these colours affect my face, but I do notice that red and green bring more life and energy.

My skin looks warmer, my eyes look brighter and, even though they are both quite strong colours, I don’t feel like they are overpowering me.

The black and white are a bit more meh. White feels softer and less lively; it doesn’t add much energy or warmth to my face. Black creates more contrast, but I don’t think it looks bad on me at all.

Is this rocket science? No. But understanding what a colour ‘does’ to you, it’s quite valuable. Especially when you are having one of those days where nothing seem to work: a colour that makes your eyes pop might just be the answer!

Do you need to go to a colour analyst for this? I don’t think you do.

You probably already know more than you think. You know the colours that make you look more awake, healthier or even more energetic. And then there are colours that, well... aren’t necessarily bad, they just don’t do quite as much for you.

As you can probably guess, I don’t offer traditional colour analysis to my styling clients. Of course, we talk about colour. I ask about the colours they are naturally drawn to, the ones they avoid, the outfits they get complimented on, and the shades that have been sitting unworn in their wardrobe for years. If they are feeling lost, I’ll help them understand the patterns I’m seeing.

But I don’t hand them a colour palette and tell them to avoid everything else. Because I believe the first rule of colour is to trust yourself.

Long before anyone told you you were an Autumn or a Winter, you probably already had a favourite jumper that made you feel incredible. A dress that always earned compliments. A lipstick that made you look brighter and like you slept a full eight hours. For me, that lipstick is coral — apparently a bit of a no-no for cool undertones!

That’s all you need to know, those are your clues. Colour isn't about looking perfect. It's about understanding the effect different colours have on you.

So this series isn’t about finding your season or giving you another set of fashion rules to follow. Hell no!

It’s about learning to see yourself.

It’s about understanding why certain colours seem to bring you to life while others quietly take the attention away from you. Because once you can recognise those patterns, shopping becomes easier, getting dressed becomes more fun, and you start making decisions with confidence instead of second-guessing yourself.

But first, before we get into the more “technical” part (jokes, we’re never going to get technical!) let’s understand what to actually look for in your own face and complexion.

Because when we think about colour, we always ask:

“Does this colour suit me?”

But I want you to start asking this instead:

What changes when I wear this colour?

A little homework

In every part of this series, I am going to give you some little homework to do, nothing too complicated, and always something you can do in front of the mirror without needing 350 different colour swatches and perfect lighting.

Just pick a few tops in noticeably different colours and take a quick photo of yourself in the same light, with no make up on.

Then compare the photos and ask:

• Does my skin look healthier?

• Do my eyes stand out more?

• Do I look more awake?

• Does the colour seem to overpower me?

• Do I notice my face first, or the top?

Don’t worry about whether the colour is “right” or “wrong”. You’re just noticing what changes.

Start looking for patterns. These are your clues, and they’ll help you understand which colours you naturally feel good in and are drawn to.

We’ll go into much more detail in the next parts of the series, so keep an eye out!

Love,

Noelia x

To the market, to restaurants, through airports and even to the Cannes Festival, paired with a sequinned dress. Talk about friction!

She didn’t treat it as a holiday accessory or save it for days when she happened to be within walking distance of the sea. It was simply her bag.

And when I say raffia bag throughout this article, I’m using the term loosely. It could be raffia, wicker, woven leather , straw or anything else that feels light, textured and summery. You know the one: it comes to the beach, occasionally accompanies you to the supermarket, or sits permanently in your hallway “decorating the entrance” because you love the aesthetic but haven’t quite worked out how to translate it into your everyday wardrobe.

The answer, according to Jane, is very simple: wear it with absolutely everything.

There’s something wonderfully ironic about the fact that one of fashion’s most famous and coveted handbags was created for a woman who had spent years happily carrying a wicker basket she picked up in a market in London instead. Her style was never about displaying how much something cost. It was about personality, practicality and wearing things in a way that felt completely her own.

The story behind the Birkin bag is equally charming as it is relatable. According to fashion lore, Birkin’s partner, Jacques Doillon, disliked her basket bag so much that he eventually ran it over with his car. How dare he. She was therefore travelling with a different bag when she happened to sit beside Jean-Louis Dumas, then chairman of Hermès, on a flight.

As she tried to settle into her seat, the contents of her bag spilled everywhere. Dumas commented that she needed something more practical, with pockets. Birkin replied that Hermès didn’t make the kind of bag she needed, to which he revealed that he was, in fact, the man running Hermès, so he would make it for her.

Birkin then described—and sketched on an aeroplane sick bag—the roomy, practical and “mum-friendly” bag she wanted. That chance conversation eventually led to the creation of the Birkin bag.

But the part I find most interesting isn’t really the luxury bag that came as a result of it, which, in my opinion, is wildly overrated. It’s the way she wore that original basket: without rules, without waiting for the right setting and without worrying whether it looked “too summery” or '“to gimmicky”. It added so much charm and character to her personal style, and I think those candid photos of her carrying that basket did far more to make fashion people fall in love with her than the fact that she was the original Birkin girl.

So perhaps the best way to style your raffia/wicker/woven bag beyond the beach is to borrow a little of that attitude. Stop treating it like a seasonal prop and start using it as a way to bring more texture, individuality and personality into your everyday looks.

LOOK 1: With Jeans + an Oversized Shirt + Colourful Shoes

Because I know how much you love a specific formula: start with your favourite denim: wide-leg jeans—always my pick—, denim shorts while it’s still hot, skinnies if you are still into them, or vintage Levi’s if you are one of those people who has made peace with limited movement. Basically, whatever makes you feel most like yourself.

Then add a slightly oversized shirt. It brings that relaxed, effortless feeling we want and gives the raffia bag something a little more polished to sit against. The contrast between the crisp shirt, everyday denim and natural texture of the bag is what makes the whole outfit work.

Finally, add a pair of colourful shoes. You know, the ones you bought this season and have since been staring at you from the bottom of your wardrobe? This is the perfect outfit for them. The denim and shirt keep everything grounded, while the shoes add enough colour to stop the look feeling too predictable.

The styling formula

Favourite denim

• slightly oversized shirt

• raffia bag

• colourful shoes

A few things that make it work

• Roll or push up the shirt sleeves to keep the shape relaxed.

• Leave the shirt loose, half-tuck it, or unbutton the bottom slightly depending on the proportions of your denim.

• Think about proportions too: denim shorts look great with an oversized raffia tote, while wide-leg trousers usually work better with a smaller, more structured basket bag.

• Repeat the shoe colour somewhere small—sunglasses, earrings or a necklace—if you want the outfit to feel more connected.

• Don’t over-style it. The raffia texture and colourful shoes are already doing plenty for your fashion cred.

LOOK 2: With Tailoring

Just like with the sarong skirt, tailoring is the answer when you want to take a raffia bag beyond the beach. It’s all about that friction… again!

I love the idea of wearing a huge, relaxed straw bag with pieces that have a little more structure. The tailoring gives the outfit shape, while the raffia stops it from feeling too corporate or boring.

The rest of the look can still be soft and fluid. Try a tailored waistcoat with a pleated skirt, a crisp shirt with wide-leg trousers, or a structured blazer over something floaty. It doesn’t all need to be rigid—one polished element is enough to give the outfit some backbone.

Think about it! the weather starts becoming less exciting, you are forced back into reality and, instead of reaching for your very sensible laptop bag, you carry the raffia one that still smells faintly of the sea and contains approximately half the sand from the last beach you were in.

That little reminder of summer is exactly what keeps a polished outfit from feeling too sensible.

The styling formula

One tailored/structured piece

• simple top

• raffia bag

• polished sunglasses and simple jewellery

A few things that make it work

• The sharper the tailoring, the more relaxed the bag can be.

• A huge raffia tote looks especially good with a clean, fitted blazer.

• Keep the colour palette fairly restrained and let the texture of the bag do the work.

• Add leather shoes, a belt or structured sunglasses to give the outfit a stronger frame.

LOOK 3: With a Neutral Dress

A neutral dress is probably the easiest way to let a raffia bag do all the interesting work without the outfit feeling too styled.

Start with something simple in black, white, cream, navy or brown. It could be a slip dress, a loose linen style, a knitted dress or something slightly more structured. The clean base gives the texture of the bag room to stand out, while still feeling like an outfit you could wear anywhere beyond the beach.

This is also where accessories can quietly change the whole mood. Add polished sandals, ballet flats or loafers, then bring in sunglasses, gold jewellery or a belt if the dress needs a little more shape. The raffia bag keeps the look relaxed, but the rest of the details stop it from drifting into holiday vibes.

The styling formula

Neutral dress

• raffia bag

• polished shoes

• statement sunglasses

A few things that make it work

• A black or navy dress makes raffia feel especially chic and less obviously beachy.

• A white or cream dress creates a softer, more summery version.

• If the dress is loose, choose a smaller or more structured basket bag.

• If the dress is sleek or fitted, an oversized raffia tote adds a nice bit of drama.

• Add one polished detail—a leather sandal, sculptural earring or sharp pair of sunglasses—to keep the whole thing from becoming too rustic.

I hope these outfits help you create your own versions using pieces you already have in your wardrobe. And when in doubt, think: what would Jane Birkin do?

Sometimes the pieces that make an outfit feel the most personal are the ones that don’t quite “belong”. The relaxed bag with the tailored trousers. The oversized basket with the very sensible dress. That little bit of tension is usually where the interesting styling happens.

So keep yours out a little longer. Carry it somewhere completely ordinary and let it bring a tiny bit of holiday energy with it.

Love,

Noelia x

This series is about changing that.

Each edition, I’ll take one of those very specific “holiday-only” pieces and show you how to style it with the clothes already in your everyday wardrobe.

I briefly touched on this in my recent newsletter about 3 Easy Swaps for Summer, but I wanted to go a little deeper because it’s something I see all the time. People buy beautiful raffia bags, bikini coverups, linen dresses and colourful sandals, only to decide they are only appropriate when they have a tan or are within walking distance of a beach.

As someone who grew up by the sea, I can tell you that’s simply not true. Some of my favourite summer outfits are built around pieces that most people would save for holiday. Okay, maybe the Canary Islands’ weather is particularly forgiving all year round, but it has made me a pro at wearing my summer pieces over and over again. I mean, we pretty much live in flip-flops over here!

So! the trick isn’t wearing all of them at once like you might do on holiday. It’s knowing how to style them so they feel just as comfortable on a Saturday coffee run as they do on holiday.

And I don't want to be THAT person who starts talking about autumn while we are still in July...but one of the reasons I love styling holiday pieces this way is so they don't really have an expiry date. Keep swapping the sandals for loafers, add a light knit, a jacket… and they'll continue working long after your holiday tan has disappeared.

I’d also love your help with what comes next. What’s the one piece you only ever wear on holiday but would love to style at home? Leave it in the comments or reply to this email, and I might include it in the next edition.

The Sarong

A piece that spends 50 weeks of the year folded in a drawer deserves better.

The sarong (or pareo, as we call it in Spain) is probably one of the hardest holiday pieces to bring back into your everyday wardrobe.

On holiday, it’s easy. Throw it over your swimsuit and head to the beach bar for your third margarita.

Back home feels... too beachy, right? Well, the trick is to stop thinking of it as a cover-up and start treating it like a styling accessory.

LOOK 1: Over Trousers

Last year, we were tying scarves around our waists. This summer, I’m making the case for using a sarong instead.

Wearing one over trousers is probably the easiest way to take it away from the beach. The trousers give the outfit structure, while the sarong adds colour, print and movement. It feels a little unexpected, but still completely wearable.

The key is to keep the rest of the outfit fairly simple. A plain shirt or fitted top, wide-leg trousers and straightforward shoes give the sarong enough room to be the interesting part without the whole outfit turning into a travelling textile exhibition.

I love the contrast of a bright, printed pareo with darker or more tailored pieces like does it over black trousers and a black shirt, or soften it with beige trousers and a colourful tank. Both work because the base outfit is doing the sensible administrative work while the sarong gets to have a bunch of personality.

The styling formula

Printed sarong

• simple top

• wide-leg or tailored trousers

• minimal sandals or flip-flops

• a touch of gold through jewellery

A few things that make it work

• Tie it slightly off-centre rather than perfectly in the middle. It looks more relaxed and creates a more flattering line.

• Let some of the trousers show beneath it. You still want it to read as layered styling, not as though the skirt has swallowed your legs.

• Keep the top tucked or fitted enough to balance the volume around the hips.

• Choose shoes that feel clean and simple. Flip-flops make it summery; ballet flats or loafers would take it further into everyday territory.

• Repeat one colour from the sarong elsewhere in the outfit, perhaps through the top, earrings or even sunglasses.

• I’d also add something fairly structured or polished, like a pair of sculptural gold earrings or a leather bag, to stop the look from feeling too bohemian.

LOOK 2: With an Oversized T-Shirt

A sarong with an oversized T-shirt is probably the most relaxed of the three looks, but that doesn’t mean it has to feel like you’ve simply thrown something on over your swimsuit and hoped for the best.

The contrast is what makes it work: the sarong brings colour, print and movement, while the T-shirt makes everything feel familiar and unfussy.

I recently styled my batik pareo from Singapore with a vintage Bowie T-shirt, and it felt completely like me. I absolutely love adding a bit of edge with a graphic print to stop a statement bottom from feeling too precious.

You could use a plain oversized T-shirt, a faded band tee or even a long-sleeved top with the sleeves pushed up. I love how does this—the tiny sleeve adjustment makes the whole outfit look more styled and super cool. The power of styling right there!

The styling formula

Printed sarong

• oversized or graphic T-shirt

• simple flat sandals

• one interesting accessory

A few things that make it work

• Choose a T-shirt that feels relaxed, but not so long that it completely hides the waist and knot of the sarong.

• Tuck or twist a small section at the front if you want to create a little more shape.

• Let the prints clash slightly. A graphic tee and a patterned pareo can look much more personal than trying to match everything perfectly.

• Push up the sleeves of a long-sleeved T-shirt to expose the wrists and keep the outfit feeling lighter.

• Add one polished or playful accessory—a sculptural necklace, an unusual bag or oversized sunglasses—to make the look feel intentional.

LOOK 3: With Tailoring

A structured blazer or crisp shirt is probably the last thing you’d think to wear with a sarong, which is exactly why it works! Friction baby!

The contrast between something polished and something relaxed makes the outfit feel intentional rather than “I forgot to get changed after the beach.”

A sharp shirt, tailored jacket or leather layer gives the sarong a completely different job. It stops reading as a cover-up to grab the next drink and starts behaving more like a printed but fun skirt.

Honestly, I’d wear this to the office if I had one to go to. If nothing else, it’s an excellent conversation starter. "Oh this? I found it in the cutest little shop in the tiniest village just outside Bordeaux while we were looking for somewhere to have lunch."

The styling formula

Printed sarong

• crisp shirt or structured jacket

• polished flats or sandals

• leather bag

• simple jewellery

A few things that make it work

• Choose a shirt with some structure, such as cotton poplin.

• Leave a few buttons undone and push the sleeves up slightly so it still feels relaxed.

• If you’re adding a jacket, keep the shape relatively clean and let the sarong remain the most decorative part of the outfit.

• Add a leather bag, sharp sunglasses or polished shoes to pull the look firmly away from beach territory.

• Try picking up one colour from the sarong in your shirt or accessories, but don’t match everything too perfectly.

The point of this series isn’t to convince you to dress like you are permanently on holiday. It’s to help those pieces earn a place in your real wardrobe, rather than disappearing into storage the moment the suitcase is unpacked.

So before you fold your sarong away for another year, try styling it with something you already wear all the time. A T-shirt, trousers, a crisp shirt, a proper bag. Give it a different supporting cast and see what happens.

Now I need your help choosing the next holiday piece to rescue.

Looking forward to see what you pick! See you next week!

Love,

Noelia x

As much as I love the Substack community, I sometimes feel like I don’t quite belong. I know many people here aren’t as drawn to colour as I am, and there often seems to be this idea that the less colour you wear, the more polished and chic an outfit looks.
I don’t think that’s true at all.

Thankfully, just as I was starting to doubt myself, the wonderful published her latest newsletter, All I Want This Summer Is Colour. I devoured it immediately, and it reminded me that there are, in fact, other people here who love colour just as much as I do.

Look at this rainbow! Some substackers who make a strong case for colour like , , , and just to name a few!

So I thought I’d share some of my favourite colour combinations right now—some I’ve already tried and others that are still on my list. What I love about all of them is that they transition beautifully into autumn. With the right fabrics, layers, and accessories, they don’t feel tied to one season—they simply evolve with your wardrobe.

Swap linen for knitwear, add suede or leather accessories, and these palettes work just as well in October and November as they do at the height of summer. That’s what makes them feel like smart wardrobe investments rather than trend-driven colour pairings you’ll only wear for a few months.

1. Navy + Turquoise + a Pop of Yellow or Orange

I blame Jacquemus Spring/Summer 2027 collection for my current obsession with turquoise and his ability to make this colour feel so modern and chic.

The funny thing is, while I was writing this, I couldn’t decide which colours I like best with turquoise (or what sometimes reads as a very light blue). So instead, I thought I’d share the combination I’m currently loving—and one I’m hoping to recreate myself soon.

Navy acts as the perfect neutral, while turquoise adds freshness without creating a high-contrast look. It’s colourful enough to feel interesting but subtle enough if you’re someone who doesn’t usually wear a lot of colour.

If you want to make the palette a little more playful, add a pop of yellow or orange through your accessories, or let a bra peek through a sheer shirt. It instantly brightens the outfit without overpowering it.

And if that feels like one colour too many, simply skip the accent and finish the look with white accessories—especially white sandals—for a crisp, polished summer outfit.

2. Chartreuse + Brown

This colour has been around for a while now, although I feel like it’s evolved into everything from chartreuse to apple green to lime. Whatever you want to call it, you know exactly the shade I’m talking about.

Yep, the colour of those infamous Donni pants that have caused quite a stir on Substack. Some people love them, some hate them because they can't justify the price (but secretly love them... me included), and others simply don't understand the hype (me also!). They've been the star of countless newsletters, Notes, and weekly outfit roundups, and I'd bet my Bottega bag that most of us have linked to them—or, at the very least, have them sitting on a ShopMy shelf.

What I do think they’ve done is convince us all that this slightly odd green has become a neutral in its own right. Just look at Ritika’s DD green bag—it somehow works with absolutely everything. Even the very queen of neutrals reaches for this shade when she wants to inject a little colour into her outfits. That says it all.

I recently made myself a pair of shorts (at the cost of a lot of sweat and a few tears) from a beautiful fabric I found in Japan. The moment I saw it, I thought of the Donni pants and decided I was finally going to make my own pair. Then I realised I’d bought just enough fabric for shorts instead. A classic

ewing lesson in optimism versus reality.

One of my favourite ways to wear this colour is with brown. The richness of brown grounds the brightness of chartreuse, making the whole combination feel sophisticated rather than loud. It’s just as striking in summer with lightweight fabrics as it is in autumn with suede, leather, and chunky knits.

3. Red + Lilac

If red and pink is now an established colour combination, consider red and lilac their slightly more sophisticated cousin.

We first spotted it at Prada SS26 and more recently in Chanel’s Couture collection, where a red bra peeking through a soft lilac dress became one of those styling moments you can’t stop thinking about.

What I love about this pairing is that it has the same playful energy as red and pink, but with a little more contrast and depth. The coolness of lilac softens the intensity of red, creating a combination that feels unexpected yet incredibly elegant.

If wearing both colours head-to-toe feels like too much, start small. A red bag with a lilac dress, a lilac tee with a red skirt, or even a flash of red underneath a sheer lilac blouse can have the same effect. Sometimes it’s those little styling details that make an outfit feel fresh.

Like the other colour combinations in this post, this one isn’t reserved for summer. As the seasons change, simply swap airy fabrics for richer textures—cashmere, suede, wool, or leather—and the palette feels just as beautiful in autumn.

Whether you are someone who lives in colour like me or you’re just looking for a new way to wear it, I hope these combinations inspire you to experiment a little this summer. The best outfits aren’t always the safest ones, and sometimes all it takes is one unexpected colour pairing to make pieces you already own feel completely new.

Now I’d love to know—which combination is your favourite? Or is there one you’re wearing this season that I should add to my list?

Love,

Noelia x

Looking back through my camera roll, I realised I’d been repeating the same tricks and formulas over and over again without even noticing.

So I thought I’d show you.

A lot of what I’ve been wearing is inspired by my recent newsletters (or maybe the newsletters have been inspired by my outfits?... Either way, I hope this gives you a few ideas to try with your own wardrobe.

Summer dressing doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it’s just about finding a few little formulas that make you feel like yourself, and repeating them shamelessly.

And if you're not quite sure what your formulas are yet, that's exactly what I help my styling clients figure out. Sometimes all it takes is another pair of eyes to help you see the potential in the clothes you already own.

Book a Nothing to Wear Session

Swap your white T-shirt for a colourful one

This one sounds so simple, doesn’t it? But you don’t understand the hold a white tank top has on me every summer.

The minute it gets hot and I want to wear a fun pair of trousers or shorts, I instinctively reach for my Uniqlo built in bra top. Mostly because I hate wearing a bra, and this solves the problem in one go.

So this summer I’ve been making a conscious effort to swap it for colourful tops instead. It’s genuinely one of the easiest ways to make an outfit feel more interesting without changing anything else.

Outfit 1

I recently bought this knitted top from & Other Stories in the colour of the moment, and I’ve been pairing it with simple basics like brown linen shorts. I love this combination, especially with the white flip-flops, which add a little freshness to the whole look.

I also added my new Bangla Begum earrings (I bought myself one pair... then my husband surprised me with another. Win-win!). They mix green and orange, so they bring in another little hit of colour without feeling too much. I’m genuinely obsessed with them.

Would I wear it again? Absolutely!, in fact I have repeated this outfit already multiple times.

Outfit 2

This red top from Oysho was originally meant for workouts. Then I realised I loved the colour too much to keep it for the gym.

It also has a built-in bra—which, as we’ve established, is one of my favourite inventions of modern times—so it’s become part of my everyday wardrobe instead.

I probably could have sized up, but honestly, I couldn’t be bothered to go to the shop. It’s fitted, but surprisingly comfortable, and I’ve been having so much fun creating unexpected colour combinations with it. This one with my blue skirt is probably my favourite pairing so far.

Would I wear it again? Probably! I might skip the shirt around the waist it it’s too hot, I got home with a pool of sweat around my tummy and backside…

Beach, please

This one comes naturally to me because I love anything related to the sea. I also happen to live a 10-minute walk from an incredible beach, so I spend a lot time in swimwear and beach-adjacent pieces. Let’s just say I own more shell-inspired jewellery than Ariel herself.

Outfit 1

When I put this outfit on one Sunday morning, I asked my husband, “Don’t you think this outfit is very mermaid?”He looked at me completely blank.

Then I met one of my friends and, before I even said anything, she went, “Oh my God, you look like what a mermaid would wear if she had legs.” Exactly! Someone understood the assignment.

I bought this white linen dress in the Massimo Dutti sale and was fully intending to return it. I don’t usually wear fitted dresses (and, I already own far too many white dresses). But the linen is incredibly soft, it fitted me like a glove, and once I started styling it, everything clicked.

I threw on this kimono-style jacket that I bought on holiday in Menorca and hardly ever wear (although, funnily enough, I ended up wearing it twice in the same week—see below), layered on one of my many shell necklaces and finished it with the white flip-flops that haven’t left my feet since I bought them.

I’d happily wear this outfit over and over again... until more people understand the mermaid vision.

If you’re enjoying this little peek inside my wardrobe, there’s plenty more below.

From my accidental mermaid era to the surprisingly versatile yellow shoes I wasn’t sure I’d keep, I’m sharing more outfits, the styling decisions behind them, and the little tricks that made them work.

✨ I’d love for you to join me.

Read more