Transcription
Hello guys and welcome back to my channel and welcome back to a brand new fashion video.
Looking chic in the spring and summer isn't actually about having more clothes. It's all about how your outfits come together. So, I wanted to film this video and give you my top tips on how to feel a little bit more put together, more chic, and more stylish this spring summer. I think a lot of people overcomplicate things at this time of the year. They're trying to add more clothes, try new trends, and actually just moving away from that effortless put together look. For me, it always comes back to a few key principles. Fabric, color, and how things actually sit on the body. If you get those right, even the most simple of outfits can look really elevated. So, in today's video, I'm going to talk through the ways in which I approach getting dressed in the spring and summer to make myself feel a little bit more chic and considered.
The first part of this video is very kindly sponsored by Lily Silk, which feels like a really natural fit for this video cuz they focus on exactly what I think makes the biggest difference in a wardrobe. high quality natural fabrics like silk, cashmere, and overall really well-cut, timeless pieces. Especially in spring and summer when you're wearing lighter layers, simpler outfits, the fabric and the way something sits becomes really important. And that's exactly where pieces like Lily silk trousers or a really good cashmere tea completely change how the outfit looks and feels.
So, let's jump straight into the video. I'm going to share with you my top styling tips that you can apply to your own wardrobe regardless of what you already own. and hopefully you'll feel really inspired for the upcoming season. So, let's get into it.
Tip number one, fabric is everything. Most people tend to focus more on the item, whereas I like to focus on the fabric itself because it's the fabric that actually determines how something sits, how it feels against your skin, how it moves with your body. Cheap, lowquality fabric is going to cling. It's going to be unflattering. It's going to crease easily. Whereas, an elevated fabric, it moves, it drapes, it's it holds its shape. It either gives some structure or it moves beautifully with your body. So, I've shown you an example here. I'm wearing the Lily Silk cream silk trousers. And you could literally just wear a white t-shirt and trousers, but if one is cotton and one is silk, it completely changes the whole vibe of the outfit. Silk moves in a completely different way. So, you might prefer an outfit like this for an elevated evening outfit. Maybe you're going out for dinner on holiday. You want to be comfortable. You want to ultimately still feel like you, but just a little bit better. I'm also wearing here the Lily Silk Cashmere T-shirt. I have these in multiple colors and honestly, these do serve me all year round. These are really great for the spring when it's not quite warm enough yet. These are perfect for that awkward time of the year where you're questioning whether you need a jacket, do I need a jumper? Elevating the fabric is a really good way to make a basic piece of clothing feel more high-end. These tops, by the way, from Lily Silk, they are 100% cashmere and I can confirm they are so soft. It honestly feels like you've got a cloud on your body. And that's the thing when it comes to fabrics. It's not just about how something looks, it's also how it makes you feel. When you feel confident in your outfit, you look confident in your outfit. So, if you're investing in your wardrobe this year, think about investing in fabrics, not the items.
Number two, elevated basics are your ultimate foundation. The best wardrobes are built on the best basics. But we're not talking basic basics. And there is a difference. A basic basic is something that you could throw away out of your wardrobe and ultimately you don't really miss it. Elevated basic is something that is timeless and you literally could not live without in your wardrobe. I'm going to show you here three very simple items but ultimately they are all elevated basics in my wardrobe and I could not live without them in the spring summer. These are the pieces that you are going to wear on repeat. So they need to look good. I want you to think about these pieces as being like the key ingredients in a cake. You can't bake a good cake without your flour, your sugar, your eggs. On their own, these items might be incredibly boring, but they are absolutely fundamental in making a cake. And that's exactly how your basics should feel. It's up to you to style them up and add your sprinkles and your icing, but ultimately you need your flour and your eggs and your sugar. You'll see here I'm just wearing a white tank top from Lily Silk, but it is the foundation for so many looks. It goes with my trousers, my shorts, my skirts, and because it's in a neutral color, it goes with all of the colors already in my wardrobe as well. But if you wanted a slightly more work wear appropriate one, you could wear something like this brown tank top. Perfect for the summer, for those days in the office where it's really warm. You can't wear a strappy top. You can't wear a vest, but it still works really hard in your wardrobe and goes with everything. And then I actually have this version as well, which as you can see is a little bit more structured. It's got a collar on it. It's actually the one I've been wearing throughout this video. Again, something you could really dress up to the office or alternatively pair with your holiday wardrobe, wear with your favorite pair of shorts. It's no good having a wardrobe full of statement pieces if you don't have the basics.
Tip number three, a soft, cohesive color palette. One of the biggest difference between an outfit that looks nice and one that looks chic and put together is color. Think about avoiding anything that's too harsh of a contrast. Colors that just don't complement each other. Think more along the lines of tonal colors that blend together and feel calm together. And that doesn't just restrict you to neutrals. I know some of you are thinking that's just very boring. This can include color. It's just about how those colors sit together. Because when colors sit together, the whole outfit looks effortless, but this is why neutral wardrobes do look more expensive cuz they're just very cohesive. They naturally work together. However, I have shown you a couple of outfits here. As you can see with this pair of cream trousers that I'm wearing with the top, it all just works. It's very, very seamless. But obviously, I wanted to show you with a little injection of color. So, I'm obviously going to include my favorite color to wear in the spring summer, a little bit of yellow because yellow works so well with your neutrals. It blends so nicely. It still gives that tonal vibe and as you can see here, you can go all out. So, I'm wearing a yellow silky coord, but as I mentioned earlier with the fabrics being essential, it just works.
Tip number four, structure versus softness. This is something that I honestly always think about when I'm getting dressed. balance. If everything is too soft and floaty and has the same composition, it just looks sloppy and not very thought out. And vice versa, if everything's very structured, it looks very stiff. So, I always think it's really important to have some contrast in your outfits. Balance out the softness, add some structure, balance out the structure, and add some softness. And you can see that point exactly here. I'm wearing the white collared vest that I've got on now, but I've teamed it with the floaty silky trousers. The top is adding the structure. It's got the shape that holds its own, and then the trousers are a little bit more soft. So, the whole look just balances out each other perfectly. And then this is what's going to make your outfits look more styled rather than just thrown on. I've got another example here with a structured blazer paired with a satin maxi skirt. I love this kind of outfit in the spring summer. This is great for maybe an evening going out for drinks, going for dinners. It just adds that visual interest because it's so balanced.
Tip number five, the coords. Spring summer to me is all about the coord. It's basically socially acceptable pajamas to wear outside the house. And honestly, sometimes the most simple outfits look the most chic because they're not overdone. You've not tried too hard. You've not gone OTT with the styling. And you can actually let my number one tip, the fabric, just do all the talking. Like with this yellow coord that I'm showing here, you don't need to over layer. You don't need to over accessorize. You just don't need to try so hard with a coord. So that's what I would consider the foundation. We've covered the fabric, the color, and the balance. Once you've got that, this is where your styling actually kicks in.
So tip number six, outfit formulas change everything. The reason you feel like you have nothing to wear is because you don't know your outfit formulas. I bet you do have clothes and I bet you do have outfits. You're just not sticking to what actually works. I do not reinvent new outfits every day. I'm not getting up and thinking that I need to reinvent the wheel with my outfit. I stick to what I know. I have my go-to outfit uniforms, I call them, but I do have my go-to outfit formulas that ultimately I can rely on so I always have something to wear. I'm going to show you a few examples here in a video that I shared recently. So, these are just a few of my go-to formulas. So, here you can see I'm wearing jeans, a shirt, and a knit. There are so many different variables that you can change about this to create completely different looking outfits, but ultimately the formula is still the same. Another one that I love is a maxi skirt, a fitted knit, and my ballet flats. This is so lovely to wear in the summertime or in the warm spring months. and a formula that you will have definitely seen already in this video. Tailored trousers, a fitted tea, and a cardigan. This is really simple but great for the spring. White t-shirt, jeans, and a crop jacket. And then bonus points if you match your shoes to your jacket. And finally, a t-shirt, a satin maxi, and a blazer. All of these are formulas that I absolutely love. So, shop in your own wardrobe and come up with your own outfit formulas that work for you.
Tip number seven, I want you to challenge yourself to wear your pieces differently. Think a little bit more outside of the box. It can be very easy to fall very stagnant with your own styling. So looking at that blazer in your wardrobe and just wearing it with the same few pieces that you have, wearing it the same way with the same things. That white shirt, you don't have to just wear it for the office. You can dress it down. Why don't you wear it layered underneath your blazer? Wear it open over a vest top. Styling is all about having fun. So don't limit yourself with your wardrobe. Sometimes what I like to do if there's an item in my wardrobe that I feel like hasn't been getting much love lately. I will literally look at it and try and challenge myself to wear it five different ways. Go on Pinterest if you need to. That's a really great tool if you're stuck on how to style something. So maybe you've just bought yourself a satin maxi skirt and you're stuck in the same routine and the same rut of wearing it just with that one jumper or that one jacket. Literally go on to Pinterest and type in satin maxi outfits and then shop in your own wardrobe. Look at how you can style it. For example, with a white shirt. I don't reserve white shirts just for work, for meetings, for more formal occasions. I love to wear them casually with jeans. I like to wear them open. I like to wear them almost as um a bit of a jacket over over the top of another t-shirt. I love to wear them layered under a blazer. So, don't box yourself in and actually style the clothes you already own.
Tip number eight, and this flows on very nicely from my last point. Styling details matter more than you think. Don't just think that wearing your clothes is enough. Tuck them in, roll up the sleeves, button something up a different way. Have a knitted jumper draped over your shoulders. Put a scarf on your bag. Put a twillie on your bag. Add a scarf around your neck. Think about if you've got your arms on show, add a nice watch. Add some bangles. This is literally the key from an outfit looking flat versus an outfit that looks styled. I guarantee your outfits aren't bad. They're probably just unfinished.
So, if you take away anything from this video, take away this. Focus on your foundations. Good fabrics, simple shapes, and colors that work together will always take you further than over complicating your outfits or chasing trends. Once you've got that in place, everything else becomes really easy. Getting dressed feels quicker, your wardrobe feels more cohesive, and you actually have a clearer picture in your head of what looks good.
And a big thank you to Lily Silk for sponsoring the first part of this video. I'll leave everything that I've worn linked below if you want to have a look. But as always, take the principles and try applying them to what you already have. And I'll see you in the next one. Bye.