Ten Tweedy Style Rules

After writing a few 'heavy' posts recently (apologies to all those who messaged me yesterday telling me that I had made them cry), I thought I'd do something a bit more frivolous. So today's blog post is ten style rules that I apply to me. That is the important bit to remember, these rules may not suit everyone, they are for me, but some of them may ring true for others as well. I actually have more than ten, but it is too early in the day to be sending people to sleep, so ten will do for now!

So here we go, as you read this, you may like to imagine me coming down from a mountain top, wearing robes, face shining with inspiration, a la Moses coming down from Sinai holding some stone tablets. Or not. Whatever helps.

1# Shoes and handbag must match, or at least complement each other in some way.
This is my golden rule. I can't physically leave the house without matching shoes and bag. I just can't.

2# Don't be afraid to buy second hand. I have expensive tastes, but at least half of my clothes, and about 90% of my shoe and handbag collections are second hand.

3# Don't be afraid to sell things on. If you have decided, for whatever reason, that an item of clothing, or an accessory is no longer for you, and if it is good condition, sell it on. There will always be someone, (probably me) who will be happy to give it a new home.

4# Don't buy cheaply made clothes. It really is a false economy. They don't look as good, and they certainly won't last very long. Conversely, just because something is 'designer' doesn't mean it isn't a load of old crap. I lusted for months after a pair of Vivienne Westwood shoes. I had almost decided to splash out, when I suddenly came to my senses, and realised that I was about to spend the best part of £100 on a pair of shoes that were made of scented plastic (I kid ye not). Yes, they were little more than outrageously expensive jelly shoes which would only contribute to my already alarming foot perspiration issues. With this epiphany, the love affair came to an abrupt end.

5# Raid your Mum's wardrobe, regularly. I do, (obviously my Mum's, not yours, that would be burglary). Even if you aren't the same size, she is bound to have some fabulous 'vintage' (sorry Mum) accessories worth 'borrowing'.

6# Don't try to be 'fashionable', instead, be 'stylish'. If you try to keep up with all the latest trends, you will be forever running, mostly out of money. Learn what suits you, and develop your own signature style. Of course this allows you to incorporate different fashion elements, but don't be a slave to them. I once bought a dress from a high street store because it was 'on trend'. Two days later it appeared on telly adorning a member of the cast of Eastenders, who happens to be about half my age. What made her look like a lithe, nubile young sylph, made me look like a blousy piece of middle aged mutton. It is now my 'gardening dress'.

7# Get acquainted with your shape. None of us are perfect. Learn to love your body shape, and do some research into what suits you best, Trinny and Susannah stylee.

8# Choose colours wisely. I love pale pastels, but they wash me out, and make my skin look grey. So, either pair the colour with another that will tone it down or brighten it up, or perhaps, slap on the fake tan.

9# Never underestimate the power of a pair of sunglasses. I used to have a lovely pair of Oakleys, which I pinched off my hubby. I wore them every single day, regardless of the weather or time of year, not to shade my eyes, but as a kind of uber-cool hair band. My friends used to refer to them as the 'hair control specs'. Eventually they disintegrated (I sat on them), and I have mourned their loss greatly. However, I recently bought a fashion magazine which came with a free pair of sunnies, which have proved to be the perfect replacement. I look like a complete tit with them perched on my nose, but when they are on my head, they make me look like I am, at any moment, about to board a millionaire's yacht, bound for Monaco. Well that's what happens in my head anyway.

10# Don't be afraid to enjoy your clothes, shoes, bags, make-up etc. There seems to be a lot of inverted snobbery among British women that says that if you appear to be enjoying the way you look a little bit too much, then you are automatically deemed to be a bit shallow and self obsessed. When I lived in Milan, I was struck by how stylish the Milanese women were, not necessarily because they wore expensive clothes, but because they clearly dressed themselves with care and took a quiet sense of pride in their appearance. Personally I see nothing wrong in that at all.

So there we go, ten of my personal style rules. I'd love to hear some of the style philosophies of my readers. It's good to share!