14 DAY TRIAL // Despite the moody weather, our desk calendars don't lie: it's the end of April and every day that passes brings us closer to those long, breezy summer days we have been dreaming about ever since Christmas. However, the more fashion-obsessed among us might find that summer is just an extra reason to panic. We've all been there, we've all been through the "walk to the wardrobe, open it and scream" routine at least a couple of times in our lives, complete with a pitiful wail that goes something like "I'm on a budget, I have nothing new and trendy to wear, and I'm never leaving the house again". Slammed door. Sound of bed creaking. Lots of tears.
I can't pretend to know the answer to the ever-green question of "how do I get to look fabulous without exceeding my credit card limit... again?", but I can make a few suggestions as to how you can update your wardrobe sensibly, by buying only a few new pieces and giving free reign to your creativity when it comes to combining the old with the new, the classic and the ultra-trendy. One way to begin would be to calm down, take a few deep breaths and turn on the TV, your computer or - even better - run down to the closest newsstand and stock up on a few fashion magazines. Take some time for yourself and just browse through them, paying particular attention to some or all the styles you would not normally wear but you feel might actually suit your body shape, face conformation, skin tone and hair style.
Step two: start walking. Get on your most comfortable pair of walking shoes and start exploring the shops. Don't abandon your old hunting grounds, but this time, make sure you have a look round some of the places you don't normally visit - including any local good-quality thrift shops. Don't forget that most of their available merchandise is actually made up of overstocks. Perseverance plus a drop of luck may mean you'll come across name brands for which you'll actually pay about the tenth part (or less) of what they're actually worth. Next comes doing the actual deed. That is, buying.
When you're finished with the walking round and want to get down to some real buying, ponder on this: you have a choice between buying one new, complete outfit (only one, keep that in mind) or buying a pair of the latest shoes and a few other small accessories - a scarf, a pair of earrings, maybe a new handbag. The new shoes will automatically make you look trendy and up-to-date, and give your older outfits an exciting new allure. The whole point to this entire "don't over-spend, manipulate" philosophy is to constantly freshen up your style using a few new pieces, small accessories and intuitive combinations that manipulate others into seeing you the way you chose to appear. Think small. Gradually buy a few items every week, making sure, for example, that your new tops can be worn with some of your older jackets and jeans. The key is to relax and take things one step at a time - and let your inborn sense of style guide you. It hasn't let me down yet.