We Are The Kids Now

If I can wear kids' stuff, you can, too. And don't let them tell you not to.

Ever since I started browsing girls's clothes to give my niece the gift of extra coolness, I've been flirting with the idea of filling a shopping basket there.

Interestingly enough, this affair also started with a gift I received - a voucher, to be exact. I popped into continental cheap & chic C&A but seemed to find nothing that sort of had my name on it. But only until I wandered there long enough to spot their best-kept secret, the girls' line.

Among about a dozen different designs of retro-style graphic jersey dresses, I settled for this one with spots and button detail. I love to layer up for winter but find it quite hard to do with style, so you can imagine my joy when I bumped into a rack of soft cotton biker jackets.

Now, about sizing. The A-line minidress was a perfect fit in my size (158cm/5'2"), but since dress sizes go all the way up to 176cm (5'9"), you can't say this candy store is only open to kids and petites. As for the biker, I did not want or need a proper jacket, only a layering alternative of a warm, snug little cardi, so I went down a whole dual size (to 146/152) to get the right fit. Going down a couple of sizes when needed is a kind of heaven in itself, something I can only do in the kids' corner. Now for the layering story - just peek below.

retro dress: C&A, ankle boots: Asos,
ribbed elastic long-sleeve tee: charity shop

dress and soft biker cardigan: C&A,

ankle boots: Asos, mini-satchel: H&M

Little Red Dress

I've been wanting to get an LRD for some time now, but I couldn't quite decide between the smarter, tailored ones (you know, clean vertical seams, little buttons or bows, tulip shape, straight line, no stretch), or the more relaxed types like skater, or the not-too-smart A-line, sleeveless, short or three quarter sleeved - and who knows what else. I only knew it should not have any contrast details.

Finally it came to me that I very rarely wear red because it's so in-your-face, a constant reminder that you're walking the very wildest of the wild side (at least, that's what it feels like). Now, if you choose a really smart dress, you will want to wear it for smart occasions, but the colour will stop you in the last minute of every attempt. So, you will end up not wearing it at all. If you're like me, make sure you pick a strictly neutral or somewhat relaxed piece that you can just pop on and go, and have fun with dressing it up or down. That way, the dress will sooner or later find a way to take you for a walk.

This shift dress by Asos is in ponte, which is a lot more easier to wear than plain or even textured cotton, which tends to crinkle somewhat while hanging in the wardrobe, very badly when on, and worse during washing. Ponte is not smart, and not considered a quality fabric, but boy, it's made for wearing - and that's just what it'll do.

How to wear your block colour dress

In four ways, basically. Classic Contrast: pick one colour to complement red in a classic way, say, cream, biscuit, white, camel, or black. Wear opaque tights and a top or blouse in that colour. Then, you can choose to match your shoes to your opaques for a leg-lengthening, paired-back effect, or create a contrast  by wearing red shoes (loafers or Mary Janes) and turn into Little Red Riding Hood.

Next, you can go for Bold Colour Blocking, and mix & match primary or jewel colours... red with electric blue, emerald green with yellow, orange with teal. If you want to tread cautiously at first, accessorise with a flash of colour, a scarf, a bag, or a belt. If, like me, you are drawn to trying the Total Blocking, combine pieces in similar colours in a single outfit and go all red, blue, mustard or green. To finish the look, I chose a navy and blue coat when I could have gone with berry, which reminds me: do draw the line somewhere.

Dress: Asos, long sleeved top, heeled loafers and coat: New Look, tights: Calzedonia

And four is Minimal, for when you prefer the little red dress to do all the talking: bare legs or sheer tights, ankle boots and socks. As zips are big for both autumn/winter and spring/summer, and apparently, this dress doesn't have any, choose a minimal cover-up with some prominent zips. Mine is a loose, ribbed fine-knit cropped cardi with collars, but a boxy cropped blazer with extra large buttons should make the look even more office-friendly if that's what you're after.

Dress: Asos, zip cardi: S. Oliver, 60s ankle boots: Asos, socks: Falke

Earn Your Stripes

Colour blocking is as retro and as now as it can possibly get. A blossoming trend in the 1950s (think full skirts and dresses with wide contrast hems or a cute stripy nautical look), and a big hit in the 1960s, adding a flash of colour to clean, minimal, straight or A-line cuts. And then, of course, cropping up at least once in every decade before blasting back on the scene this season.

I'm crazy for colour block pieces. They are striking, even conspicuous (a strange thing to say in a season of colour overload, but still), and seemingly un-versatile but, you know what? That's probably the best part. Most people will only look for wear-with-everything pieces, which is the equivalent of creating a fully neutral décor in your home. Boring.

When it comes to workwear, making a statement is either not encouraged, or worse, not tolerated. Colour blocking and stripes come in handy when you are tired of looking boring, stuck in a style rut, want to celebrate your creativity, or just wishing to find a new sort of strength and confidence, the type you cannot achieve by blending in.

My advice, then? Feast your eyes on colourful, standout clothes, try on each piece that you really like, and find the ones that make you feel great, strong, confident, fabulous and smart, even if it feels a bit far out at first. A great, simple cut, the right length, and the accessories you add will make nearly every well-fitting piece perfect for work.

This week, I styled my bold-coloured, striped A-line skirt with a sleek boatneck top, a leather mini rucksack I've had (but not used) for ages, and two-tone dolly courts (is there such a thing?) for the sheer fun of it.

Keep it brutally simple. Before stepping out, just grab your classic black blazer and some oversized shades, and prepare for the compliments of colleagues and bosses alike.

skirt: Zara, top: some cheap thing from the 1990s, shoes: Schuh, leather rucksack: a market find