“I often get calls and e-mails from friends, family members and even strangers asking if they can wear navy with black and I sort of giggle to myself. Of course [you can]!” says Marie Claire Style and Accessories Director Taylor Tomasi-Hill, who is a self-professed style chameleon. Most of you may not know her name, but the fashion lovers among you will surely recognize her face. Taylor’s bold, singular way of dressing has made her a regular on the pages of fashion magazines and street style blogs the world over.
“I wouldn’t say any of the traditional fashion etiquette ‘rules’ apply to my day-to-day dressing,” she adds. Giovanna Battaglia, fashion editor of W magazine, who is an equally popular street style star, agrees. “Rule is a word that goes against instinct. Fashion is a world where the rules change every season. What was black is now colour and what was solid colour is now print,” she explains.
The two women talk us through their approach to dressing.
1. Break your evening wardrobe out for day
“I think wearing white lace in the morning looks lovely and that gold dresses and embroidery looks better worn in the day than at night. A silver skirt and a gold foil blouse for example, looks amazing,” Battaglia says.
2. Combine contrasting prints freely
“Some say mixing prints is a no-no, but for me and for fashionistas all over the globe this has been a huge trend as of late. As long as the prints work together and don’t compete you are on your way to breaking one of the rules but in a good way,”
Tomasi-Hill says. Battaglia adds, “One of my favourite things to do is pair up a polka-dot top and a floral print skirt. As long as you wear something in a bold way, it works.”
3. And do wear black with navy
“Black and brown together — some would say eeeek, I say chic,” Tomasi-Hill says before giving outfits that mix navy, black, brown and grey the thumbs up.
4. Repeat with wild abandon
“Sometimes I will wear the same skirt to work four days out of five, always in a different way. I become addicted to seeing how many ways I can wear it,” Tomasi-Hill says. “I’ve often thought I should do this for fashion month as it would certainly cut down on the packing process.”
5. And where it like you mean it
“During the week, I like to really dress up, especially for work,” Battaglia says. Taylor also dresses to win: “My first job in fashion was at W magazine. My boss at the time told me to dress for the job you want in the future. I live by this rule.”
