Life is full of rules, but style doesn’t have to be!

“Navy and black don’t go together”
This is one rule that has a lot of believers, but when used with caution navy and black can look very chic together. It appears a lot on the catwalk, and unlike a lot of catwalk looks, this is easy to try in real life. Try pairing black opaque tights with a navy dress- simple!

“You can’t mix patterns”
Don’t be afraid to try this- it can really freshen up your look! Once you’ve braved it you’ll be mixing florals and stripes like a pro! An easy way to start is to think of leopard print as a neutral. If you’re scared, you can experiment with details like scarves and belts.

“Silver or gold… not both!”
Mixing metals is very in! All over both the blog world and the celebrity circuit. The trick is to make it look deliberate, not just accidently thrown on! This is easy to achieve with stacking bracelets or layering necklaces of different lengths.

“You can’t wear red to a wedding”
Such an old fashioned rule- back when red was the colour of promiscuity. There are some gorgeous red dresses to wear to a wedding out there (And lots that aren’t appropriate… hint: no spandex or leather). And as a recent bride I can reassure you; as long as no one turned up in a white dress and veil I wasn’t remotely bothered!

“Faux fur is tacky”
Not always, some looks great and very realistic. So realistic that you should avoid PETA campaigners! Obviously some look faux fur pieces looks better than others but there is no reason you shouldn’t introduce this into your wardrobe this winter.

“Don’t wear more than one bold colour at a time”
Um hello, colour blocking? You can (and absolutely should!) break this rule. The colour wheel is your friend, don’t be scared to go for contrast! Teal and pink are my two absolute favourite colours, and whereas once they could never be worn together, now we know they POP! (Good news for my wardrobe!)

“Tall women can’t wear heels” / “Short women should always wear heels”
I’ll wear whatever shoes I like, thanks! I’m 5’4″ and my husband is 6’3″… I LOVE heels, they make me feel slimmer and more confident but do I have to wear them ALWAYS? Nope! On the other side of the coin, if you’re tall don’t think you can’t wear heels if you want to! This is an outdated notion from the days when women couldn’t been as both tall and feminine. In short (no pun intended) wear whatever damn shoes you want. Confidence is your best accessory.