I recently had the pleasure of working with Carole Liivrand, freelance writer and company director, on a fashion shoot. I asked for her street style tips. Take it away, Carole …
What I’m wearing
Sweater: Witchery (last season).
Boots: Filippo Raphael (last season). I bought them on sale and have worn them to death.
Vest: Lilya (another 2019 purchase).
Pants: Country Road sateen jeans in stone.
Belt: Hugo Boss.
Pants: Country Road sateen jeans in stone
I have three pairs of these in different colours, as well as other Country Road pants. I love them because they fit so well and I can dress them up or down. Also, I can just buy them without wasting time trying them on, and if I want, I can order them online. Their size 12 fits perfectly. With other brands, I often have to buy the larger size and take in the waist. I do a lot of online shopping!
Sweater: Witchery (last season)
It’s a mixture of wool, alpaca, nylon and modal – [according to Google, modal knit fabric is a variety of rayon, made exclusively from the renewable fibre of beech trees. Since the base material comes from a natural source, rayon fibres such as modal are sometimes classified as a ‘natural synthetic’. Fabric made from modal is very soft and smooth, with a moderate to high sheen.]
I wear a lot of cashmere or cashmere/wool blend. They are light and warm and fabulous for travel. I have a little black cardigan I always travel with and is always in the aircraft cabin with me … should I ever be heading overseas again, post COVID?
My personal style
Smart casual, slightly sporty. I am not into frills and flounces, or florals, although I do occasionally wear them. I like things that are slightly different, but I also like comfort and things that are easy to wear and, hopefully, they still look smart. If it’s too hard, it goes back in the wardrobe. I like block colours, stripes and the occasional check, and I occasionally accessorise with scarves or jewellery, but never too much of anything.
In my corporate days, I nearly always wore classic suits with a hint of frill or lace. I had some fabulous blouses and shirts. Lots of mix and match too: jackets, skirts, pants, and a great overcoat for winter. I like nice bags and shoes, although I have little need for them these days.
My taste hasn’t really changed that much but what I wear has had to adjust to my lifestyle, and to the more casual/relaxed way people dress in recent times. My life in recent years has been spent around golf, boating and travelling, with a bit of ‘work from home’ thrown in.
These days, I live in jeans, capri pants and trousers. Mostly, we eat out locally in places that don’t lend themselves to patrons wearing chiffon cocktail dresses. Having said that, I will quite happily pull out a chiffon skirt and pair it with a short knit, a pair of boots and a leather jacket. Breakfast is my favourite time to eat out, usually after a long walk to the café.
Favourite styles
I’m not a dedicated follower of brands or trends per se, and usually put things together from my wardrobe, complementing with the odd new piece. Having said that, I tend to wear a lot of (Ralph Lauren) polo T-shirts, especially for golf, and also have collected a few Ralph Lauren pieces. I like the Sporty Ralph Lauren, Gant, Hugo Boss and some Tommy Hilfiger styles, yet I occasionally buy things from Ezibuy – jeans, capris and the occasional sweater. Also I wear a lot of Witchery and Country Road.
My favourite colours: navy, white, light tan, lots of black outfits, bottle green, spearmint green, olive green, neutrals such as light caramel/cream/light grey, bold reds, turquoise, buttercup yellow (in tops only). As you can see, lots of different colours.
Rebecca O’Hearn has had a long career as a fashion and beauty editor at Yours, Woman’s Day and FHM magazines and has styled some of Australia’s most famous faces. Her mission now is to help women of all ages feel confident that their wardrobe and beauty choices are the best they can be. Her website, smartcasualclassic.com, is packed with fashion, beauty and styling tips.
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Related articles:
https://www.yourlifechoices.com.au/lifestyle/stylewatch/putting-fun-first-in-your-fashion-choices
https://www.yourlifechoices.com.au/lifestyle/stylewatch/white-pants-four-ways
https://www.yourlifechoices.com.au/lifestyle/stylewatch/how-to-make-your-wardrobe-work-harder
