April 2011

Ines de la Fressange, 53 year old  Model, Muse  to Karl Lagerfeld and face of Chanel, is finally sharing her style secrets with us in her book . Who is else is  more qualified to write a book about Parisian Style than the epitome of timeless elegance.

Ines does not reinvent the wheel with her book but reading it does serve to remind you of simple principles of chic when you are out shopping, tempted to get that sequinned dress, that deep down you know you will never wear.

• Wear what suits you, not what what is trendy or in right now
• Less is more: If you are wearing a necklace, don’t wear earrings. If you wear colourful nailvarnish, avoid rings.

The “Magnificent Seven” wardrobe basics are:  a man’s blazer, trench coat, navy sweater, tank top, little black dress, jeans and leather jacket – all modelled by her equally gorgeous daughter in the book.

Here is my philosophy on fashion:

• Swap Ballerinas for high heels if you cannot walk in them – nothing is more unattractive than tottering along when you should grace a feline walk
• Go for simple, classic shapes that never go out of fashion like shift dresses, pencil skirts, trench coats. Add a girly detail like puff sleeves on the trenchcoats, or flowers on the shift dress.

Below: Rebel wears marine sweater from TK Maxx, white jeans and pearl necklace from Sum Cinque. Romantique wears puff-sleeved trench coat from Stefanel ,  flower shift dress by Max Mara and ballerinas from Pretty Ballerina.