Why now is the perfect time to consider what needs to exist in our wardrobes

Lisburn's Samara Prentice, owner of EVOLVE Styling and Image Consultancy, reveals why now is the perfect time to consider what needs to exist in our wardrobes.
Samara Prentice, new fashion columnist at the Ulster Star and owner of EVOVLESamara Prentice, new fashion columnist at the Ulster Star and owner of EVOVLE
Samara Prentice, new fashion columnist at the Ulster Star and owner of EVOVLE

While it’s been a fairly uneventful year in the world of fashion, the launch of Spring/Summer 2021 has showcased lots of bold colours and stand out designs which are sure to help us feel rejuvenated after a long and bleak winter.

As a stylist, I was particularly excited to see what the season would bring and I was not disappointed.

I am not a big advocate of ‘chasing trends’ especially those that have no longevity in the wardrobe, I think there is always scope to add seasonal pieces into a carefully curated lifestyle wardrobe, which will allow you to show up every day as the best version of you.

Creating a lifestyle wardrobe couldn’t be easier and given that many of us are using this time to clear from our current wardrobe garments that don’t, in Marie Kondo’s words, ‘spark joy’, now is the perfect time to carefully consider what clothes need to exist in your wardrobe to create maximum impact in both your personal and your professional life.

Asking yourself: ‘‘What key pieces do I need to serve every area of my current lifestyle?’’ is a great starting point.

From here, it is easy to see what you have that is working well and what you are missing.

This exercise also helps you to become more conscious in your daily dressing and shopping choices too.

Rather than having a ‘wardrobe full of clothes and nothing to wear’, you’ll curate a wardrobe full of pieces that you love, that make you feel good - which in turn allows your confidence to grow.

Building successful lifestyle wardrobes for clients is something I really pride myself on. Some of my favourite trends for spring include:

1. Sorbet pastel tones

Everything from cool mint green suiting to trench coats in lavender. Pastel tones work beautifully together or pair with shades of navy or white to allow the pastel to pop.

2. Monochrome

Monochrome is huge and you’ll find so many variations; from dogstooth to patchwork.

My advice; find a look that you can call your own and use it to express who you are to the world.

3. Wide leg trousers

Wide leg trousers are a bona fide trend for spring. Offering you elegance without compromising your comfort levels - and who doesn’t love the sound of that coming out of lockdown?

4. The cape

The cape makes a return to the rails this season and it’s here in an array of fabulous colours, from this seasons burnt coral to powder blue.

Stay tuned for some Spring style inspiration as shops begin to open up in the coming weeks. I’ll be visiting some of our independent stores here in the city and surrounding areas to showcase their new collections.

About Samara

Samara is a fully qualified image consultant and personal stylist who has been trained by some of the most recognised names in the industry.

* EVOLVE, which was launched in 2018, was awarded a Women in Business Award in 2018 for Best Pitch and was the runner up in the Women in Business Awards in 2019 for the Best Customer Service.

* EVOLVE works with both male and female clients offering services which include image consultancy, colour profiling, body shape analysis, wardrobe editing, personal shopping, in store and online, personal branding for corporate clients and more.

* Samara is married to Paul Prentice, a Watch Commander in charge of Lisburn Fire Station and owner of Prentice Sports Therapy and Wellbeing Centre, also based in Lisburn. They have four young children together under the age of eight.

Follow Samara at EVOLVE by Samara on Facebook and Instagram.

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