Personal Style Q&A: Quora Community Asks, Style Coach™ Answers | Part 1

For the past years, I’ve been an active member of the Quora community. And you’ve guessed it: my specialty is the Personal Style Q&A area!

However, I never thought about sharing those questions (and my answers) with you here too!

Maybe a bit silly, since clearly not everyone here is following me there… But it’s never too late to start sharing!

So, from time to time, I’ll be sure to gather* the most relevant questions I get and post them here as well. For your style education and enjoyment 🙂

*In batches of 5 of course- this is MyStyle5 after all.

**I’ll also include a few relevant affiliate direct-shoppable examples under each section of this Personal Style Q&A. Let me know in the comments if you find this feature useful please!

How do you figure out what dress best suits you?

The first step for me was determining my body shape. This because I like my clothing to flatter my silhouette. (I know no everyone cares if their outfits also suit their body, but to me that is part of them suiting you as a whole).

Then I started considering my colouring more and more.

There are so many shades and hues out there, I felt like there’s no reason to walk around in ones that just make me feel “meh”. And instead go for ones that make my eyes shine and my skin glow!

Thirdly, I considered my own style- my aesthetic preferences, and my own taste.

This because, even if a dress passes the first two “checks” (maybe it looks good on my body, and enhances my complexion with its colour), it just might not convey the message I want it to.

So then, I would not buy it.

As a whole, after years of studying fashion and working to understand myself and my style, I ended up on fit & flare dresses and pencil cut ones.

Almost exclusively in a midi length (sometimes maxi), and in rich hues (sapphire blue, emerald green, cinnamon, gold) or in a delicate pink.

They give me the classically feminine air which I like aesthetically, and can be paired wonderfully with tougher accents (leather jacket, boots and so on), to match my personal sense of expression.

How can you look put together and pretty with simple but fashionable clothes?

I’d say a very good step is first curating your wardrobe, to ensure all the pieces you keep look good, suit your taste, personality, lifestyle, and ideally flatter your body.

This ensures you are happy with all your items to begin with.

When you buy something new, think about the value it will bring to your curated wardrobe:

Does it easily fit with other clothes?

Is it good quality?

Is it a colour that makes you glow when wearing it?

Thinking of these things will help you spend your money only on piece that will make you happy for longer, and that play well with your existing ones.

As an outfit formula, something like:

Quality jeans + white T-Shirt/shirt/blouse + stand-out accessories keeps a good balance between simple and fashionable.

I also wrote a couple of related posts on How to Look Put Together and Tips for An Effortless Chic Air.

What’s good to wear with a white shirt?

White shirts are very versatile, which is why they’re considered true wardrobe staples.

Depending also on the cut & fabric of that white shirt, a few combinations that come to mind are:

*A classic, fitted white cotton shirt + a colourful, printed midi skirt (can be pleated, mermaid, pencil- depending on your body & preferences) + sandals -> great for a busy day, where you need a look that transitions into the evening

**OR + a pair of 7/8 cigarette trousers + pumps + an elegant blazer (you can keep the blazer & pants black, or opt for navy/burgundy/hunter’s green etc., depending on your colouring and taste) -> great for the office

***OR over a beautiful party dress, for a more original cover against the chill (my own example here); also great for toning down a precious dress for daytime

*A masculine inspired, slightly oversize, thick poplin shirt + a pair of perfectly fitting ink blue jeans (skinny is best, to counterbalance the volume) + heels + statement jewelry and/or red lipstick (to contrast the masculine shirt)

*A very thin, gauzy white shirt, left unbuttoned a bit more than for the office, with boyfriend jeans, stiletto sandals, a statement lip, and just the slightest peek of a lacy bra (but a quality, good looking one in an elegant hue) -> great for a date, or a night out with the girls

What type of high heels would you recommend for everyday wear?

I’d recommend finding your ideal maximum heel height first (I wrote about the method in this article). And then work you way down from there, depending on the occasion.

Namely, court pumps (5–7 cm) can work great for day to day, especially if they’re a bit thicker. You can go up to 10 cm (if that’s comfortable for you), in a stiletto (very strong look) or a block heel (fashionable vibes).

I tend to keep higher heels (10–12 cm) for parties, but that’s my preference.

Can you carry a brown purse with a black outfit?

Yes, you can!

But do pay attention to playing with contrasts.

For example, a caramel/sand/cafe au lait purse will be easiest to pair, simply because there is higher contrast with the black. So it looks like an intentional pick, not a careless pairing.

Same for a reddish cognac or even a coffee bag in a patent leather for example, with a matte black look.

As an extra step, you could try adding another element in the brown family. Think: copper lipstick + cognac reptile print bag + a head-to-toe black outfit.

If you’re super into details, you could also look at matching hardware. Let’s say: the gold hardware of the bag, with black shoes + a gold zipper, and gold/bronze jewelry.

Those extra details give the brown purse/black outfit combo even more cohesiveness.

I’m hoping these questions help answer some that you perhaps had too! And if you find this type of Personal Style Q&A article interesting for the future, please let me know!

Thanks for reading, and until we meet here next, have a fabulous time!

xx,

Silvia