Summer fashion tips

By RNZFB member, Kirsten Metcalf

Finally the sun has graced us with its presence and this summer has a variety of different trends that can bring a bit of style to anybody's wardrobe.

For the ladies

Bright, bold and beautiful is what comes to mind this season with the latest trend of colour blocking. Too many colours can be a bit daunting for some of us, so I suggest to ease into it by choosing two colours that are complimentary to each other for your top and bottom garments and then introduce a third colour by accessorizing with skinny belts, shoes, scarves or a cute bag.

If that's not quite your style another exciting trend is playful animal prints or anything stripy for the ultimate chic look.

For more relaxed look maxi dresses and skirts are hot this summer especially paired with a cute little crochet top.

Beat the pavement with some comfy ballet flats, coloured strappy sandals and flat loafers. For the more daring individuals who like to add a bit of height to their outfits, espadrilles wedges and platforms are great because the soles are flat so they give you that added stability.

For the men

Choose low contrasting colours that compliment your complexion, so your skin appears to have a bright healthy shine and this sets a nice tone for a good balance to your outfit. For example instead of your classic black suit with white shirt opt for more conservative monochrome colours, such as a grey suit with a white shirt or a black suit with a grey/green or grey/blue shirt.

Also, clothes that fit well are the most flattering and this is great for your confidence.

For a more relaxed look a casual jacket, such as a sports jacket with a T-shirt or a polo shirt paired with some fitted trousers or dark fitted jeans and some casual footwear, such as moccasins or loafers can be a comfortable classic look.

Organising your wardrobe

Become familiar with your wardrobe and save time getting ready for the day ahead. Patience is needed when setting up a wardrobe system that works best for your needs and there are several ways to organise, sort and label your clothing. Here are some suggestions:

• Hanv a whole outfit on one coat hanger. This could be a matching suit or just a favourite outfit that you love to wear.
• Group clothing into categories e.g. trousers in one section and shirts in another.
• Store smaller pieces like accessories like socks, hosiery, scarves, bags, ties and jewelery in multi-drawer units, glass jars or shoe boxes. Label these with large print or braille.
• Become familiar with your outfits using tactual cues to identify the features of different items - take note of the texture, button design and cut.
• Cut labels in various ways you can recognise or sew a small button on the inside of a garment where it isn't visible.
• Make a large ring shap from some heavy cardboard to place over the hanger and mark it with tactual symbols or large print letters to let you know the colour/type of clothing.
• Consider buying a talking colour detector from the RNZFB Equipment Shop.

Once you have figured out coding system that works for you make sure you create a master list that is easily accessible for quick point of reference!