V A is a long standing and recognised digital creative; her voice resonates with many. In the last ten years, the site has developed into an online destination for fashion, beauty and lifestyle advice. Her sense of style, editorial flair and practical counsel offers an inspired and graceful approach to living.

V A is a long standing and recognised digital creative; her voice resonates with many. In the last ten years, the site has developed into an online destination for fashion, beauty and lifestyle advice. Her sense of style, editorial flair and practical counsel offers an inspired and graceful approach to living.

Edit by: Vicki
Oct 31, 2016

Personal Style: The Easy Don’ts

Personal Style, The EAsy Don'ts on vickiarcher.com


Finding personal style is an evolving business.

I don’t believe style is automatic or that it comes easily to everyone.


It doesn’t; personal style requires work. If it did we would all look impeccable every hour of the day? Those who do are lucky and either have help in the way of personal stylists or know themselves extremely well.


I believe personal style evolves as we move through life and while some traits are in evidence from our early years I do think finding our own fashion comfort zone is down to many factors. Every decade, even every 5 years, our lives change. We not only look different but our fashion interests change. When I was younger I dreamt of the latest everything and couldn’t imagine wearing anything other than the “in” fashion. Now I am all about what suits me and works with my lifestyle.


My personal fashion style has become about adaption; adapting all the pieces of the puzzle I can control with those I can’t. It is about acceptance; accepting who I am and having the confidence to wear what I like and feel good in. I don’t try and change what can’t be changed anymore. I can improve, I can accept and I will forever adapt but what I won’t do is force myself into a fashion drama just because the designers, runways and magazines say I should.


Thinking about this question has me working backwards.

Trying to simplify the quest for personal style has me making a list of what won’t work.

Small reminders to be with me each day when planning an outfit or shopping for a new one. It really helps to have this information in the back of my mind. xv



Personal Style: The Easy Don’ts

Maintain the allure.

Call me old school but these days the super short skirts and the death defying cleavage are best left to the imagination. A little mystery never hurt anyone.



Comfort is king.

What I mean is, let’s not stagger around in 10 inch heels and look awkward. There are so many gorgeous boots and shoes available we don’t need to stomp like glamazons to look fabulous. The “too, too tight” is not our friend and nor is the ill fitting. Feeling comfortable makes everything look better.



Beware of mix and match.

I know Iris Apfel does it beautifully but wearing a multitude of miss matching pieces can either look very clever or downright disastrous. It might feel dull at times but when in doubt monochrome is our best friend; think French and go simple.



Accessorise with caution.

I absolutely love accessories but I remind myself not to wear them all at once. If there are a lot to be worn they need to work together and to be of the same genre. The bangles in the image above look so put together because they are of the same feel; more is merrier.



Minimal make-up.

Expertly applied make-up to look discreet is the most successful.  I am all for a vibrant or deep lip colour but not with rosy cheeks and pastel eyes. In my experience too much make-up only emphasises my skin flaws.

My fear is the one where I look like a painted doll, leave the make-up all over my collars and cuffs and have an orange jawline divide.



Be yourself and don’t copy others.

We all learn from each other and take advice where we need but the success is when we use what we learn and adapt it to suit ourselves.

Copying exactly never works; it’s how we put it together in our way that ultimately creates our personal style.



Personal Stye: Round Up

derek lam ‘luna’  //  **valley ‘skapula  //  fendi round



image advanced style

Edit by: Vicki
In This Post: Fashion , Shopping Stories