STAPLES

If you're like me, SOMETIMES it is hard to decide what to wear to work 5 days a week. Especially when you have already worn that little black dress on Tuesday and Thursday, and you've worn out your favourite vintage blazer so much, that it is definitely time to take it to the dry cleaners. Even when you lie in bed at night and hurt your brain trying to make sure you have an outfit put together so that you're not running 20 minutes late in the morning, it's all too hard.

This is where my favourite rule applies.
You've worn your little black dress twice already? You are too scared that co-workers might notice your forbidden outfit repeating?


Never fear, your belt is near. 
Everyone MUST have at least 2 belts. Thin AND thick. 

Yes, so you may have already worn the same outfit twice, many people seem to think that the only way to wear 'this top' is with 'these pants' and with 'these shoes', and that's where it ends. Don't be afraid to experiment, because i'm telling you right now, there are at LEAST 5 ways to wear 'that top'.

So, you can still wear your black t-shirt dress again without anyone noticing, with these helpful tips.

Say you wore your dress simply, with a pair of tights and boots. You're not really sure how to make it look different, how to jazz it up. Well, this is where my belt rule applies. You have 2 options. 

#1- Cinch in your waist with a thin, woven belt. Place the belt directly onto your waist, then, by grabbing the material of your dress from above the belt, slowly gather it up particularly around the back. This will create the illusion of a completely different shape of dress. Plus, the gathering effect above the belt will slim you right down. BONUS! *TIP: This type of belt is great, particularly for the smaller-in-stature amongst us. If you are playing safe, a thin belt won't cut you in half, and make you appear shorter. A wide one will.

#2- Accentuate your curves, while minimising your waist, with a big fat wide belt. This is my all time favourite type of belt. I think I must have at least 15 different styles in the wider belt department of my wardrobe!

Anyway, For those of you who want to draw attention away from the lower half of your body, a wide belt is perfect. Place the belt directly under your chest, and use the same gathering effect as look #1, this time to flatten out the dress, which in turn flattens, cinches, and minimises you in all the right places. 

You can find belts in almost any clothing store these days, but I prefer to pick mine up at a shop called Catalog. It is an Australian owned and family orientated business, that has stores in Melbourne and Brisbane. My favourite belt which they constantly stock is a no-named black leather and elasticised waist belt, finished with a large, square gold buckle. I wear it every other day, probably couldn't live without it. It also comes in a tan colour, and retails for $29.95.

To warm up during the colder months, add a long sleeved t-shirt or turtle neck under your dress, in a charcoal grey to break up the colours. Country Road are always a winner when it comes to staple pieces like these, and they never wear. Add studs, or a statement necklace. Always worn best in brighter colours on black. 

If you are sick of plain black tights, try something with a line of colour that follows the leg down from thigh to ankle. Leona Edminston make a great pair called "Sophia" in red, retailing for $25.95. Add brown boots and you're ready for work, with time to spare!

Leona Edminston stockings: http://www.stockingsonline.com.au/product.asp?pID=8039&cID=14

Contact Catalog Clothing at: http://www.catalogclothing.com.au/