If you’ve ever debated with a friend over whether or not you can mix metals or wear white after Labor Day, you’ll appreciate this new book, which sheds light on the sartorial questions that keep you up at night. How To Get Dressed by costume designer Alison Freer is filled with tricks of the trade—everything from how to get stains out of your favorite shirt to what bra to wear with a daring dress. Here, three fashion rules she debunks in the just-launched paperback.
How To Break The Rules
Rule To Break: Don't Mix Metals
"A brilliant melody of metals tones is the total cool-girl secret to laid-back, laissez-faire style...But there's a secret to pulling it off—and it lies in always wearing a third piece that matches one you already have on, so it's not just a silver ring with a pair of gold earrings. You need to then add either a handbag with gold hardware or a necklace in a silver to even out the look."
Rule To Break: Don't Wear Black With Navy Or Brown
"A brown belt is always the perfect foil for a black dress. It adds a sense of lightness that a solid black dress is inherently missing—while keeping the overall look low-key. Just make sure it's a lighter shade of brown for maximum contrast and always repeat a spot of brown somewhere else in your outfit, whether it's a leather cuff, a cardigan, your shoes or your handbag."
Rule To Break: Don't Wear White After Labor Day
"Coco Chanel herself wore white year-round! I'd suggest avoiding linen, seersucker, and other very summer-specific fabrics in the winter, but other than that, it's game on for white clothes whenever you feel like looking angelic."
