What are the factors that contribute to a successful career for a woman, apart from qualifications, skills and expertise?   A well-thought through clothing style is indisputably of great value.

Women in  accountancy, banking, insurance and law require suits:  jacket, skirt or trousers with a blended tone or bright shirt or top to enliven the sober suit. It is a good idea to match your bras with the same colour as your  shirts wherever possible, otherwise  nude underwear will always blend.

On the other hand if a woman is employed in the non-uniformed caring sector, perhaps as social worker or counsellor, then non-threatening colours such as navy co-ordinated with white are appropriate.  However, a colourful top will not go amiss and will serve to cheer everyone up and win the confidence of clients.

Those women in marketing, management consultancy and public relations who regularly meet clients will impress with mid-tone neutral colours for their suit but when undertaking a presentation, a power red jacket is perfect.

If selling direct to the public then the client group must be considered.  If the product is serious such as IT software or medical supplies, a ‘user friendly’ look is required.  Therefore, tops or shirts in soft pastel colours along with blended neutral colours for jackets, trousers and skirts should suffice.

Teachers should wear tops of interesting colours and textures to hold their pupils’ attention.  A flashy orange top will distract.  Those working in advertising, media, retail or travel must look fashionable, therefore a chic jacket and stylish top or shirt are ideal.

According to a recent article in the ‘Style’ section of a broad sheet newspaper, the 3-piece suit is returning to grace ladies’ fashions.  

Owning a 3-piece suit does not mean having to wear all three pieces together.  The waistcoat is versatile and can be worn with effect under a coat without the bulk of a jacket.  In the daytime, a waistcoat will look charming with an item of knitwear such as a thin jumper, or a stark white shirt. 

A high street 3-piece suit will vary in quality according to the tailoring.  For women who do not possess angular, ‘androgynous’ figures it is worth visiting fashion stores that specialize in making jackets and waistcoats for more curvy figures.  In this instance, the customer is professionally measured by a trained style adviser.  A made-to-measure jacket or waistcoat may need a few adjustments at the final fitting but the shop will then be able to keep those measurements on file to be used at a future date. 

We need only to think back to 1971 and the wedding of Mick Jagger, to agree that the white maxi skirt and jacket that Bianca wore, designed by Tommy Nuttall, was a chic outfit in which to be married.

T-shirts and jeans are the mainstay of Rihanna when off stage.  A point of interest is that she has now joined forces with Emporio Armani to help create and promote a collection of casual outfits, in other words, skinny jeans, biker jackets and T-shirts.

For those of us who have not got the super slim legs intended for skinny jeans then there are plenty of alternatives in which to feel comfortable in, for instance with a 2-way stretch.  The stretch is accomplished with a blend of wool and crepe.  The trousers are tapered so the wearer feels she is not only being pampered in sumptuous fabrics, but beautiful tailoring too.  Extremely flattering pairs of trousers are those that are artfully made to keep unwanted curves under control.

For the on-coming party season, trousers are quite acceptable, especially with a luxurious jacket, perhaps of sheepskin.  Sheepskin is very light in weight to wear; there is nothing burdensome or heavy about it.  The ‘hippie’ image of sheepskin is outmoded because the jackets of today have a shapely waist and are beautifully tailored.  Darker colours, such as chocolate brown look ravishing when worn with luxurious gold earrings.

If a more elegant look is required for a party, any soft tailored jacket such as a jacquard will perfectly complement any trousers.

Glamorous tops with elegantly tapered trousers of today were also considered highly fashionable in the 1950’s but with one crucial difference - high, narrow stiletto heels were never worn to complete the outfit as this was deemed vulgar.  This seems regrettable because stilettos and heeled mules looked absolutely fabulous in this era, worn with a couture sheath dress, renowned for its small waist and tight skirt. This is also a great look for the modern office.

Another style of ladies’ trousers, pedal pushers, was popular with teenagers in the 1950’s but it was   the close fitting tapered trousers with short tops & a matching bra that had a universal appeal.  The trousers could be full length, mid-calf or just below the knee.  It became a cool, sophisticated style, capitalised on by the likes of model and film star Grace Kelly.

The eminent fashion house of Christian Dior was more interested in ultra-feminine styles which he called his ‘New Look’.  A wool coat with sloping shoulders for example, revealing full billowing skirts falling to mid-calf length was this look.  His feminine hour-glass figure was complete with a pair of stiletto heeled shoes.

This ‘New Look’ was condemned by thrifty post-war dignitaries who thought it frivolous and wasteful in a time of austerity measures.  This is a fair point because one wartime dress required three metres of fabric, whilst Dior’s dresses needed much more.

Meanwhile, back in the office, if we are trying to establish ourselves, classic clothes will impress most, combined with a modest amount of make-up and jewellery.  We all genuinely want to give our best impression at work.   It is best achieved by looking well-groomed in a skirt and shirt.  However, expectations vary and in the creative arts or fashion industry, a black skirt and neat top may look too corporate.

From whimsical colour blocking to traditional winter colours, winter fashion pieces filled the runway during the New Zealand Fashion Week. Several designers, models, fashionistas, buyers, media practitioners and even regular fashion mavens feasted on various winter fashion collections that were shown on and off the catwalk. Some of the winter fashion items included brightly coloured anoraks as well as jumpers for women, pants, tops, winter dresses and winter fashion shoes for both men and women.

This year’s New Zealand Fashion Week did not only feature professional models but bloggers who wrote about fashion, trends and lifestyle as well. They were donned in salmon pink, lime green, mustard, yellow, chambray and even blank winter fashion pieces.

Now in its 11th year, New Zealand’s main fashion trade event featured labels such as Lonely Hearts, Stolen Girlfriends’ Club, World and Trelise Cooper, along with newcomer label Coop.

This year’s organizers hope to continue the fashion fever this month with the staging of the Rugby World Cup. There will be various fashion pieces that will be showcased at boutiques in Christchurch, Wellington, Dunedin as well as Auckland.

Melbourne Spring Fashion Week is turning out to be a “friendly” showcase of not only the latest fashion trends but of women of practically every color, shape and size! Brunettes, blondes, red heads and auburn lovelies were not the only ones spotted at Melbourne Spring Fashion Week. Even the tall, lanky and yes, plus size, were there and they all emphasized one common trait - self confidence!

Plus sized models took to the runway and showcased plus size fashion pieces. The plus size models showed that bigger is not just beautiful but something that needs to be embraced and celebrated.

“This should not be about plus-size, this is the average size now,” said Jo Newman, the general manager of retail operations for fashion label TS14+. Newman says that the average-size Australian woman is a size 16.

“We should be celebrating this every day so that all women feel like they can look good and feel good and celebrate their curves. We absolutely think there should be a lot more of it,” Newman said.

The Melbourne Spring Fashion Week kicked off Monday. Apart from plus size fashion pieces, there will also be collections for pregnant mothers-to-be and even for kids. The organizers of the said event accordingly wanted to boost retail sales by selling various pieces that appealed to different demographics.

The show received positive reviews. Past Lady Gaga hits such as “Poker Face” and “Just Dance” have been played numerously in past fashion shows. Thus, it is not a wonder that her new single is expected to be a hit as well.

E-commerce and online retail giant eBay intends to fortify its strong fashion clothes business after the company hired fashion stylist and publisher Andrea Linett as the new creative director. Linett’s role includes taking charge of the fashion, marketing and communications department of eBay’s North America operations.

eBay Fashion Vice President and General Manager Miriam Lahage said that they are excited to have hired a formidable employee such as Ms. Linett to help achieve the goals for eBay Fashion. She added that Linett has more than twenty years of experience in the fashion industry. She also co-founded the successful shopping magazine Lucky and has written bestselling shopping and fashion books. She also once served as fashion editor and writer for Harper’s Bazaar magazine.

eBay Fashion plans to further strengthen its online apparel business. The company generates more than $5 billion in gross merchandise revenues annually.