7 Pieces That Make Getting Dressed More Fun

Because a great wardrobe isn't about dressing your age. It's about wearing things that make you feel fabulous.

GETTING DRESSED GOT A LITTLE TOO SENSIBLE

Somewhere along the line, wardrobes have a habit of becoming terribly practical.

The useful coat. The sensible shoes. The top that goes with everything.

And before you know it, getting dressed has become another thing to get done rather than something to enjoy.

Absolutely not.

This isn't a list of things women of a certain age should own. We don't do those lists.

It's simply seven pieces that can make getting dressed a lot more fun — the things that add colour, personality or just enough ridiculousness to make an ordinary outfit feel fabulous.

You probably already own some of them.

And if you don't? Well, that's where The ANB Edit comes in.

01 - THE BRILLIANT BLAZER

Start with the jacket.

A brilliant blazer can rescue almost anything.

Jeans and a T-shirt suddenly look intentional. A simple dress becomes dinner-worthy. Even the trousers you've worn approximately 847 times start to feel interesting again.

But we're not talking about the sensible navy blazer you've had since 2009.

Look for colour, velvet, checks, fabulous buttons, an interesting shape or something slightly unexpected.

Hot pink? Absolutely.

Tomato red? Even better.

Leopard print? We're listening.

THE ANB EDIT

Three blazers we'd happily make room for.

02 - THE STATEMENT SHIRT

Never underestimate a great shirt.

A great shirt does a lot of the hard work for you.

Wear it with jeans. Tuck it into wide-leg trousers. Leave it open over a vest. Roll the sleeves up and add too many bracelets.

The trick is to forget anything that feels remotely like office wear.

Look for bold stripes, fabulous prints, oversized shapes, unexpected colour or sleeves with a little drama.

Big florals? Yes please.

Bright stripes? Definitely.

Something your sensible friend wouldn't buy? Even better.

THE ANB EDIT

Three shirts that do all the talking.

03 - THE FABULOUS TROUSERS

Give your jeans the day off.

A great pair of trousers can completely change the mood of your wardrobe.

We're talking wide legs, fabulous colour, interesting prints and anything with a bit of swish when you walk.

Wear them with a simple T-shirt and trainers. Add a shirt and loafers. Or go all in with colour on top too — there are no prizes for being sensible here.

Look for a flattering high waist, a beautiful drape and enough personality to make the rest of the outfit easy.

Bright red? We're in.

Leopard print? Obviously.

A fabulous wide leg? Always.

THE ANB EDIT

Three pairs worth giving your jeans a day off for.

04 - THE THROW-IT-ON DRESS

One piece. Entire outfit.

There are days when coordinating separates feels like entirely too much effort.

Enter the brilliant dress.

Pull it over your head, add a great pair of shoes and you're approximately 93% dressed. Sunglasses and earrings will take care of the rest.

Forget anything too prim or overly complicated. Look for great colour, fabulous prints, interesting sleeves or a shape that moves beautifully.

And don't save the good ones for best.

With trainers? Absolutely.

With boots? Even better.

With somewhere fabulous to go? Ideally.

THE ANB EDIT

Three dresses that make getting dressed ridiculously easy.

05 - THE FABULOUS FLATS

Comfortable doesn't have to mean boring.

There was a time when a fabulous shoe usually came with an equally fabulous amount of pain.

Thankfully, we've moved on.

A brilliant pair of flats can make an outfit — think colourful loafers, metallic ballet pumps, animal print, embellishment or trainers that deserve considerably more attention than the gym.

Wear them with the fabulous trousers. Put them with the throw-it-on dress. Or use them to make jeans and a white T-shirt feel completely different.

Look for colour, texture, print or just enough sparkle to make you look down at your feet and smile.

Leopard loafers? Of course.

Silver ballet flats? Yes please.

Something bright enough to stop traffic? Even better.

THE ANB EDIT

Three pairs that prove comfortable can still be fabulous.

06 - THE BAG WITH PERSONALITY

Because black isn't the only option.

A bag is one of the easiest places to have a little fun.

You can be wearing the simplest outfit imaginable, add a fabulous bag and suddenly the whole thing looks intentional.

Forget the idea that your handbag has to match your shoes. Look for bold colour, interesting shapes, gorgeous texture or something slightly unexpected.

And yes, you can absolutely carry the bright pink bag with the red shoes.

Cherry red? Delicious.

Metallic? Practically a neutral.

Something completely impractical but fabulous? We understand.

THE ANB EDIT

Three bags that refuse to blend into the background.

07 - THE JEWELLERY THAT GETS NOTICED

More is sometimes more.

There are outfits that are perfectly nice.

And then there are outfits that become fabulous the minute you add the earrings.

Jewellery is where you can really play — oversized earrings, chunky necklaces, stacks of bangles, colourful stones or something gloriously gold and slightly over the top.

The best bit? It works with clothes you already own. A white shirt, a simple dress or your favourite T-shirt can suddenly feel completely different.

Look for pieces with colour, scale, texture or enough personality to start a conversation.

Big earrings? Bigger.

Too many bangles? No such thing.

Saving it for a special occasion? Absolutely not.

THE ANB EDIT

Three pieces that deserve to be noticed.

A LITTLE REMINDER

Wear the fabulous thing.

You don't need a whole new wardrobe to make getting dressed more fun.

Sometimes it's one brilliant blazer. A pair of shoes that makes you smile. The ridiculously fabulous earrings you nearly talked yourself out of buying.

The point isn't to dress younger, follow every trend or become someone you're not.

It's simply to wear more of the things that make you feel like you — only with the volume turned up a little.

So wear the colour. Carry the fabulous bag. Put the good dress on for lunch on a Tuesday.

And if you're wondering whether it's too much?

It probably isn't.