Update your wardrobe: what to add & what to ditch for a fashionable 2019

23 January 2019 - 07:00
By Nothemba Mkhondo

2019 Must- haves

Image: Peter White/Getty Images Suit by Alexander McQueen.

The suit

The suit, in its various iterations, is definitely here to stay. Be it in bright colours, stripes, checks or even white trousers and jackets, it is a must-have in your wardrobe.

Whether you wear the jacket with a long skirt or the trousers with a printed T-shirt, the suit is a worthwhile, versatile investment.

Mini bags

Image: Catwalking/Getty Images Altuzarra - Runway RTW - Fall 2018 - Paris Fashion Week

Mini bags, no matter how impractical they might seem, add an instant touch of chic to any outfit.

You don’t have to go quite as tiny as the Jacquemus mini, but for heightened sartorial effect, opt for a brightly coloured one, especially of the top handle and belt bag variety.

Snakeskin Print

The sudden rise of this statement print in the stores is undeniable. Add a touch to your new-year look with a snakeskin print set in understated neutral shades of cream, tan and brown.

Image: Michael Campanella/Getty Images Nand - Runway - Stockholm Runway SS19

Say your good-byes

The ugly shoe

Image: Peter White/Getty Images Ankle boot meets thong in this 'hybrid' shoe seen at the Loewe Spring/Summer 2019 show during Paris Fashion Week

Just when you think the ugly shoe can’t get uglier, fashion shows us it can. Break the ugly shoe cycle by saying goodbye to awful hybrids of two styles that should never co-exist, such as ankle boots and thong sandals.

OTT denim

Image: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images A street style walker sporting washed out denim

Extremely distressed, acid-wash and embellished denim should have no place in your wardrobe in 2019. Swap denim that is trying too hard for more classic pieces, with a hint of character, in your favourite cut.

Image: Peter White/Getty Images PVC shoe by Balmain.

PVC shoes

Plastic shoes are not the modern stylista’s answer to the Cinderella slipper. These sweaty, stuffy, cringeworthy shoes were never a good idea and are definitely not worth holding onto.