




How do you go about choosing or buying heroes for your wardrobe? I’m fine with the supporting cast, but worry about making an expensive mistake with something as visible as a hero. I tend to stick with using accessories for interest, but would love to splash out on something fab for the wardrobe.
This question popped up in my inbox recently and so I thought I’d share my thoughts here on the best way of choosing or buying hero garments and accessories to make your outfits really work and more exciting and interesting, yet not waste money on something that doesn’t work for you.
Hero One
Here is my most recent hero, a soft floaty duster/kimono jacket. What made me choose it?

- It’s in my signature colours
- I love the pattern
- I like the feel of the fabric, it’s soft and silky which I really like
- I can see myself wearing it in many ways – it’s versatile – I can wear it with jeans, with a skirt, over long sleeves or spaghetti straps. I can wear it casually or for more dressy occasions.
- It goes with many items I already own in my wardrobe
- It goes with my style statement of Functional Individualist
Hero Two
Here is another hero – a lace necklace. What makes it work? Again:
- It’s in a signature colour (my eyes)
- It works with many items in my wardrobe already
- I can dress it up or down
- It’s comfortable to wear
- It suits my personality style statement of Functional Individualist
Hero Three
And my third hero of the day – this little shrug style jacket – again why does it work for me?
- It’s neutral so goes with many colours
- It’s able to be worn over a variety of tops (giving it versatility), but can also be dressed up or down
- It has interesting detail and pattern that I really like, it’s different and unique
- It’s comfortable to wear and adds that bit of warmth (that’s super important to me as I run cold)
- It suits my style recipe!
So what have you noticed about what makes a hero work? Before you buy consider:
- Can I wear dress it up and down?
- Does it work with a variety of existing pieces in my wardrobe? Could I include it as part of a wardrobe capsule?
- Is it a colour and style that really flatters me?
- Does it feel comfortable on me?
- Do I love the detail or pattern?
- Does it represent my personal style statement or recipe?
- Do I feel like “me” in a great way when I’m wearing it?
And of course, as a hero, it has to be more different, more interesting, more detailed than your support acts, otherwise it’s just another staple, not a hero piece!
Why not look through your wardrobe at the heroes and ask yourself why you love them and why they work? Doing this will help elucidate what you love as a hero and what works particularly for you!






Imogen, I just wanted to say (because I haven’t already) how INCREDIBLE you are looking with your blonde hair. You look absolutely radiant! 🙂
Beautiful kimono. Is there a link for it?
Karen – this one came from a cheap Chinese importer shop – not a chain – I will be doing a post soon on them and will find some links to share with it for similar.
Too often I have purchased a hero piece convinced it will be so useful, only to find it hardly worn – even though it technically meets the criteria above. I suspect the problem is that my preferred style doesn’t really fit with my everyday environment and lifestyle and I haven’t the confidence to stand out too much. So I now add an extra question to the above list: what are the first 3 occasions you will wear it and have you something already that would be better suited to the occasion.
My idea of “hero” pieces are often jackets/cardigans, that I expect to wear for years. I have three of these, one over 20 years old (but it was a hand crafted cardigan I bought at an art gallery), but its colours suit me and go with several things, and every time I wear it, I feel good. Another is a boiled wool jacket in deep olive green that I used applique and embroidery on.
Your comments on the way to make such choices are spot on. Thanks, you often supply me with inspiration.
Thank you again Imogen…. I think the penny is finally dropping with me regarding the hero items concept….: a capsule wardrobe is vital (because of limited space); having fun with dressing is also (for me) vital: capsule wardrobe with (capsule) hero items is therefore the way to go, for life! 🙂
What I mean, it’s not a choice between ‘boring’ capsule OR having fun with clothes and an extensive wardrobe: I realised that the hero items are the icing on the (manageable wardrobe) cake, that makes it fun to look at and a treat to eat.
Yeay!
Thank you for the specific examples and the overall questions!