For almost 15 years, Isle of Skye Cashmere was both “brick and mortar” and online.

What I liked best about the “brick and mortar” store was helping customers find clothes that looked great on them.

I saw too many women following what I consider misguided Fashion advice – advice driven by the media’s focus on “fast fashion” and an obsession with the latest trends and colors.

So much of the fashion business is focused on getting you to buy the newest thing, not on helping you look great.

If you’ve shopped in my store, or if you’ve read my thoughts about personal style, you know that some of the ideas I’ve tried to help my customers avoid include:

• Choosing clothes based on the latest fashion trends.
• Becoming a walking billboard for a designer’s logo or initials.
• Dressing like your young daughter.

In fact, my advice in selecting clothes centers on a few simple principles I articulated almost 15 years ago.

I built my business around these principles:

• At Isle of Skye Cashmere, our selection of clothes is based on a personal aesthetic that values classic style and quality over fashion and fad.
• Our style sense starts with the idea that a woman’s wardrobe should be built on a foundation of high quality, classic pieces.
• Classic styling is all about your personality taking center stage, not your clothes.

Despite what you read in the popular press, if you dig a bit deeper, you’ll find that the most successful professionals in the fashion industry believe in the same ideas.

I recently read an interview with Patricia Field, the costume designer for “Sex and the City” and a legend in the fashion industry.

Based on the fabulous wardrobe she created for Carrie Bradshaw, many people may imagine her style philosophy centers on an edgy, trendy look.

But in an interview New York magazine, here is what Patricia Field had to say about her own style sensibility:

“My style has always been about Classic pieces worn in interesting ways.

“Trendy pieces felt silly because they’re just too locked into a time period, and they haven’t had a chance to prove themselves, so to speak. They come and go.

“Even though many people see me as an edgy type of fashion person, at the base of my fashion philosophy is classics.

“When I’m getting dressed today, I have a closet full of pieces that I’ve had for many years and continue to enjoy without looking “vintage.” That’s what I’m talking about – classics that are timeless.

“You could have a Chanel jacket and you could put it with a pair of jeans. You don’t have to wear it with Chanel head to toe. That’s the example that people understand.

“You could wear a string of pearls with a white T-shirt. It’s perfectly fine; they’re both classic. But it’s how you put it together. It’s about the styling.”

This past week, I sent an email to my loyal customers about the Coco Boatneck Cashmere Sweater. I mentioned that this sweater is a great basic that could be paired with slacks or skirts for a sophisticated, dressy look.

If you need a bit of help in imagining how to make the Coco Cashmere Boatneck Sweater work for you, look no further than fashion icon Olivia Palermo. For style inspiration rooted in the classics, I love so many of Olivia’s looks.

Olivia is well known in the fashion industry as a model, stylist, and style ambassador. In New York, she is one of the fashion paparazzi’s favorite subjects.

For her wedding last winter, Olivia paired a cream 3/4 sleeve cashmere boatneck with a tulle skirt to make a stunning wedding outfit. I love the look – simple, understated elegance.

The boatneck works beautifully to frame her face and balance her silhouette. Nothing could better illustrate Patricia Field’s concept of “classic pieces worn in interesting ways.”Her personality and natural beauty take center stage, not the clothes.

If you need help in finding a classic cashmere sweater that helps create your best look, please call (888-343-6771) or email me at [email protected].

At Isle of Skye Cashmere, our sweaters are designed and made to look better, feel better, and last longer than any other sweaters you own.

Also, if you’re looking for a size or color already sold out, please get in touch with us. More are on the way from Scotland. We’ll hold one for you.

Rita Jones
Isle of Skye Cashmere – Owner & Founder