You’ve probably heard of celebrity stylist Angie Smith from her work in the past with household names like Holly Willoughby, Eva Mendes, Davina McCall and Rochelle Humes. Smith has a gift for making her clients look effortlessly chic, usually on an affordable budget. She’s an advocate for shopping the high street—often mixing high and low pieces in her styling and her own wardrobe—and her talent for uncovering the most expensive-looking finds is unrivalled. So I’m sure you’ll be pleased to hear she’s now a Who What Wear UK columnist, here to share with you her expert shopping picks for the season while sharing some of her styling wisdom along the way. All I’ll say is, ready your wallets. Keep scrolling to see her key buys for 2024 below..
I’ve been a stylist and brand consultant for over 20 years now, and I’m a strong believer in buying less and wearing more. What I’ve found from my experience re-working clients’ wardrobes is that after editing them down to a smaller capsule, it becomes a lot easier to pull outfits together because you can actually see what’s in there.
When shopping for new pieces, it’s important to be practical and think of all the outfits you could wear them with in your existing wardrobe. But most importantly, you have to really love those new items to justify adding them into your rotation. When you wear them, they have to make you feel good—really good. They have to be comfortable on your body; I’m a strong believer in buying the size that feels and looks the best on you—in some shops that might be a 12, in others an 18—it really does not matter. The buys that I include in my monthly edits here will be ones that can be easily styled up in multiple ways, and will still be relevant years from now. We’re talking true wardrobe classics, and every month I’ll be showing you where to find them.
It’s January, it’s freezing cold and if it were up to you leggings and Uggs would be the order of the day. However not everyday is Sunday, and sometimes it’s good to leave the house and not just to walk the dog. So what are we wearing? This month I wanted to create an edit that focuses on clothing that tickets the 3 most important boxes for January, clothing that is (a) warm (b) timeless, and most importantly makes you look like you’ve made an effort / instantly pulled together / cool. It’s basically a meet in the middle between the outfit that will look good on instagram but 15 minutes into your journey you are already looking forward to getting home and putting your PJs on and your go to Sunday look of leggings, layers and a full length duvet coat, Uggs optional.
Good ol’ Arket.
Mango are known for knocking it out of the park with their outerwear. This would be my pick of their latest drop.
I haven’t stopped wearing my Khaite cross body bag since I got it, and this is the best high-street iteration.
This works so well as separates yet also looks so chic together.
Apart or together, these make for great workwear pieces.
Jigsaw knows how to cut a decent wool coat and this colour is so beautiful, plus it looks much more expensive than it’s price tag.
Add instant style and some much needed warmth to tops and dresses with a bib.
Easy to throw on and perfect for adding a fun pop to your looks during the drearier months.
This one is pretty perfect. Just enough of a statement but not so over powering that it still goes with everything.
This one is giving me Lauren Manoogian vibes.
I have a pair and can confirm they are seriously warm, and not at all itchy.
Trust me, you’ll have them for years and they can be worn with everything in that effortless French girl way.
Looking like you know a thing or two about fashion has never been so easy, just add red socks. Make them cashmere for extra cosiness!
Not quite cream, not quite yellow— butter is the elevated colour trend that we saw emerging last summer with the rise in quiet luxury, and I’m predicting it will continue to grow next season and beyond. I mean, just look at this buttery knit—how could anyone resist?
Loose, relaxed denim continues to reign as the fashion pack’s favourite for 2024, and I am not mad about it. For bonus style points, go for a pair in dark indigo.
Longer length bermuda shorts started popping up again in summer 2023 and will continue to gather pace in 2024. Think office attire with a blazer come spring, or for evenings with an open shirt or loose halterneck top. You could even start wearing them now with sheer or fishnet tights layered underneath.
If you were quick to bag this Aligne denim trench when it came out earlier this year, you’re already ahead of the game for Spring/Summer 2024. Luckily it’s still in stock, for now.
Quite possibly one of the easiest trends to get on board with this coming year is fresh white. Got a white T-shirt and some ecru jeans in your wardrobe? You’re already there. Want to make life even easier? This jumpsuit is the answer.
The easiest way to introduce a pop of colour into your wardrobe is with a bag, in my opinion. If in doubt, keep the style of the bag classic and go bolder with the colour.
Sheer doesn’t have to mean bare. I love how flattering a top like this one can look when layered under a dress or blazer.
This is a great trend to introduce for a night out, dressed down with denim (of course). For day, a fringed jacket in suede is what the fashion crowd have been wearing on repeat since Autumn.
A leather bomber jacket will never go out of style. However, I’m not sure I will ever wear one that isn’t oversized again. In the same way as denim, there is something so effortlessly cool about wearing a piece that looks like you’ve shopped it from the menswear department. This jacket by Reformation has exactly the right look. Wear it over, well, absolutely anything to elevate your look in a very non-try-hard way.
This cardigan and skirt set also come in navy, green, black, beige, purple and stripes.
My current favourite white T-shirt is by RE/DONE. It’s next-level soft and the collar sits at the perfect height to add a contrasting under layer to your winter knits, flannel shirts and wool blazers that need pepping up.
This jumper is giving me Khaite or Gabriela Hearst vibes in spades, but at a very affordable high street price tag. Style it simply to let it do all the talking and you have yourself a laid back look that feels and looks ridiculously chic. This is the statement jumper for minimalists.
I always think that if you feel like your outfit is wearing you then throw on some trainers, or in colder months biker boots—they will instantly dress your look down a notch and make it feel effortlessly cool.
Is this not the most perfect plaid shirt you ever did see? And if blues and greens are more your match then check out the other colour way.
I have a blazer like this in my wardrobe and love how it instantly pulls together a very average jeans and T-shirt look. The tones in it also mean that it goes with nearly every shade of denim, and it’s super flattering on the skin.
A pop of red is one of this season’s biggest trends, and I love the idea of wearing it subtly by layering a red T-shirt under a crew-neck jumper or sweater so you just get a little flash of it. Keep it feeling modern by mixing it with camel, navy, grey and brown.
Finding an effortless-looking bag that fits a laptop is hard, trust me. Sézane have nailed it with their camel ‘Gabin’, though. It’s lived in, a beautiful colour and exudes laidback chic.
I’ve worn a St Christopher for over 20 years, and I’m a little bit superstitious now about mine. I love how you can also wear this style back to front to make it look like a simple gold disc if your outfit is more minimal.
