When it comes to wearing white, the most common mistake women make is choosing the wrong shade. Old school thinking is that creams, off-whites and beige are somehow more flattering. The truth is that when you are over 30 creams, beige and off-whites can make you look tired and MUCH older than you are or feel. The great news is that you can wind back the hands of time simply by choosing 'pure white' instead

One of the age old criticisms of pure white - which is why so many women avoid wearing it - is that it can be 'harsh' against your skin tone. Over the years harshness has somehow become synonymous with looking older and this is certainly true if you choose the wrong fabric. The key to wearing pure white when you're over 30 is to make sure you choose  matt, stretchy fabrics. This generally rules out 100% linen, 100% cotton, 100% polyester and 100% silk but there are many other beautiful & comfortable fabric choices available

The real magic comes from combining different fabric textures of pure white in the same outfit. This is what makes the overall look feel soft and beautifully stylish rather than cold and harsh. To illustrate, Alex is wearing a plush cotton jersey pure white tank (smooth texture) and a pure white cotton jersey slimline cardi-coat (ribbed texture). It's the contrasting textures that create a perfect harmony, and that's what beauty is - it's perfect harmony

You can also use pure white as the base for creating timeless classic looks that don't require excessive brain power to pull together. In this case a navy and pure white soft knit stripe cardi-coat creates a lovely rich contrast to the white tank and shorts. The overall combination is the perfect complement to Alex's features