In the words of Yves Saint Laurent, "Fashion fades, style is eternal." Making your own style statement is about learning to create your own distinctive look.

Great style sense is all about knowing what works for you and personalizing that look. Blindly following fashion trends, no matter what your age, is not a particularly smart thing to do, unless you know how to work the trend to your advantage!

Jacqui Ripley’s The Makeover Book (Piatkus 2004) proffers words of wisdom for many fashion conscious women, “The secret to pulling off desirable style is simply knowing what suits you and what most definitely doesn’t.” This involves following your instincts when it comes to wearing your existing outfits (by adding an accessory or two to give you individuality) and opening yourself up to fashion advice from the people in-the-know.

Take some tips from international style gurus such as the darling of Hollywood set, Rachel Zoe, Elle fashion director Nina Garcia, and runway king Michael Kors.

Step 1 – Understand Your Body and Acknowledge Your Age

Style is not necessarily about following fashion trends. Style is about wearing something that makes you feel good, flatters your body shape and makes you look classy and not tarty. It is also about understanding what is dressing appropriately for your age, avoiding looking as if you are trying to hard to be young or as if you want to raid your grandmother’s closet. The words mutton and lamb are not ones you ideally want to be associated when describing your fashion style. Equally, avoid prints and outfits that look a hundred times better on someone who, when you divide their age by two, reaches single figures!

Step 2 – The Power of Fashion Accessories

Learn the power of fashion accessories. Once you have built up some timeless, classic pieces in your wardrobe (and a few trendy ones), it’s the accessories that you team them with that changes the look of an outfit overnight. They can also minimize or distract from you body flaws if used cleverly enough. The current trend in oversized bags is hugely popular, partly due to their propensity to make the wearing positively diminutive in comparison!

In her book, Style A To Zoe, (Grand Central Publishing 2007), Rachel Zoe says, “In the morning I think accessories first, then clothes second.” Nina Garcia recommends wearing a classic man’s watch as a signature-style piece, in The Little Black Book of Style (Collins, Sept 2007), and Zoe also admits to wearing a chunky man’s watch as part of her own style statement.

Step 3 – Define Your Signature Style

Create your own signature style with a special bag you really love, or a pair of shoes, a print scarf, a man's watch, or any other fashion accessory that takes your fancy. In Glamour magazine’s November 2006 article “The 8 Laws of Style” runway king Michael Kors advises, “Have a signature piece. It’s the most classic way to look chic. Zero in on that one thing.” Whether this is a pair of boots, a designer bag, some oversized sunglasses or a simple headband, wear your signature piece with almost everything to create your own individual look.

Step 4 – Invest in the Best (When You Can)

When it comes to timeless pieces, buy the best you can afford. Seasonal, fun and quirky outfits can be cheap and disposable but invest in the best when it comes to outfits and accessories that have a longer-life. Jeans are a good example of this, a pair of quality Guess jeans can last you almost a lifetime, if carefully maintained. Ripley advises treating your wardrobe as an investment by creating “a closet that is full of must-have pieces rather than make-do ones."

Step 5 – Be Irreverent When It Comes to Fashion

Discovering your sense of personal-style is also about breaking the fashion rules that have been ingrained by your mother! For example: don’t wear red and orange together, and always match your hosiery with your shoes. Wear your favorite pair of boots in summer, or a brocade skirt to work, suggests Kors. According to style.com, wearing red tights with everything is one of the hottest looks for fall!

Step 6 – The Importance of a Dress Rehearsal

Style is also about confidence, which comes with feeling great in what you wear. Kors suggests editing down your wardrobe “to what you really love and what looks good on you.” He also recommends trying out a look in advance, for a special occasion. Rachel Zoe, agrees, espousing the benefits of dress rehearsals, to ensure that everything (clothes, undergarments and accessories) is absolutely perfect on the night. Coming from a woman who has dressed numerous celebrity icons for the red carpet such as Keira Knightly, Lindsay Lohan, Cameron Diaz, and Demi Moore, this is good advice.

Step 7 – Quality Versus Price

Establishing your sense of style does not have to break the bank. Quality doesn’t always equal expensive (think Vintage, eBay, Thrift shops etc.), and outfits that are well-designed “come at every price,” according to Kors. Even the high priestess of fashion, Coco Chanel was a great supporter of mixing costume jewelry with the real thing, and Zoe makes the point that by investing in quality accessories like shoes and bags, everyone may well assume that other items in your outfit are just as expensive.

In the words of Victoria Beckham in her book That Extra Half an Inch (Harper 2007) “Whether you’ve got £20 to spend in Top Shop or £2,000 to spend at Gucci, looking good isn’t about money, it’s about style, and style never goes out of fashion.”

Finally, if you feel you want more guidance on refining your own personal style then, in addition to the plethora of internet articles on fashion tips, consider using a reliable personal shopper service, offered one of the more upmarket stores, or alternatively invest in a DIY fashion/style guide, written by an author who you feel provides sound advice.