What's the secret to taking an outfit from basic to amazing?

It's all in those 'unexpected' items

NY AW25 Fashion Week street style. Images from Getty Images

Have you ever spotted a woman and thought, "Wow, she looks amazing," but you just can’t put your finger on why?

It might be on the street, in a café, scrolling through Instagram, or even watching TV - there's always that moment when someone catches your eye, and you just can't look away. It’s not necessarily because she’s wearing something outlandish or over-the-top. No, it’s more likely something understated, something you can’t quite pinpoint, but it makes all the difference. And try as you might, you just can’t recreate that same vibe.

So, what’s the secret?

It’s all about the unexpected details. I’ve touched on this over on Instagram before, but let’s dig a bit deeper into what I mean.

Unexpected details are those little quirks or surprises that give an outfit its personality. They’re often subtle things that you wouldn't expect to see, but that’s exactly what makes them so striking. It could be a coat with an interesting sleeve shape, a gorgeous handbag in a colour you wouldn’t normally go for, or a pair of shoes in an unexpected texture. It’s these tiny things that make an outfit stand out.

Let’s break it down a bit.