STYLE FILE – Cute, chic, classy

CAROLANNE HOYTE IS  an accountant who loves music and art. A 32-year-old Piscean, she is the mother of one

 
How do you define your personal style?
Classic but feisty. I have an easy way about dressing really. I like to look chic but still feel comfortable. I can dress up for the party of the year or I can dress down for an evening at the cinema. My wardrobe consists of “the little red dress”, the fitted jeans, the sundress, the navy-blue blazer, the independent woman suit.
 
Do you find that you follow fashion trends or do you play by your own rules?
I do not think I need to follow every trend but I can take the trend and do my own thing with it. I like to think outside the box; I do not feel self-conscious if I wear black shoes while carrying a brown bag! I can be “the lady in red” when everybody else is wearing tan. It just comes down to what I like and what I am comfortable with.
 
Has your fashion sense changed over the years or has it remained the same?
Yes; it’s like fine wine . . . it’s getting even better with age!
 
As a child, were you always into to clothes or did you grow into your own fashion sense?
Yes – I loved clothes when I was a child (even if I couldn’t buy them) I loved to watch Style With Elsa Klench. I would spend hours dressing up my dolls and designing dresses. As a teenager, I was very self-conscious as I was extremely skinny and I could never get “the look” right but as I have grown, I have found a style that I am quite comfortable with and I work that.
 
Are there any colours that you tend to shy away from and if so, why?
No. My sexy coffee complexion goes with every colour. I love earth tones but I also love blue. I wear any variation of blue but my favourite is aquamarine. 
 
How does your day-to-day life factor into your wardrobe choices?
I dress to reflect my mood. 
 
Are there any designers that you like to wear or whose clothing stands out with you?
Locally, I love Wayne Smith’s designs, I don’t own any but I modelled one of his dresses briefly. I also like Dior, Marc Jacobs and Prada, but Roberto Cavalli – I aspire to own one of his dresses!
 
Five things every woman should have in her closet: 
1  A white button-down shirt 2  A pair of sexy black stilettos3  Dress-up or dress-down jeans4  A short red dress5  A “goes with everything” handbag