Your fashion resolutions for 2013

By Tatin Yang for Yahoo! Southeast Asia

It's that time of year again where we all vow to do something to improve ourselves or banish bad habits. While most New Year's resolutions focus on fitness, finances and relationships, these fashion experts are encouraging women to do a little something new or better to their closets and dressing habits in the year of the slinky snake, and yes, animal prints are involved.

His and hers fashion duo Seph Cham and Shai Lagarde of Love Chic (www.lovechic.com.ph) recommend women (and men) to intensify the search for one's own personal style. "Personally, I want to whip myself into better shape so the clothes fit me better,” says Cham. Shai resolves to put more effort into her daily outfits. "It's also the style resolution I'd suggest to other women who don't yet do so—to get dressed every day, not for anyone else but for ourselves."

Also read: Solenn on personal style and the key to being sexy

Designer Maureen Disini thinks that more women should also resolve to start dressing according to their age and invest in clothes while pruning their closets. "Stick to appropriate-age dressing. Narrow down your closet essentials and stock up on pieces that will always look great on your body.  You should think of longevity, versatility and everlasting appeal," she explains.

While this doesn't necessarily translate to a complete outfit overhaul, you can still wear your old favorites—with an age-appropriate twist. For example, women in their late 40s who used to dress up in tight dresses and plunging necklines in their youth can still exude sexiness with a few minor tweaks, e.g. body-skimming fabrics like jersey with strategic draping can hug the body in the right places without clinging to pesky, troublesome areas. This will result in a classic silhouette that's still sexy.

Also read: How to spot a quality bag

For added sexiness, stylist Sidney Yap encourages women to don heels once in a while. "Resolve to wear heels more often, I like how sexy legs look in a pair of heels." Make 2013 the beginning of your quest to find a pair of heels that will give your legs that extra oomph while remaining comfortable.

Fashion blogger Carizza Chua (carizzachua.blogspot.com) also shares these smart resolutions to get your fashionable year rolling:

1. Organize your closet
Organize your clothes, shoes, and accessories in your closet so you can easily find what you need. You can arrange it by type and color. The more organized your closet is, the easier and faster it will be for you to dress up. It'll make getting dressed fun and soon you'll say goodbye to "I have nothing to wear" days. Try closet storage solutions to help maximize your space, like Umbra's LBD accessories organizer (available at Dimensione). The hanging organizer, in the shape of a cute little black dress, has multiple pockets for storing earrings, rings and bracelets, while the back has Velcro hoops that will let you organize your necklaces (tangle-free!) for easy selection.

2. Learn to let go
One of the hardest things to do is letting go of possessions. Don't fear losing an item hanging from your closet. Don't agonize over the money you've spent. This is the only way to give room to new pieces. You can either donate or hold a garage sale for your stuff. Sometimes, the things that we don't use anymore can be of great help to the less fortunate.

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3. Play with colors and patterns
Let's make this year more colorful. Deviate from the usual grays and blacks and introduce new prints to your wardrobe. Heavy animal and tropical prints are in for 2013 so start spicing up your everyday outfit!

4. Don't overaccesorize
Wear either a necklace or a pair of earrings instead of both. Too much jewelry can take away from your outfit, not enhance it. Accessories look better if you wear only few amazing pieces.

Also read: Top designer on how to transform an outfit

5. Shop but save
Shop smart, resist the urge to impulse buy and purchase fewer but quality pieces that you can keep and wear forever. Go for quality, not quantity and surprisingly, you'll save a lot of money while still dressing well!