THE other day I saw the Clash of the Titans. Not the movie, mind you. Instead I spotted a woman who was dripping, head-to-toe, in designer labels.
 
Far from being fashionable, it was as gauche as wearing every single trend for the season - together.

Or committing the faux pas of wearing last season's Yves Saint Laurent ensemble (straight off the catwalk), to a Prada show this season.

Doing designer can be so tricky.

Be too conscious and you run the risk of being called a label queen, which is as crass as 'nouveau riche'.

On the other hand there are those who border on the obtuse. A pet peeve of a male editor pal of mine are women who think 'they are It because they carry a Louis Vuitton or Gucci tote but the rest of the outfit still screams market ah-soh!'

I tell him that's when women confuse making no effort for effortless style.

I mean, not being precious about fashion is one thing, but to be slack is something else altogether. You wouldn't dress up in your fanciest, then leave the house with curlers still in your hair right?

Modern glamour is about having an easy, non-contrived style.

Something I feel is best personified today by American film director and Louis Vuitton's celebrity campaign girl, Sophia Coppola.

She has that easy glamour down pat. There's a girl-next-door (granted, more Central Park neighbourhood than Daisy Duke Hicksville) air to her sartorial style that's put together and chic, stylish yet not intimidating.

If a white cotton tee can be seen as a metaphor for American style, then she would be the primordial cotton version - lightweight, organic and soft, like silk on skin with enough tightness in the weave to flatter and shape the body beautifully without constricting it.

It's a simple and versatile basic that can be casual when paired with blue jeans. Or sophisticated when teamed with a sharp jacket, tailored slacks and statement accessories in sleek silver.

To be stylish, ironically, is not to be obsessed with labels and I think that is where most women err in their picks.

And you can always tell a poor fit because the dress wears you, not the other way around.

Avoiding a sartorial faux pas requires careful editing and wise spending. Keep these tips in mind:

Think fit and feel before brand name

When you're buying that next outfit, shoes, bags or accessories, ask yourself whether it makes you look better.

You're the entree, not the side dish. What you wear should garnish the plate, not steal the show.

And that rule should apply, whether you're spending $50 or $500.

Avoid logomania

I am not a fan of overt branding because it just screams wannabe.

It's like wearing your dress label on the outside just to show people you can afford it.

Even when designers go mad with house insignias at times, I like to think it's done in kitsch humour, like a Pucci print.

This is one area where subtlety is never a flaw. I like my Hermes garden rubber tote precisely for its quiet handsomeness and classic structure, which is timeless.

And the distinct trademark of my favourite shoe label, Christian Louboutin? The red soles that are practically unseen unless you lift your feet.

Signature versus mixing it up

Don't cop a look, from top to toe, directly off the runway. It lacks imagination and unless you have model proportions, it's almost a guaranteed flop.

But if you're diehard brand loyal, do try to work the trendy seasonal pieces with the classic ones. Or pair outfits from the first and second lines of the house - for example a Donna Karen jacket, over a DKNY dress. That jazzes it up somewhat.

I'm all for mixing luxury designer labels with high-street ones, the vintage and the trendy.

But again, exercise some caution and work towards creating a harmonious look rather than a showcase of different logomania items just to show that you're in the know - that's just a no.

This article was first published in The New Paper.