Getting a bold statement right

SHOULD blue and green be seen together?

SHOULD blue and green be seen together?

Growing up I was told that blue and green must never be seen without a colour in-between, and that vodka and orange from a cask is a perfect way to celebrate your final Year 12 exam - I was wrong on both counts.

Pairing blues with greens is all about finding the right shade. This season try loose silk aquamarine shorts with a sleeveless Olympian blue blouse and metallic sandals during the day. Jewel tones of blue and green can also be colour-blocked for a disco-inspired evening look. Cobalt blue dresses can be given extra pop by an emerald jacket.

Play around until you get this bold statement right and soon you'll be ready to ignore that falsehood about horizontal stripes making you look fat.

My son has no style. As a worried grandmother, how do I encourage his daughter to be stylish?

It's a sign of the times that grandmothers have gone beyond the traditional duties of babysitting and supplying gift vouchers at Christmas to become emergency stylists. The best way that a grandchild can learn about style is by example, so it's up to you to be fabulous.

Under no circumstances ply your grandchild with adult fashion mags: some contemporary photographs of models are scarier than A Nightmare On Elm Street. Casually leaving photos of Suri Cruise around the house is a no-no, and buying designer children's clothing is likely to be an expensive failure.

Instead, create a dress-up box for your granddaughter that will let her discover the pleasure of putting together an outfit through play. As a back-up plan, teach her the importance of clothes and how to respect them. Simple lessons about the difference between the way to treat playclothes and our Sunday best should be drilled in at an early age.

Finally, don't give up on your son. A crisp linen shirt or smart rugby top might be a better gift for him than a voucher this Christmas.

- Damien Woolnough, [e-mail]