Charleston Fashion Week: What to wear?

If you've already caught some of Fashion Week or are planning to go to the shows this weekend, no doubt you've pondered that age-old fashion question.

What to wear?

A year ago, this column did a piece during CFW on precisely that topic featuring blogger Najee Wilson (tresfraisnajee.blogspot.com), who was excited to be going to his first fashion show. He'd set up a rack of clothes in my living room, and we put together some specific looks that he wore during CFW.

Twelve months later, Wilson could be considered a Fashion Week veteran, having attended the 2011 spring/summer shows in New York (along with CFW's own Ayoka Lewis) and more recently the 2011 fall/winter collections in February. And as its style director, Wilson also is one of the minds behind Vent magazine, which launched last year.

So I thought it'd be fun to revisit Wilson for his more seasoned opinions about Fashion Week and what to wear. On putting together an outfit, he says, "If you're going to see a certain designer, you can wear the designer's last collection or you can wear something that is very much inspired by that designer."

He also says Fashion Week is a good time to experiment. "I use it as an opportunity to be a little daring. I might wear a big trench coat that I might not pull off in real life. I always step outside the boundaries with my shoes or with a bag that's a little different."

As opposed to the last time when he put together entire outfits beforehand, this year Wilson is being a little more spontaneous by focusing on individual elements -- a Marc Jacobs anorak ("It's really full and baggy, and when I put it on, I feel really powerful."), Bass loafers from Opening Ceremony, a Liberty of London for Target shirt and Lavin for H&M shoes.

"If you plan the looks, you just feel very put together. To me, people respond more to stuff like you just threw it on, instead of seeming choreographed. The worst thing you can ever do is to be uncomfortable. If it doesn't fit, it doesn't fit, and you're not going to look good in it."

Here's my two cents: Wear amazing shoes. Skip the sunglasses inside the tents unless you happen to be Anna Wintour. If stumped, stick with the classic dress-jacket-heels combo but add some individuality. Take a break from all black and sport a pop of color. Don't forget to include something vintage.

And be yourself, just a teeny tiny more fabulous version of you.

Charleston Fashion Week continues through Saturday night.